Virginia Tech routs VMI 73-3
Team pages: VMI · Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech routed VMI 73-3. Share this game
We had Virginia Tech favored. It won.
Top comment in the game thread
#BEAMER BALL
How it swung
Before kickoff, our ratings gave Virginia Tech a 98% chance, and the closing betting line (Virginia Tech was a 54.5-point favorite) put it above 99%.
Virginia Tech led by 21 after the first quarter and by 45 at the half.
Virginia Tech · Q2 2:48Virginia Tech 73-3 VMI
Virginia Tech wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.VMI 3-73 Virginia TechVMI lostMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.No single play moved the chance by 20 points.
No single play moved the chance by 20 points.
What fans said, play by play
The line in bold above each quote is written by our model from the thread’s comments and the play-by-play.
- Q1 9:35Virginia Tech fans celebrate a blocked punt and quick touchdown as Beamer Ball returnsQuoted at the top of the page.
- Q1 4:56Overton rushes for a touchdown as Virginia Tech fans celebrate the dominant start
So VMI cant stop Overton. And our defense and special teams for this game is prime beamer ball era levels.
r/CFB game thread - Q2 6:33Grunkemeyer passes to Brown for a 51-yard touchdown, making it 38-0
I know its VMI, but damn, Que'San Brown with a nasty cut and serious jets on a 51 yard TD
r/CFB game threadPutting an inferior opponent away early and never even making it a question? Damn I needed this for the Hokies
r/CFB game thread - Q2 2:48Virginia Tech fans celebrate a blocked punt return touchdown that extends their lead to 45-0
Good god. All we need is that one deep ball TD to connect and we’ll have checked literally every box
r/CFB game threadEveryone is also missing the collective PTSD of playing a triple option team and not getting g carved up
r/CFB game thread - Q3 0:33Virginia Tech fans celebrate reaching 66 points and discuss breaking the school record
Virginia Tech's record for points in a game is 77 (vs Akron in 1995).......can we beat it?
r/CFB game threadPlaying vaders march after getting to 66 points is peak love you MVs
r/CFB game thread - Q4 7:45Virginia Tech fans rage as VMI kicks a 50-yard field goal to break the shutout
There ya go buddy. Let’s put that field goal riiight up on the fridge
r/CFB game thread
How to read this chart
Starts from the pregame line (Virginia Tech -54.5), at 100% for Virginia Tech (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores. Outlined diamonds mark rare plays. The gray band is r/CFB game-thread activity, its loudest stretches in gold. A gold diamond marks a play fans were reacting to.Watch the plays
The bar and the arrow show Virginia Tech’s chance to win after each play; the logo is the team the play helped.
- Q1, 9:30Hawkins 9-yd TD runVirginia Tech leads 14-0Q1, 9:30 · Virginia Tech 14, VMI 014-0score after the play14-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 14:37Hawkins 1-yd TD runVirginia Tech leads 28-0Q2, 14:37 · Virginia Tech 28, VMI 028-0score after the play28-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 5:13Grunkemeyer 51-yd TD pass to BrownVirginia Tech leads 38-0Q2, 5:13 · Virginia Tech 38, VMI 038-0score after the play38-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 2:48Harrell 0-yd TD return of a blocked puntVirginia Tech leads 45-0Q2, 2:48 · Virginia Tech 45, VMI 045-0score after the play45-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 0:25Crump run for a 12-yd lossfumblesQ2, 0:25 · Virginia Tech 45, VMI 045-0score after the play45-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 13:34Crump sacked for a 14-yd lossfumblesQ3, 13:34 · Virginia Tech 45, VMI 045-0score after the play45-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 12:33Grunkemeyer 21-yd TD pass to ReynoldsVirginia Tech leads 52-0Q3, 12:33 · Virginia Tech 52, VMI 052-0score after the play52-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 3:53Crump intercepted by Williams at the VMI 50Q3, 3:53 · Virginia Tech 59, VMI 059-0score after the play59-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 0:33Baker 40-yd TD pass to WigginsVirginia Tech leads 66-0Q3, 0:33 · Virginia Tech 66, VMI 066-0score after the play66-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q4, 10:38Brand 1-yd TD runVirginia Tech leads 73-0Q4, 10:38 · Virginia Tech 73, VMI 073-0score after the play73-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
Every drive
Virginia Tech scored on 10 of its 14 drives; VMI on 2 of its 15.
