Two scores during the final four minutes of the second quarter allowed Virginia Tech to regain the lead and eventually secure a 36-13 win over Liberty, Saturday afternoon, at Lane Stadium.
With the season-opening victory, Virginia Tech moves to 1-0 on the year, while the Flames fall to 0-1 to begin their fifth season under head coach Turner Gill. The matchup was the first between Liberty and Virginia Tech on the gridiron and Gill’s third season-opener against an ACC opponent (Wake Forest – 2012; No. 23 North Carolina – 2014).
A total of 62,234 fans packed Lane Stadium for Virginia Tech Head Coach Justin Fuente’s coaching debut. The game marked the largest crowd to see a Liberty football game in the program’s 44-year history.
Both teams showcased new offenses on the field and new starting quarterbacks. The Hokies used their home field to their advantage, finishing with a 458-to-160 edge in total offense.
Hokies’ Jerod Evans finished the game completing 20-of-32 passing attempts for 221 yards and threw for four touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with five carries for 46 yards.
Liberty’s Stephon Masha completed 9-of-25 passing attempts for 70 yards, while carrying the ball nine times for 13 yards. The start was the third in Masha’s career after starting the final two games of the 2014 regular season due to an injury to four-year starter Josh Woodrum.
Liberty’s leading rusher in the game was Carrington Mosley. The junior finished the game with a career-best nine carries for 47 yards. Todd Macon followed with 13 carries for 34 yards and scored Liberty’s one offensive touchdown.
B.J. Farrow (24 yards), Zac Parker (15 yards) and Damian King (seven yards) each finished the contest with two receptions to lead the Flames. Isaiah Ford was the Hokie’s top receiver, finishing the game with 11 receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Liberty’s Chris Turner and Juwan Wells led the Flames with nine stops each, marking new career highs for both players. Chuck Clark and Andrew Motuapuaka were Virginia Tech’s top tacklers, each finishing with seven stops.
The two teams combined for six turnovers during the first 30 minutes of play with each team committing three giveaways. The Flames had two passes intercepted and fumbled once, while Virginia Tech lost the ball go on three fumbles.
The Hokies used the game’s first turnover to open up a 7-0 lead with 10:50 left in the first quarter. After Virginia Tech missed a 52-yard field goal, the Flames took possession at the Liberty 35-yard line, only to give the ball back on a fumbled handoff two plays later.
Following a one-yard run, Evans rolled to his right and found Cam Phillips open downfield for a 23-yard touchdown to jumpstart the home’s offense on the day.
Miscues continued to factor into the scoring, this time allowing the Flames to pull within one, 7-6, with 2:47 left in the opening quarter.
Evans scrambled on a play from his own 21-yard line and Wells was able to strip the ball away before the Hokies quarterback could start a forward motion on a pass attempt. Tolen Avery pounced on the loose ball, recovering it at the Virginia Tech 10-yard line.
Following a pass interference call in the end zone on a lofted passing attempt by Masha to Dante Shells, Macon scored from two yards out for Liberty. Freshman Alex Probert missed his first career extra point attempt wide right, leaving the home team up by one after 15 minutes of play.
The Hokies pushed their lead to four, 10-6, on the first drive of the second quarter. Joey Slye connected on a 34-yard field goal with14:15 left in the second, completing a 10-yard, 54-yard scoring drive for Virginia Tech.
The Hokies’ second fumble of the game allowed Liberty to gain its first lead of the afternoon midway through the second quarter.
Wide receiver Cam Phillips tried to scramble after receiving a handoff, only to have Chris Turner punch the ball loose. Alpha Jalloh picked up the ball and returned it 71 yards for a score, putting the Flames up 13-10 with 12:40 left before halftime. Jalloh’s fumble return for a touchdown was Liberty’s first since 2014 and the fourth longest in school history.
The Hokies regained the lead later in the second quarter when Evans completed a five-yard scoring strike to Isaiah Ford. Following a review of the play, the officials ruled Ford had possession of the ball just before he stepped out of the side of the end zone, putting the home team up, 17-13, with 3:31 left before halftime. Following a three-and-out stand for Virginia Tech, the Hokies widened their lead to nine, 24-13, just before the intermission on an 18-yard pass from Evans to Bukcy Hodges with 24 second left in the second quarter.
Virginia Tech carried its momentum into the start of the second half, getting help from one of its famed special teams units. A 52-yard punt by Mitchell Ludwig pinned King at the two-yard line and the Hokies pushed the returner into the end zone where he was tackled for a safety at the 12:50 mark of the third quarter.
On the following drive, Virginia Tech capped a seven-play, 50-yard scoring drive, as Evans completed his fourth touchdown pass of the day, a 20-yard strike to Bucky Hodges, for a 33-13 lead with 10:10 left to play in the third.
Liberty managed to move the ball a better during the second half, accounting for 82 of its 160 total offensive yards during the final 30 minutes. However, the Flames were unable to crack the scoreboard during the second half.
Slye accounted for the final three points of the game, connecting on a 34-yard field goal at the 8:46 mark of the fourth quarter to get to the 36-13 final tally.
The Flames will begin the home portion of their 2016 schedule next weekend when they welcome the Dolphins of Jacksonville to Lynchburg. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Liberty finished the 2015 season with a 5-0 record at Williams Stadium and has posted a record of 49-10 in home games since the 2006 season.
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