By MIKE BONTS
Florida Sports Wire
ORLANDO, Fla. – (FSW) - Playing in a steady rain, Virginia Tech (7-6) overcame a 10-point fourth- quarter deficit for 13-10 overtime victory over Rutgers (9-4) in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Cody Journell's 22-yard field goal in OT kept the Hokies from its first losing season since 1992 when they went 2-8-1. He tied the game with a 25-yard field goal with 12:14 remaining in regulation.
Journell would later kick his third game-winning field goal of the season, beating Georgia Tech, Virginia and Rutgers.
With the win, VT head coach Frank Beamer moved into sole possession of sixth all-time in career victories among FBS coaches with 258, breaking a tie with BYU’s LaVell Edwards.
The Scarlet Knights scored their seventh non-offensive touchdown of the season just 17 seconds into the game when senior All-America linebacker Khaseem Greene recovered a fumble in the end zone.
It was the second touchdown of the season for Greene. Greene ended his career with a team-high 11 tackles to move into fourth place in school history with 387 career tackles.
The Scarlet Knights took a 10-0 lead with a 36-yard Nick Borgese field goal late in the first quarter. He missed a 42-yarder in OT.
Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas completed 15-of-39 passes for 193 yards with two interceptions by senior cornerback Brandon Jones. Jones set a career-high with two interceptions and a new single-game bowl record for the Scarlet Knights.
Logan threw a TD pass to Corey Fuller in the fourth quarter to tie the game in the Hokies' 12th straight win over the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers QB Gary Nova completed 17-of-40 passes for 129 yards with an interception. Savon Huggins rushed for 48 yards on 18 carries
.GAME NOTES: Tech started just one senior player on defense in the game, outside linebacker Alonzo Tweedy. Tech went 3-0 in overtime games this year, beating Georgia Tech, Boston College and Rutgers. The win marked the first time since the 2004 game against Virginia that Tech was shut out at the half and ended up winning the game. Tech’s 3 yards rushing are the fewest in a win under head coach Frank Beamer. It’s the third-fewest ever under Beamer in 26 seasons (-14 vs. Miami in 1994; -1 vs. Syracuse in 1987). Rutgers had the nation’s longest active bowl winning streak at five games come to an end with the overtime setback. RU is 5-3 all-time in bowl games. Rutgers is now 4-5 all-time in overtime games. Tonight was the first time RU has played an overtime bowl game.
