ODU Dominates Virginia Tech 45-26, Hokies Fall To 0-3 (9-13-25)
By: Joey Raymond
Headline Photo Credit: Katie Raymond-LMS Network
Blacksburg, VA —Enter Sandman hits and Lane Stadium is shaking as the Hokies welcome the Old Dominion Monarchs into Blacksburg for what felt like a make-or-break game for Brent Pry. Virginia Tech entered the night under heavy fire after an embarrassing collapse against Vanderbilt, where they surrendered 34 unanswered points in the second half. The sting of that loss lingered, and you could feel the tension in the air. When Brent Pry and quarterback Kyron Drones were announced in the pregame lineups, they were met with a chorus of boos from frustrated fans.
Old Dominion, meanwhile, came in with momentum of its own after hanging tough against a strong Indiana squad, and an absolute routing of NC Central. Quarterback Colton Joseph looked like a dangerous dual-threat option capable of making plays through the air and on the ground. All the ingredients were there for a tense, unpredictable matchup. Here’s how it all unfolded on Saturday night under the lights in Lane.
First Quarter:
Old Dominion opened the night with the ball, but the Monarchs went three-and-out after testing the ground game. Virginia Tech’s offense didn’t fare any better, and frustration inside Lane Stadium boiled over when a delay of game penalty came on the Hokies’ punt attempt. ODU nearly connected on a deep shot moments later before Colton Joseph found Tre Brown to move the chains, but running back Devin Roche lost the football and Ben Bell pounced on it near midfield. Even with prime field position, the Hokies couldn’t capitalize, going three-and-out again, capped by a Kyron Drones sack that drew loud boos from the stands.
The Monarchs seized control on their next possession. Backed up at their own seven, Joseph connected with Ja’Cory Thomas on a spectacular one-handed 38-yard grab, then kept the drive moving with completions and a 26-yard run from Trequan Jones. A penalty pushed ODU closer before Joseph finished the job, scoring on a six-yard keeper to give Old Dominion a 7–0 lead. Virginia Tech responded with flashes of life — a 31-yard burst from Terion Stewart and a 32-yard scramble from Drones put them in the red zone — but the drive unraveled when Drones fumbled near the goal line. Initially ruled down by contact, the call was overturned after review, handing ODU the ball at their own three. Two plays later, the first quarter ended with the Monarchs in front and Hokie fans restless.
Second Quarter:
Old Dominion wasted no time striking again to open the second quarter. Colton Joseph launched a deep ball to Abdul-Rahim, who hauled in a ridiculous 44-yard catch to ignite the Monarchs’ sideline. A facemask penalty tacked on another 10 yards, and two plays later Maurki James finished the drive with a short touchdown run to put ODU up 14–0. Virginia Tech’s offense briefly showed signs of life with a first down, but the momentum was short-lived. Kyron Drones forced a throw into double coverage that was picked off, and Lane Stadium erupted in boos, with chants of “Fire Pry” breaking out across the stands.
The Monarchs didn’t let up. Faced with third down early in their next series, Joseph kept the drive alive with a diving 12-yard completion to Ja’Cory Thomas. ODU followed with chunk plays from Trequan Jones and Dorian Hargrove before Joseph hit another pair of big passes, including an 18-yard strike to Butler. Jones capped it off with a touchdown run, and suddenly Old Dominion held a commanding 21–0 lead. The Hokies looked completely lifeless, the defense out of answers, and the crowd seething as chants calling for Pry’s job grew louder with every Monarch first down.
Things only got worse as the half wound down. Tech’s offense still couldn’t get anything going, stuck at just 11 total yards as the Monarchs continued to impose their will. Even a fourth-down stop that should have given the Hokies a glimmer of momentum was erased by a facemask penalty, gifting ODU another first down. Joseph made them pay with a pinpoint throw to Tre Brown for yet another touchdown, stretching the lead to 28–0. By then, Lane Stadium was already half empty, and when the Hokies closed the half with Drones being sacked as the clock expired, the remaining fans rained down boos. Virginia Tech had been outscored 62–0 over its last four quarters of football, and heading into the locker room, the program felt like it was in free fall.
Third Quarter:
Virginia Tech opened the second half desperately searching for momentum, but things unraveled quickly. After a late hit on Kyron Drones gave the Hokies a free 15 yards, their offense stalled again. Facing fourth-and-three, Tech had no choice but to go for it, but they came up short, handing ODU prime field position. The Monarchs capitalized as Trequan Jones ripped off a 13-yard run to push them into Hokie territory. When the drive stalled at the 32, kicker Ethan Callaghan drilled a 50-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 31–0, leaving Lane Stadium eerily quiet.
Penalties continued to bury the Hokies, who were flagged repeatedly on their next drive. By the middle of the third quarter, Virginia Tech had been hit with 11 penalties for nearly 100 yards — a staggering number that screamed of a team completely unraveled. Facing third-and-28 after yet another mistake, the Hokies had no choice but to punt, and their historic 385-game scoring streak suddenly looked in real jeopardy. ODU’s offense, however, stalled as well after a holding call, and tempers flared when both sides were hit with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, with Old Dominion’s TJ Lott ejected from the game.
Finally, Virginia Tech found a spark. Kyron Drones hit Ayden Greene for a 67-yard bomb, and moments later connected with Donovan Greene on a 10-yard touchdown pass to finally put the Hokies on the board at 31–7, keeping their scoring streak alive. But the momentum was fleeting. An onside kick attempt failed, and Joseph wasted no time making Tech pay, scrambling for 26 yards before hitting Gladding in the end zone to restore ODU’s dominance at 38–7. The Hokies managed a few first downs on their final possession of the quarter, but as the third ended, they remained down by 31 and the game felt firmly out of reach.
Fourth Quarter:
Virginia Tech opened the final quarter showing some late life. Kyron Drones led a quick drive with a pair of first downs before calling his own number on a short touchdown run to cut into the deficit. The Hokies went for two but failed, leaving the score at 38–13. Old Dominion responded with clock-chewing runs before striking again — Joseph connected with TJ Johnson for 36 yards, then Devin Roche powered in from short range to push the Monarchs’ lead to 45–13. Lane Stadium was stunned as the Monarchs continued to score at will.
The Hokies answered back with one of their better drives of the night. Drones hit Donovan Greene for a touchdown, but another failed two-point attempt left the margin at 45–19. An onside kick finally bounced Tech’s way, and they capitalized with a drive fueled by Tyler Mason, who capped it off with a short touchdown reception just before the two-minute warning to make it 45–26. For the first time all night, the Hokies showed some rhythm, but the damage had long since been done.
Old Dominion calmly closed things out from there. Starting deep in their own territory, the Monarchs picked up a first down and bled the remaining clock before lining up in victory formation. When the final whistle blew, ODU had stunned Virginia Tech in Lane Stadium with a dominant 45–26 win. For the Hokies, it marked a new low point — back-to-back embarrassing losses and the very real sense that Brent Pry’s tenure may be running out of time.
