Jai Patel kicked a 24-yard field goal with 1:56 left to help Rutgers win 26-23 against Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Patel’s field goal finished off a 68-yard drive after Rutgers (3-0) let go of a 16-point lead entering the fourth quarter but managed to secure its first road win of the season and its 10th straight nonconference victory.
“When you get after somebody and then it flips like that, it’s very, very hard, especially in their stadium, to be able to pull it back and go win the game,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.
“And that’s what we did. I’m proud of the guys. We certainly have a lot to clean up, but in many ways, this game is going to help us. I believe that just going through this experience together.”
Virginia Tech (2-2) took possession at its 25-yard line after Patel’s field goal, but on the third play, quarterback Kyron Drones’ pass was intercepted by Rutgers’ Robert Longerbeam, sealing the win for the Scarlet Knights.
“I was coming on the blitz and I saw the quarterback was about to throw the ball, but I was too far,” said Longerbeam, who is from Virginia. “I had to jump. When I looked up, the ball was in the air, and I got under it and went down.”
“Just coming back to Virginia and being 1-0 … it meant everything to us. We put so much work into this season and to go 1-0 … means the world to us.”
The Hokies had tied the game at 23 after scoring touchdowns and converting two-point conversions on consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter. Bhayshul Tuten scored both 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 totaled 187 rushing yards. Tuten led the Hokies with 122 rushing yards.
“We know the team we have,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “We know the potential we have. But you can’t just be about potential. You’ve got to meet it, and we’re not doing that right now. We are a better team than what we showed today.”
