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Maryland dominates depleted Virginia Tech team, 54-10, in Pinstripe Bowl

Roger Gonzalez

virginia tech logoThe Virginia Tech football team suffered an embarrassing but not unexpected loss on Wednesday in the Pinstripe Bowl, losing to former ACC foe Maryland, 54-10, at Yankee Stadium.

With a severely depleted roster due to opt-outs and others who have entered the transfer portal, things weren’t expected to look promising for a one-dimensional team starting a running, inexperienced quarterback in Connor Blumrick, and boy, did it not look promising.

The Terps took the lead just two minutes into the game thanks to a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown by Tarheeb Still, and they never looked back.

Tech QB Connor Blumrick, thrown into the starting job with Braxton Burmeister deciding once again to transfer, went 9-for-15 for 110 yards on the day. No runner recorded even 50 yards for the Hokies, and the team lost the turnover battle, 1-0.

Maryland outscored the Hokies 30-0 in the second half, outgained its opponent by over 200 yards and never took the foot off the gas pedal. Taulia Tagovailoa finished the day 20-for-24 for 265 yards and two touchdowns, and Maryland ran the ball for 206 yards and averaged 8.9 yards per play compared to Tech’s 3.9.

Tech now looks to turn the page with the Brent Pry era officially beginning as he takes over the program after serving as the defensive coordinator at Penn State.

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez

Roger Gonzalez is freelancer for Augusta Free Press. A native of Connecticut that grew up in Charlottesville, he is a graduate of Virginia Tech. He currently is a sportswriter with CBS Sports and has written for The Daily Progress, The Roanoke Times and other newspapers before getting into the digital sports journalism world.