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Atlanta, GA — Virginia Tech’s defense showed its youth and its offense couldn’t get anything going until the final minutes as the No. 4 Hokies fell on the road to No. 19 Georgia Tech, 28-23.

The Yellow Jackets’ triple option offense was too much for Bud Foster’s defense, though the Hokies did stuff Georgia Tech (6-1, 4-1) in the first half, holding it to less than 90 yards, 51 of which came on a pass play that set up GT’s only score of the half.

Virginia Tech’s offense, which had exploded in the last three games, seemed to revert back to its predictable and overly conservative ways. It wasn’t until the final eight minutes the offense was able to sustain a drive and move the ball against the Jackets’ 82nd ranked defense.

Tyrod Taylor, the Hokies junior quarterback, was 10 of 14 passing for 159 yards and one touchdown. He threw two interceptions, but one was a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage and the other was a hail Mary pass on the last play of the first half.

Despite the crushing loss, which essentially knocks the Hokies (5-2, 3-1) out of the national championship hunt, there were a pair of bright spots for Frank Beamer’s team.

Redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams, the ACC’s leading rusher, tied one school record and broke another. Williams rushed 14 times for 100 yards. It was the fifth game this season that Williams has rushed for at least 100 yards, breaking Darren Evans’ freshman record of four set last season.

Williams tied the school record for touchdowns by a freshman (11), with a pair of touchdowns – one rushing and one receiving. The record was set last season, also by Evans, who is out for the entire 2009 season with a torn ACL.

The other bright spot was the Hokies kick return game. Dyrell Roberts had two returns for 86 yards. Coming into the game, he was the ACC leader in kick return average and was second in the nation, averaging 39.8 yards per return. After tonight’s game, his average ticked up to 40.5. Roberts also had three catches for 66 yards.

The Hokies took a 3-0 lead in the second quarter, but Georgia Tech answered late in the first half with a 51-yard pass from Josh Nesbitt to Demaryius Thomas – the Yellow Jackets only pass completion of the game. That set up a Nesbitt 1-yard touchdown run. Georgia Tech led 7-3 at the half.

The Hokies booted the second half kickoff out of bounds giving Georgia Tech the ball at their own 40 yard line. The Jackets needed six plays and three minutes to go 60 yards for a touchdown, another Nesbitt one-yarder to push the lead to 14-3.

Dyrell Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards to the Georgia Tech 26. But the Hokies continued to struggle to move the ball and on 4th and three, instead of attempting a 35-yard field goal, Frank Beamer decided to go for it. The Hokies came up short and gave the ball back to Georgia Tech.

The Jackets, however, gave the ball right back to the Hokies when Nesbitt tried to go deep, but got picked off by Virginia Tech’s Dorian Porch at his 34 yard line.

Williams needed just one play to rush 66 yards for the Hokies’ first touchdown of the game and narrowing the score to 14-10.

Georgia Tech responded on its next possession with a 12-play, 86-yard drive that killed nearly eight minutes off the clock. Virginia Tech’s defense could not stop the Jackets as they marched down the field for another touchdown and a 21-10 lead.

The Hokies scored touchdowns on its final two drives. Taylor picked up his first rushing touchdown of the season with 7:19 to play to pull the Hokies with in five, 21-16, after the 2-point conversion failed.

Georgia Tech scored on its next drive, again running time of the clock and wearing down the Hokies’ defense. Nesbitt rushed for his third touchdown of the game with three minutes left to put the Jackets up 28-16.

The Hokies came right back with a five-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Taylor to Williams, and the Hokies closed the gap to 28-23.

Virginia Tech attempted an onside kick, but Georgia Tech recovered and ran out the clock to seal its first home win against a top-five team in its last 18 attempts.

The Hokies are off next weekend, but return to Blacksburg to host the North Carolina Tar Heels on a Thursday night ESPN game.

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