Photos by Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Tech's Ryan Williams (right) eludes Maryland's Cameron Chism (22). Williams gained 126 yards on 23 carries.

Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) celebrates a first-down pass in the first half against Maryland. The Hokies had 484 total yards in the lopsided victory.

Tech tight end Andre Smith catches a touchdown pass. Anthony Wiseman (6) and Darin Drakeford (52) look on for Maryland.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Something easy for Virginia Tech's football team. Finally.

After four weeks in which they lost consecutive ACC games and were far from imposing in a grinder win at East Carolina, the 20th-ranked Hokies put together a complete game Saturday, flogging Maryland 36-9 at Byrd Stadium.

Led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor's 268 yards passing and a career-high three touchdown passes, Tech rolled up 484 total yards and laid the hammer on the fast-sinking Terrapins.

Taylor, whose three first-half TD passes enabled Tech (7-3, 4-2 ACC) to motor to a 27-3 halftime bulge, said the motivation now is keep the gas pedal mashed and speed to another 10-win season.

"Yes, that is the plan," Taylor said. "We have tough games ahead of us, but it's always good to put points on the board to show people that we are the real deal."

Jarrett Boykin caught three passes for 118 yards, including a 64-yarder that he took to the house to make it 27-3 midway in the second quarter. Dyrell Roberts had three receptions for 78 yards, including a 10-yard TD hookup. Taylor's other TD pass was a 3-yarder to Andre Smith, the first scoring reception by a Tech tight end this season.

Eight different receivers caught passes as Taylor riddled a Maryland secondary that entered the day ranked 100th in the nation, allowing almost 250 yards per game. The Hokies' 268 yards through the air was their second-highest total of the season, ranking only behind a 359-yard effort at Duke.

"They [receivers] played great today, made a lot of plays in the air against good defenders," said Taylor, who completed 13 of 23 passes. "It was my job to get the ball around them and they did a great job of just making a play. That's what we preached all week."

"My comfort level with the passing game is very high. I believe my receivers, I believe they can play with any defender in the nation. I believe my line is going to block. It's just my job to put the ball in their hands. I like the way all my guys are playing."

Taylor wasn't too shabby when he kept the ball to himself, either. The junior carried eight times for 81 yards, giving him 349 total yards for the day. He has 12 TD passes and only three interceptions this season.

"[Taylor] gives us a chance to be successful on every offensive play, in my opinion," Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "I'm glad he's on our side."

Beamer would say the same thing about Ryan Williams. The Hokies' redshirt freshman tailback carried 23 times for 126 yards and a touchdown. It was the seventh triple-digit rushing effort this season for Williams, whose 12 TDs broke Darren Evans' freshman school-record of 11 set last season. Williams needs only 31 yards to break Evans' freshman record of 1,265 yards, also set last year.

"We come out with the same mentality all the time -- that's to play our best game," Williams said. "When we do that, we feel like we can beat anybody. When you lose games, you try to come back the next game and go full blast, and to come out and just dominate the next game. "

Well, the Hokies ruled the roost here from the get-go. Maryland, which played without injured starting quarterback Chris Turner, was stymied to a season-low 236 yards by Tech's defense. Sophomore Jamarr Robinson, making his first college start, ran 24 times for 129 yards. He spent most of the day running for his life as the Hokies swarmed UM's porous offensive line for 10 tackles for loss, and posted a season-high six sacks.

"I didn't think we had a lot of energy in the first half," said Terps coach Ralph Friedgen, whose team lost its fifth consecutive game to fall to 2-8 and 1-5 in the ACC.

"Overall, I didn't think our pass protection was that poor. We missed so many tackles and [the Hokies] went through a lot of big plays. It is what it is."

Before the Hokies finished the rout, Georgia Tech had sewed up the ACC's Coastal Division crown with a 49-10 rout at Duke. The Yellow Jackets' triumph ended any long-shot scenario in which the Hokies could slip in the back door and have a shot at a third consecutive ACC crown.

"When they beat us they deserved to win, they were the better team out there and they're a great team," Williams said. "Best of luck to them in the championship game. Next year, we'll come back and we'll fight for it again."