Virginia Tech Rolls Past Old Dominion 44-21 to Move to 2-0 (9-12-26)
By: Joey Raymond
Headline Photo Credit: Jason Wiley-3780 Media/LMS Network
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech made sure history would not repeat itself Saturday night.
The Hokies jumped on Old Dominion early, forced turnovers, generated pressure all night and built a 34-6 halftime advantage before ultimately cruising to a 44-21 victory over the Monarchs at Lane Stadium. With the win, Virginia Tech improves to 2-0 to begin the James Franklin era, while ODU falls to 1-1.
The final score may suggest a competitive game, but for much of the night, Virginia Tech controlled the game from the opening whistle. The Hokies scored on five of their first six possessions, while the defense repeatedly put the Monarchs behind the chains.
The second half was considerably less dominant, but the damage had already been done. After all, technically Old Dominion won the second half. Against Tech’s backups but still. And for a Virginia Tech team looking to establish a new identity under Franklin, there was plenty to like.
Grunkemeyer, Reynolds Continue to Build Something Special
Through two games, Ethan Grunkemeyer is beginning to look increasingly comfortable as Virginia Tech’s starting quarterback. The sophomore quarterback delivered another impressive performance Saturday, completing 31 of 42 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns. All three marks were career highs for Grunkemeyer.
More importantly, he consistently made the right decisions with the football. Old Dominion came into the game determined to slow down Virginia Tech’s rushing attack, and the Monarchs frequently loaded the box. That opened opportunities in the passing game, and Grunkemeyer took advantage. He spread the ball around throughout the evening, connecting with 11 different receivers.
But one connection stood out above the rest. Tight end Luke Reynolds continued his breakout start to the season, catching eight passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns came from Grunkemeyer, including a 10-yard strike in the second quarter and another 16-yard touchdown later in the quarter.
When Grunkemeyer needed a big play, Reynolds repeatedly seemed to be the answer. The junior tight end has now established himself as one of the most dangerous weapons on this Virginia Tech offense, and Saturday’s performance earned him one of the highest PFF grades on the team. Through two games, the Grunkemeyer-to-Reynolds connection is becoming one of the biggest storylines surrounding this offense.
The Defense Set the Tone Early
If the offense supplied the fireworks, the defense supplied the fuel. Virginia Tech’s pass rush once again made its presence felt, finishing the night with seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss. That came just one week after the Hokies recorded 18 tackles for loss against VMI.
The pressure started almost immediately. After ODU opened one possession with a big 21-yard run from Quinn Henicle, Virginia Tech’s defense responded by getting into the backfield and forcing a fumble. The Hokies nearly turned that first turnover into a defensive touchdown before fumbling it away themselves.
The very next play, however, the defense got another chance. This time there was no mistake. Mylachi Williams got to Henicle for a strip sack, and Tyson Flowers recovered the loose ball and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown. That gave Virginia Tech a 17-0 lead and provided another example of the defense creating points without the offense needing to take a snap.
It was also the Hokies’ third consecutive game dating back to the VMI opener with a defensive or special-teams touchdown. Flowers’ score was Virginia Tech’s first fumble-recovery touchdown since 2021.
The pass rush continued to make life miserable for Old Dominion throughout the evening. Williams and Cortez Harris each recorded two sacks, while Aycen Stevens added another sack and forced a fumble. Through two games, Virginia Tech’s trio of edge rushers has already combined for 8.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. That group is quickly becoming one of the defining strengths of this defense.
Virginia Tech’s Offense Found Answers When ODU Sold Out Against the Run
The Hokies did not exactly have their best night running the football. Virginia Tech finished with 89 rushing yards on 42 attempts, although sacks contributed to the negative yardage. Hawkins and Jeffrey Overton combined for 90 rushing yards on 25 carries.
Old Dominion clearly made stopping the run a priority. Rather than stubbornly forcing the issue, however, Virginia Tech adjusted. That opened up the passing game. Grunkemeyer repeatedly found Reynolds, Que’Sean Brown and the rest of the Hokies’ receiving corps as ODU committed defenders toward the run. Virginia Tech also showed plenty of confidence on fourth down.
The Hokies converted multiple fourth-down attempts during the game, including a fourth-and-two run by Hawkins during the second quarter and a fourth-and-one pass from Grunkemeyer to Reynolds that resulted in a touchdown. That aggressiveness helped keep drives alive and allowed the Hokies to continue piling up points.
A Wild Sequence Leads to a 34-6 Halftime Advantage
The second quarter was where Virginia Tech truly separated itself. After Reynolds’ first touchdown gave the Hokies a 24-3 lead, another Old Dominion turnover gave Virginia Tech possession in the red zone.
Grunkemeyer needed only a few plays to take advantage. He found Reynolds again for a 16-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 31-3. The Hokies then nearly added another touchdown when Que’Sean Brown returned an ODU punt 79 yards all the way to the 1-yard line.
Brown’s return was Virginia Tech’s longest punt return since Tucker Holloway’s 90-yard return against Georgia Tech in 2022. The offense couldn’t punch it in, settling for a John Love field goal instead.
Love finished the night with 14 points, including four field goals, and became just the sixth player in Virginia Tech history to reach 300 career points. He now has 303. Even after a late Hokies fumble gave ODU one final possession before halftime, the Monarchs could only muster a 51-yard field goal.
Virginia Tech went into the locker room leading 34-6. The Hokies had also forced three fumbles in the first half, marking the first time the program had recovered three fumbles in a single half since 2015.
Second Half Shows There Is Still Work to Do
For all the positives, Franklin and his staff will certainly have some things to clean up. The Hokies’ offensive rhythm slowed considerably after halftime.
Virginia Tech added a 25-yard Love field goal in the third quarter and eventually another rushing touchdown from Grunkemeyer, but the offense struggled to consistently finish drives. There were also opportunities left on the field. A potential explosive double-pass play from Tyseer Denmark to Benji Gosnell was wiped away when replay showed Denmark’s knee had touched the ground before he released the football.
Virginia Tech also struggled to finish a couple of red-zone opportunities, including the drive that ended with Brown’s punt return setting the offense up at the 1-yard line. Then came the biggest defensive blemish of the night.
With Virginia Tech’s backups on the field in the fourth quarter, Henicle broke loose for a 76-yard touchdown run. The Monarchs followed it with a successful two-point conversion, cutting the lead to 44-21. The touchdown didn’t threaten the outcome, but it served as a reminder that the Hokies can’t afford those kinds of breakdowns once the competition gets tougher.
The Hokies Are 2-0 — Now the Real Test Begins
There is still plenty for Virginia Tech to improve. The rushing attack needs to become more consistent. The penalties need to be cleaned up. The defense allowed several big plays through the air, and the Hokies will need to be much more disciplined against stronger competition.
But it is difficult to complain too much about a 44-21 victory. Virginia Tech scored 44 points, went 7-for-7 in the red zone and converted 10 of 21 third downs. The defense produced seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss and three first-half fumble recoveries.
Most importantly, the Hokies are 2-0 for the first time since 2021. The first two games of the James Franklin era have produced dominant victories over VMI and Old Dominion. Now comes the part of the schedule that will tell Virginia Tech much more about what this team can be.
The Hokies head to College Park next Saturday for their first road test against Maryland. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with the game set to air on FOX or FS1. The wins over VMI and ODU gave Virginia Tech confidence. Maryland will provide the first real opportunity to find out just how far that confidence can carry this team.
