Old Dominion routs Virginia Tech to drop Hokies to 0-3

Colton Joseph threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as Old Dominion overwhelmed Virginia Tech 45-26 Saturday night in Blacksburg, Va.

Trequan Jones carried 13 times for 101 yards and a touchdown for the Monarchs (2-1) of the Sun Belt Conference, who upset the Hokies (0-3) for the third time in the last six meetings.

It felt like an unfortunate full-circle moment for Va. Tech head coach Brent Pry after his tenure began in 2022 with a 20-17 loss at Old Dominion.

As Pry fell to 16-24 at Virginia Tech, his team committed three turnovers and was penalized 12 times for 114 yards. The last time the Hokies started a season 0-3 was 1987.

The Monarchs' domination was thorough. They won the yardage battle 527-433, averaging 8.5 yards per play and jumping out to a 28-0 halftime.

Joseph completed 16 of 22 passes without an interception, guiding an efficient Old Dominion offense which produced touchdowns on each of its six opportunities in the red zone.

The Monarchs' defense made it a long night for Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones, who completed 26 of 39 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, doing most of his damage after the outcome was decided.

Operating behind a patchwork offensive line, Drones was sacked four times and accounted for all of the Virginia Tech turnovers with an interception and two fumbles.

Old Dominion took the lead on its third possession, needing just five plays to march 93 yards. Joseph triggered the drive with a 38-yard completion to Ja'Cory Thomas and finished it with a 6-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0.

The next three times the Monarchs got the ball, they cashed in with touchdowns, including a 10-yard burst up the middle by Maurki James which capped a 97-yard drive and made it 14-0.

An 11-yard touchdown carry by Jones culminated an 88-yard drive after Old Dominion took possession on an interception by Jerome Carter.

Two 15-yard penalties against the Hokies fueled the Monarchs' next march which was capped by a 13-yard pass from Joseph to Tre Brown in the final minute of the first half which swelled Old Dominion's lead to 28-0.

Early in the second half, Old Dominion scored on its fifth straight possession as Riley Callaghan booted a career-long 50-yard field goal to make it 31-0.

Donavon Greene made two touchdown catches in the final 20 minutes for Virginia Tech, finishing with 77 yards on five catches.