BLACKSBURG, Va. – Jai Patel kicked a 24-yard field goal with 1:56 left to help Rutgers to a 26-23 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Patel’s field goal capped a 68-yard drive after Rutgers (3-0) blew a 16-point lead early in the fourth quarter but held on to record its first road win of the season and its 10th consecutive non-conference victory.

“When you attack someone and then turn things around like that, it’s very, very difficult, especially in your stadium, to win the game again,” said Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. “And we did it. I’m proud of the guys. We certainly have a lot to work on, but in many ways this game will help us. I think we’ll just get through this experience together.”

Virginia Tech (2-2) took the lead after Patel’s field goal at its 25-yard line, but on the third play of the drive, quarterback Kyron Drones’ pass was intercepted by Rutgers’ Robert Longerbeam, sealing the victory for the Scarlet Knights.

“I came up on the blitz and saw the quarterback was going to throw the ball, but I was too far away,” said Longerbeam, a Virginia native. “I had to jump. When I looked up, the ball was in the air, and I got under it and went down.”

“Just to come back to Virginia and be 1-0…that meant the world to us. We put so much work into this season and to be 1-0…means the world to us.”

The Hokies had tied the game at 23-23 after scoring touchdowns in the fourth quarter and converting two-point conversions on back-to-back possessions. Bhayshul Tuten scored both of the Hokies’ touchdowns on runs of 14 and 2 yards.

Kyle Monangai and Samuel Brown V combined for 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns for Rutgers, which finished with 187 rushing yards.

Tuten ran for 122 yards and led the Hokies.

“We know our team,” said Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry. “We know our potential. But you can’t just rely on potential. You have to achieve it, and we’re not doing that right now. We’re a better team than we showed today.”

RESULTS

Rutgers: Schiano made a strange decision in the third quarter, throwing the ball from the 1-yard line on fourth down with a 23-7 lead and failing to convert. That was one of many scoring opportunities – the Scarlet Knights missed two field goals and lost a fumble inside the Virginia Tech 5 – that Rutgers wasted in a game they easily could have won. But the Scarlet Knights survived and enter their first Big Ten game undefeated.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies waited too long to get going in this game and it cost them the win. They lost the ball three times and couldn’t stop it, losing the time of possession battle by a wide margin (39:20-20:40). All in all, this was another non-conference loss to a Power 4 opponent. Virginia Tech has lost 12 straight non-conference games to Power 4 opponents and Notre Dame.

GAMEPLAY

The Scarlet Knights staggered in the fourth quarter after allowing touchdowns on back-to-back possessions, but made the play of the game on the first play of the drive after Virginia Tech tied the game at 23-23. Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis completed a 63-yard screen pass to Ian Strong that brought Rutgers to the Virginia Tech 12-yard line and led to the game-winning field goal.

“Great decision by (Rutgers offensive coordinator) Kirk Ciarrocca,” Schiano said. “It really was. Really a great decision.”

SLOW START COSTS HOKIES – AGAIN

Virginia Tech has gotten off to a slow start in each of its four games this season. The Hokies trailed 16-0 in a season-opening loss to Vanderbilt, trailed just 10-6 at halftime in a win against Marshall, led 14-10 at halftime in a win against Old Dominion and trailed 14-0 against the Scarlet Knights. Now 2-2, the Hokies have lost to a team projected to finish last in the SEC and ninth in the Big Ten.

“We’ll have to look at it,” Pry said. “We’ve made some changes, from the way we start practice to the way we set up play calls. We’ll have to look at it more closely. … That’s something I’ll have to pay attention to as a head coach.”

Next

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights host Washington on Friday.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies play at No. 8 Miami on Friday.

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