Photo by Justin Cook | The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor (5) runs down the field and away from Furman's Brandon Williams during the first half Saturday. Taylor was in on the majority of offensive plays for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech 24, Furman 7

Stories

• Game highlights
• Hokies labor for win
• Ground assault revived
• Aaron McFarling: Decision sound; Taylor needed

Photo gallery

• See more images from the Tech-Furman game

Multimedia

• Prep for the game with Hokies fans at the Let's Go Hokies pep rally in Roanoke

Virginia 16, Richmond 0

Stories

• UVa defense stout before ex-aide
• Lalich questions persist

Press Box blog

• Cavs beat Richmond, 16-0
• UVa holds on
• UVa scores
• Third-quarter stats
• Halftime update
• UVa-Richmond pregame

SATURDAY'S STAR

Tyrod Taylor, QB

Virginia Tech

After having his redshirt peeled off this week, the sophomore quarterback gave the Tech offense a much-needed spark. He led all rushers with 112 yards -- including a 50-yard scamper on third-and-10 in the third quarter -- and completed four of his five passing attempts for 26 yards.

IT WAS OVER WHEN

On the first play after Virginia Tech's initial touchdown of the game, Cody Grimm stripped Furman running back Brantley Kendall. Kam Chancellor recovered the fumble for Tech at the Furman 31 with 8:41 left in the third quarter, setting up a touchdown drive that bumped the Tech lead to 17-0.

GOOD CALL?

Tyrod Taylor and Darren Evans carried the Hokies down the field late in the first half, but facing third-and-goal from the Furman 5, the coaches elected to take those two out and send Sean Glennon and Kenny Lewis Jr. into the huddle. Glennon threw an incompletion, and Tech had to settle for a Dustin Keys field goal -- the only points of the half.

THEY SAID IT

"My guy came on the blitz, so I picked him up on the blitz. I turn around, and next thing you know Tyrod's 30 yards down the field."

-- Tech tailback Kenny Lewis Jr., on the game-changing 50-yard run by Tyrod Taylor.

"We have to get better. We are a team that has to improve each and every week and hopefully be there in the end and affect this thing ... This history of this program is we continue to improve throughout the season, and I think we'll do that this week."

-- Tech coach Frank Beamer

CRITICAL NUMBERS

31 Total yards gained by Furman in the first half

22 Length, in yards, of Dustin Keys' first career field goal, notched late in the second quarter.

6.5 Per-carry rushing average for redshirt freshman tailback Darren Evans, who had 72 yards on 11 totes

9 True freshmen the Hokies have played this year, after kicker Justin Myer played Saturday. Ryan Williams, the 10th and final freshman on the dress list, did not play.

-- Staff reports