Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics
BLACKSBURG, Va. (Sports Network) - After narrowly escaping with an overtime victory on Monday, No. 15 Virginia Tech bounced back and steam rolled Austin Peay, 42-7, on Saturday.
Logan Thomas threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 efficiency, and Corey Fuller hauled in two balls for 44 yards and a touchdown for the Hokies (2-0), who edged Georgia Tech, 20-17, on Labor Day.
Wesley Kitts carried the ball 22 times for 110 yards and Terrance Oliver rushed for 29 yards and a score for the Governors (0-2), who open conference play on Sept. 15 when they host Tennessee State. Jake Ryan was dreadful through the air, completing just 8-of-21 passes for 62 yards and two interceptions.
After J.C. Coleman fumbled on Virginia Tech's opening drive, the Hokies found the end zone late in the first quarter on Michael Holmes' 2-yard plunge. Kyshoen Jarret returned the Governors' punt 46 yards to the Austin Peay six- yard line and the Hokies needed just three plays to get on the board.
Thomas punched it in from a yard out to cap a five-play, 42-yard drive midway through the second quarter. Two plays earlier, Thomas found Marcus Davis on a slant pattern for a 23-yard gain. Homes was stood up at the Governors' 1-yard line, but Thomas was able to break the plane on the next play.
With just 28 seconds remaining in the first half, Thomas connected with Fuller for a 30-yard touchdown to take a 21-0 lead into the locker room. The Hokies moved to the Austin Peay 28-yard line when Thomas hooked up with Randall Dunn for a 20-yard completion, but took a two-yard loss on the next play when Thomas was sacked. After a time out and an incomplete pass, Thomas delivered a strike to Davis to put the Hokies up by three touchdowns.
Holmes extended Virginia Tech's spread to 28-0 with a nine-yard TD scamper to cap a 9-play, 80-yard march in the third quarter. As the Governor's looked as if they would finally get on the board on their first possession of the third, Ryan's pass was picked off in the end zone by Kyle Fuller. A 26-yard gain on a reverse pushed the ball into Austin Peay territory and the Hokies would need just four more plays to score.
The Governors finally found the end zone in the third when Oliver ran it in from 10 yards out. Earlier in the drive, Kitts busted one up the middle for 32 yards before Oliver got in the end zone two plays later.
Thomas found Dunn for a 13-yard touchdown on the ensuing possession to push the Hokies' lead to 35-7 and Gregory's 18-yard scamper accounted for the final score.