Field Level Media
Oct 25, 2018
Quarterback Tobias Oliver rushed for 215 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start to lead visiting Georgia Tech to a 49-28 win over Virginia Tech on Thursday, the third straight time the Yellow Jackets have won in Blacksburg, Va.
Oliver, a redshirt freshman, carried 40 times and scored on runs of 1, 5 and 11 yards. His yardage total is the sixth most in school history and second most for a quarterback. He threw the Yellow Jackets' only pass, which was incomplete.
Georgia Tech (4-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) rushed 78 times for 465 yards, with B-backs Jordan Mason (12 carries, 82 yards, three touchdowns) and Jerry Howard (12 carries, 76 yards, one touchdown) doing the damage up the middle and on short pitches to the outside.
Virginia Tech (4-3, 3-1 ACC) was led by quarterback Ryan Willis, who completed 15 of 22 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Damon Hazelton caught six passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. The top rusher was Steven Peoples, who gained 51 yards on six carries.
The Yellow Jackets had 19 first-half first downs and rushed for 284 yards, keeping the ball for 20:34.
The teams exchanged scores on their first three possessions.
Virginia Tech opened with a five-play scoring drive capped by a 46-yard pass from Willis to Tre Turner. But Georgia Tech responded by driving 75 yards in 12 plays to score on an 8-yard Howard run.
Virginia Tech struck quickly again on a 41-yard pass from Willis to Hazelton that completed a three-play drive. Georgia Tech returned to pound the ball on the ground 11 times for 75 yards, with Oliver scoring from the 1.
The Hokies turned the tables and drove 73 yards in 11 plays, with Willis scoring on a 1-yard plunge, and appeared to have stopped Georgia Tech's momentum and forced a punt. However, Hazelton fumbled the punt, and Georgia Tech's Jalen Johnson recovered. Two plays later, the Yellow Jackets scored on a 5-yard run by Mason.
The Georgia Tech defense forced a punt and drove 72 yards for another second-quarter touchdown, this one a 5-yard keeper by Oliver that gave the Yellow Jackets their first lead at 28-21.
The Yellow Jackets scored two times in the third quarter, an 11-yard run by Oliver and a 14-yard run by Mason.
Mason tacked on another touchdown on a 1-yard run midway in the fourth quarter before Virginia Tech's Jalen Holston capped the scoring with a 1-yard run.
--Field Level Media