Canes Football Falls at Virginia Tech 37-16

Miami1637Virginia Tech

TEAM STATS
1st Downs	15	28
Total Yards	365	523
Passing Yards	323	272
Rushing Yards	42	251
Penalties	6-62	2-25
Turnovers	1	0
Possession	29:28	30:32

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
	PASSING	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT
	Kaaya	23/38	323	14.0	2	1
	Evans	21/33	259	12.3	2	0
	RUSHING	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
	Yearby	9	59	6.6	0	41
	McMillian	18	131	7.3	0	34
	RECEIVING	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
	Richards	3	78	26.0	0	39
	Rogers	2	72	36.0	0	52

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Miami came up short Thursday night at Lane Stadium, falling to ACC foe and host Virginia Tech 37-16.

Virginia Tech’s defense limited Miami to 42 rushing yards and sacked Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya eight times.

The Hurricanes (4-3, 1-3 ACC) had won back-to-back games against the Hokies (5-2, 3-1 ACC) dating to 2014, but dropped their third straight game overall in front of 63,507.

Miami faced just a seven-point deficit at halftime, but the Hokies outscored Miami 21-7 in the second half to clinch the victory.

Kaaya finished 23-for-38 for 323 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.

Virginia Tech running back Travon McMillian totaled 131 yards on 18 carries, while Hokies quarterback Jerod Evans had 259 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Trailing 16-3 in the closing stages of the first half, Kaaya orchestrated a six-play, 75-yard drive with less than two minutes remaining to cut into the deficit. Kaaya connected with freshman Ahmmon Richards on a 39-yard pass to move the Canes into Virginia Tech territory, then hit wide receiver Stacy Coley on a brilliant 15-yard pass near the sideline in a 3rd-and-14 situation.

On the next offensive play, Kaaya completed the masterful series by lofting a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Braxton Berrios, as the Hurricanes entered the locker room at halftime facing a 16-9 score.

The two teams traded touchdowns at the beginning of the second half. Tight end Bucky Hodges caught his second TD pass of the night to bump the hosts’ lead to 23-9, but Kaaya and the Canes answered right back on a 35-yard score by tight end Christopher Herndon IV.

Virginia Tech pushed a 23-16 lead to 30-16 on a halfback touchdown pass by Sam Rogers to Steven Peoples.

The Hokies outgained Miami 523-365.

Miami’s first big play of the night came on a 48-yard connection from Kaaya to a streaking David Njoku in the first quarter, putting Miami on the Virginia Tech 31-yard line.

Kaaya followed with a 13-yard completion to wide receiver Dayall Harris, but a false start penalty and two incomplete passes resulted in a game-tying 29-yard field goal from junior Michael Badgley.

With his pass to Harris, Kaaya moved past Stephen Morris for third all-time in career passing yards as a Hurricane.

Miami’s defense continued its early run of success in the game’s early going, including on a Hokies’ drive that concluded with Joey Slye’s second field goal for the Hokies and a 6-3 Virginia Tech lead.

A 34-yard rush from running back Travon McMillian put Virginia Tech on the Canes’ 11, but the Canes defense held firm, limiting Tech to a 27-yard field goal.

Miami’s defense once again stemmed the tide after a Kaaya interception with 13:57 remaining in the second quarter.

After a pass intended for Herndon was tipped and picked by Tech’s Terrell Edmunds near midfield, Miami’s defense strung together a three-and-out sequence.

Virginia Tech finally broke through on a series jumpstarted by a 52-yard pass from quarterback Jerod Evans to Rogers.

Evans hit Hodges from seven yards out to bump Virginia Tech’s lead to 13-3 with 5:51 to play in the first half.

The Hokies lead went to 16-3 when Slye hit a 38-yard field goal with 1:38 remaining in the first half.