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Hokies upend Terps
Virginia Tech's 23-13 win is good news for Wake Forest
AP Photo
Greg Boone of Virginia Tech (8) catches a first-quarter touchdown pass against Maryland’s Terrell Skinner (1).
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Published: November 7, 2008
BLACKSBURG, Va.
Darren Evans ran for a school-record 253 yards and a touchdown and Virginia Tech continued its Thursday night mastery, beating No. 23 Maryland 23-13 to stay in the thick of a wide-open ACC.
The Hokies (6-3, 3-2) improved to 15-3 on Thursday nights and ended a two-game losing streak while remaining one of five teams in the ACC's Coastal Division with two conference losses. The others are Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Miami.
Maryland (6-3, 3-2) came into the game as the only ACC team with one league loss, but dropped into a tie for the Atlantic Division lead with Florida State and Wake Forest.
Evans, who ripped off runs of 50 and 45 yards, had 32 carries and broke the record of 243 yards set by Mike Imoh in 2004.
His effort was a much-needed breakout for an offense that has struggled all season. It was especially helpful to Sean Glennon, who started at quarterback in place of Tyrod Taylor, who has a left-ankle sprain.
Glennon was 14 of 20 for 127 yards and a touchdown, and Dustin Keys kicked three field goals for the Hokies, the last a 27-yarder with 7:30 left to make it a two-score game.
Until then, the Terrapins were rallying, relying on a defense that had allowed 17 second-half points in four ACC games to give them time to erase a 17-point deficit.
On their first play from scrimmage, Orion Martin sacked Chris Turner, causing a fumble that Cordarrow Thompson recovered for the Hokies at the Maryland 18.
When three plays netted 5 yards, Keys kicked a 30-yard field goal to make it 20-3.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland's big-play receiver, made it competitive when he took a short slant pass on third-and-5 63 yards for a touchdown with 6:43 left in the quarter.
The Hokies forced Maryland to punt from its 44 on the next series, but Travis Baltz's kick bounced off Virginia Tech's Kam Chancellor and the Terps recovered at the Hokies 11.
Virginia Tech held, and Obi Egekeze's 27-yard field goal made it 20-13.
Glennon threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Greg Boone to end Virginia Tech's second series. Evans carried seven times for 49 yards, including runs of 15 and 17 yards.
The Terps, who drove to the Hokies 29 on their first series before Egekeze missed a 47-yard field goal attempt, got to the Virginia Tech 24 on their second series, with Turner's 13-yard pass to Heyward-Bey on third-and-18 putting them in range for Egekeze's 41-yarder.
Evans again did much of the work on the Hokies' second scoring drive. After taking over at their own 20, he broke off a career-best 50-yard run on the first play.
Glennon completed a 13-yard pass to Dyrell Roberts on third-and-5 from the 14, and Evans dived in for the touchdown.
Keys' 35-yard field goal with nine seconds left in the half made it 17-3.
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