CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kyron Drones threw three touchdown passes, Bhayshul Tuten scored on a 32-yard run and a 94-yard kickoff return and Virginia Tech beat Virginia for the 18th time in the last 19 meetings, 55-17, on Saturday to achieve bowl eligibility.
Drones threw touchdown passes of 44, 84 and 34 yards and the Hokies (6-6, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) also scored on two long runs. They had a 294-60 yardage edge at halftime and boosted their total to 378 on Drones' 84-yard pass to Da'Quan Felton on their first play from scrimmage after halftime to go ahead 31-0.
Virtually nothing went right for the Cavaliers (3-9, 2-6), who were facing their top rival for the first time in two seasons because last year's game was cancelled after the fatal shootings of three Virginia players with two weeks left in the season.
When they finally scored on a field goal midway through the third quarter, Tuten took the ensuing kickoff up the Virginia sideline and raised his left arm in triumph 20 yards shy of the end zone and cruised in with no defenders even close.
Later, Virginia muffed a punt and the Hokies recovered, leading to Drones' 34-yard scoring pass to Da'Quan Felton, their second scoring connection of the game. The Hokies' point total was the highest for either team in the 104-year history of the series.
Virginia freshman Anthony Colandrea was sacked five times and got no support from a running game that finished with 43 yards. He showed no signs of the fearless flair that he'd shown previously this season until the Cavaliers trailed 38-3. He did hit Malachi Fields with a pair of second-half touchdown passes.
Drones finished 10 for 22 for 244 yards — he also had a 74-yard scoring throw nullified by a holding call — while Tuten gained 117 yards on 16 carries and Felton caught three passes for 133 yards. The Hokies outgained Virginia 500-286.
The lone bright spot for the Cavaliers was Malik Washington, whose 14 catches for 115 yards allowed him to set an ACC single-season record of 110 catches, breaking the mark of 108 Duke's Jamison Crowder set in 2013 in two more games.
THE TAKEAWAY
Virginia Tech: The Hokies used Drones' power running ability at 234 pounds very effectively, especially on a fourth-and-2 play from the Cavaliers' 44. He rolled right, drawing at least three defenders as receiver Stephen Gosnell slipped behind the distracted secondary and caught a walk-it-in 44-yard scoring pass to make it 10-0.
Virginia: The Cavaliers had won three of their last six, but looked overmatched from the start. They didn't get a first down until their fifth series, when the they got two on consecutive roughing the passer penalties. Shortly thereafter, they trailed 24-0.
UP NEXT
The Hokies, whose fans travel well, will await their bowl destination.
The Cavaliers season is over.
___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
