In Blacksburg, Virginia, Jai Patel’s 24-yard field goal with just under two minutes left in the game secured a 26-23 victory for Rutgers over Virginia Tech on Saturday. This win marked Rutgers’ first road victory of the season and extended their nonconference winning streak to 10 games.

Rutgers had to rally after squandering a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter. The pivotal moment came when Rutgers intercepted Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones’ pass with just seconds left in the game, sealing the win for the Scarlet Knights.

Despite Virginia Tech tying the game at 23 with two touchdowns and two-point conversions in the fourth quarter, Rutgers held on for the win. Key contributors for Rutgers were Kyle Monangai and Samuel Brown V, who combined for 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

Bhayshul Tuten led the rushing efforts for Virginia Tech with 122 yards gained. Rutgers missed several scoring opportunities throughout the game but managed to come out on top in the end.

Looking ahead, Rutgers will face Washington on Friday, while Virginia Tech is set to play against No. 8 Miami also on Friday.

Rutgers missed multiple chances to score during the game, including failed field goals and a fumble near the Virginia Tech 5-yard line, but the team managed to overcome these errors and remain undefeated heading into the Big Ten opener.

Virginia Tech struggled with turnovers, committing three in total, and couldn’t gain momentum until late in the game, resulting in another nonconference loss to a Power 4 opponent. Virginia Tech has now suffered 12 consecutive nonconference losses to Power 4 opponents and Notre Dame.