BLACKSBURG, Va.
All week long, the Virginia Tech seniors reminded Ryan Williams how important their final game at Lane Stadium was to them.
Williams, a redshirt freshman running back, clearly got the message, rushing for 120 yards and four touchdowns yesterday to help send those 21 teammates home happy as the No. 16 Hokies beat N.C. State 38-10.
Williams, who carried 32 times, had already scored three times when he came up with the play of the day in the third quarter.
On a second-and-6 from the N.C. State 19, he went around the left side and was grabbed from behind by safety Earl Wolff at about the 12. Wolff seemed to maintain a grip on Williams' jersey the rest of the way, but Williams dragged him all the way into the end zone.
"It was ridiculous," Williams said. "I wanted him off of me as soon as I felt him on me. But it was cool. I guess it shows what I do in the weight room a little bit."
The Hokies (8-3, 5-2 ACC) also got a career-best day from wide receiver Jarrett Boykin, who caught six passes for 164 yards and a touchdown, and from linebacker Cody Grimm, who tied an NCAA record by forcing three fumbles in his final home game.
Grimm also had eight tackles and two sacks, and said the forced fumbles were lucky.
"The last two, my hands just got on the ball," he said. "Realistically, if I didn't have those three (forced) fumbles, it wasn't any better day than usual."
The first two fumbles came on the Wolfpack's first and third plays, and set the tone.
"I can't tell you how bad it is," Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien said of the turnovers, which the Hokies turned into 10 points before the midpoint of the first quarter. "Just really bad football."
N.C. State (4-7, 1-6) lost its second straight and for the sixth time in seven games. The Wolfpack allowed at least 30 points for the eighth game in a row, and struggled on offense, turning the ball over four times and allowing six sacks for minus 60 yards. Five were on starter Russell Wilson.
The victory was Virginia Tech's third in a row, keeping them on pace for a sixth consecutive 10-win season provided they also win at Virginia next Saturday and then in a bowl game.
Getting the emotional last home game out of the way was key, safety Kam Chancellor said.
"I was really jacked up. At some point, I was trying to control it because I know if you get overanxious, you mess up," Chancellor said.
After Williams' dazzling last touchdown run, they drove 97 yards in just six plays, with Tyrod Taylor hitting Boykin for 26 yards early in the drive, and then again for 38 yards and the touchdown.
Before the day was over, the Wolfpack replaced Wilson with Mike Glennon, the younger brother of former Hokies quarterback Sean Glennon.
N.C. State 7 3 0 0 -- 10
Virginia Tech 10 14 14 0 -- 38
First Quarter
VT--FG Waldron 26, 11:50.
VT--R.Williams 4 run (Waldron kick), 7:55.
NCSU--Spencer 20 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 2:20.
Second Quarter
VT--R.Williams 1 run (Waldron kick), 14:42.
NCSU--FG Czajkowski 45, 5:31.
VT--R.Williams 1 run (Waldron kick), :37.
Third Quarter
VT--R.Williams 19 run (Waldron kick), 12:25.
VT--Boykin 38 pass from T.Taylor (Waldron kick), 1:42.
A--66,233.
TEAM STATISTICS
NCSU VT
First downs 12 24
Rushes-yards 26-14 56-200
Passing 245 197
Comp-Att-Int 16-29-1 9-18-0
Return Yards 0 11
Punts-Avg. 3-47.0 3-44.7
Fumbles-Lost 4-3 1-1
Penalties-Yards 5-42 2-20
Time of Possession 23:34 36:26
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--N.C. State, Baker 10-47, Eugene 7-14, Davis 1-4, Glennon 1-(minus 8), R.Wilson 7-(minus 43). Virginia Tech, R.Williams 32-120, Oglesby 5-28, D.Wilson 8-20, T.Taylor 7-18, Boone 2-9, Roberts 1-6, Team 1-(minus 1).
PASSING--N.C. State, R.Wilson 15-26-1-234, Glennon 1-3-0-11. Virginia Tech, T.Taylor 9-17-0-197, Boone 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING--N.C. State, Spencer 3-74, Davis 3-39, Bryan 2-29, Ja.Williams 2-25, Eugene 2-22, J.Smith 1-33, Bowens 1-11, Baker 1-6, T.Gentry 1-6. Virginia Tech, Boykin 6-164, Coale 2-22, Davis 1-11.
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