Virginia Tech vs. Clemson: Hokies stun Tigers 20-16 for first win in series since 2007

Virginia Tech had not beaten Clemson since 2007. That changed Saturday night in Death Valley. Ethan Grunkemeyer threw two touchdown passes to tight end Luke Reynolds, the second a 5-yard strike with 1:44 left, and the Hokies held on to stun the Tigers 20-16 on Oct. 24 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

The Associated Press reported that the go-ahead score came on fourth-and-1, a gamble by coach James Franklin that paid off. It was Virginia Tech’s second straight win after a 34-24 victory over Georgia Tech the week before.

Virginia Tech vs. Clemson final score

Virginia Tech is now 6-2 (3-2 ACC). Clemson fell to 4-3 (2-2 ACC). Attendance was 80,510, according to Virginia Tech’s official stats.

How the game unfolded

Virginia Tech led 10-3 at halftime. Clemson took over the third quarter, outgaining the Hokies 146-13, according to the AP. Two Nolan Hauser field goals and a 16-yard Tait Reynolds touchdown run on a quarterback draw, the freshman’s first career rushing score, put the Tigers ahead 16-10.

The Hokies cut it to 16-13 in the fourth. Then Grunkemeyer led an 11-play, 69-yard drive for the lead. The AP noted it was helped by two Clemson pass interference penalties and a late hit out of bounds, which together handed Virginia Tech three first downs. The drive ended with the 5-yard toss to Reynolds.

Clemson still had a chance. Tait Reynolds hit Bryant Wesco Jr. for 26 yards on third down to reach inside the Virginia Tech 30, but replay overturned the catch because Wesco did not stay inbounds. On fourth-and-9 with 48 seconds left, Mylachi Williams sacked Reynolds to seal it.

Key stats

The game had no turnovers by either team, Clemson’s athletics department noted.

Clemson’s defense played well enough to win

The loss stung partly because the Tigers’ defense was so good. According to Clemson’s game notes:

• Clemson held Virginia Tech to a season-low 234 yards and outgained the Hokies 288-234.
• Virginia Tech came in averaging 449.7 yards per game and ranked 11th nationally in passing offense; it threw for 164 yards.
• Clemson recorded a season-high six sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
• Clemson is 65-3 since 2005 when holding opponents to 235 or fewer yards, and two of those three losses are Virginia Tech’s last two wins in the series (2007 and Saturday).

The Hokies’ ground game went nowhere: 70 yards on 37 carries, per the AP, which left Grunkemeyer in repeated third-and-long situations.

What it means for Clemson and Virginia Tech

The AP called the result a serious blow to Clemson’s hopes of returning to the ACC championship game, which the Tigers once dominated under Dabo Swinney. No. 1 Miami is 5-0 in conference play, with No. 17 Wake Forest and No. 23 SMU at 4-1. The AP also noted that Clemson’s offense still lacks big plays, with talented receivers T.J. Moore and Wesco underused behind a freshman quarterback and a struggling offensive line.

Virginia Tech, meanwhile, has won two straight and finally broke a long losing streak in the series.

FAQ