Virginia Tech’s drives are teal, VMI’s amber. A line runs from where a drive started to where it ended; a filled dot means it scored.
“People can say this doesn’t matter but Pry era and a bit of the Fuentes era would be bumbling around for 3 quarters before winning 31-17 Hype is growing!”
How fans reacted
Steady
The first quarter is when fans got loud.
The jump was steady; the crowd was quiet.
Never in doubt.
Box score
Virginia Tech 73, VMI 3
Virginia Tech covered −54.5 by 15.5. The total, 76, went over 60.5.
| Team totals | VMI | Virginia Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 83 | 619 |
| Passing | 5 of 13, 87 yds | 27 of 32, 351 yds |
| Rushing | 43 for -4 yds | 40 for 268 yds |
| First downs | 6 | 30 |
| Third down | 2 of 17 | 3 of 8 |
| Fourth down | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Penalties | 7 for 45 yds | 11 for 93 yds |
| Time of possession | 31:27 | 28:33 |
VMI leaders
- Passing JoJo Crump 4 of 8, 54 yds, 1 INT
- Rushing Traveion Slaughter 3 for 21 yds; Leo Boehling 10 for 7 yds
- Receiving Halim Hardnett 1 for 33 yds; Cole Varner 2 for 23 yds
Virginia Tech leaders
- Passing Ethan Grunkemeyer 17 of 20, 224 yds, 2 TD
- Rushing Jeffrey Overton Jr. 9 for 104 yds, 2 TD; Marcellous Hawkins 12 for 69 yds, 3 TD
- Receiving Que'Sean Brown 6 for 109 yds, 1 TD; Luke Reynolds 5 for 50 yds, 1 TD
No rain through the game
81° at kickoff · no rain recorded
September game-day temperatures at Lane Stadium
Drag along the chart, or step through the game.
Where this weather comes from
Measured at Virginia Tech Airport, 1.0 miles away. Rain is NOAA's radar-and-gauge estimate at the stadium and wind is an airport reading; neither is measured on the field. Game times come from the play-by-play, good to a minute or two. Source: National Weather Service, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet; rain radar from NOAA MRMS, through Iowa State University. Field direction from OpenStreetMap contributors.Before kickoff
Recent games, the series and the betting line below are as they stood going in; the season profile is the season so far.
Recent games
Last three games · 2025 season
VMI · 1-11
Rated 265th in our preseason ratings, 265th now.
Three straight losses.
L 6-48 vs Western Carolina #147 of 667
lost by 42 as a 25.5-point underdog
L 14-32 @ Furman #215 of 667
lost by 18 as a 20.5-point underdog
L 10-52 vs Wofford #159 of 667
lost by 42 as an 11-point underdog
L 24-35 @ The Citadel #203 of 667
lost by 11 as a 14-point underdog
L 0-62 @ Mercer #102 of 667
lost by 62 as a 27.5-point underdog
L 22-24 vs Samford #235 of 667
lost by 2 as a 3.5-point underdog
L 10-45 @ East Tennessee State #143 of 667
lost by 35 as a 16.5-point underdog
L 14-21 vs Chattanooga #200 of 667
lost by 7 as an 8-point underdog
L 14-38 @ Richmond #158 of 667
lost by 24 as a 17-point underdog
L 28-35 @ Bucknell #216 of 667
lost by 7 as an 8.5-point underdog
W 42-7 vs Ferrum #432 of 667
L 7-52 @ NavyTop 25 #95 of 667
lost by 45 as a 42.5-point underdog
Last three games · 2025 season
Virginia Tech · 3-9
Rated 51st in our preseason ratings.
L 7-27 @ VirginiaTop 25 #35 of 667
lost by 20 as a 9.5-point underdog
L 17-34 vs MiamiTop 25 #8 of 667
lost by 17 as a 17.5-point underdog
L 14-34 @ Florida StateTop 25 #33 of 667
lost by 20 as a 13.5-point underdog
L 16-28 vs LouisvilleTop 25 #27 of 667
lost by 12 as a 10.5-point underdog
W 42-34 vs California #80 of 667
won by 8 as a 6.5-point favorite
L 20-35 @ Georgia TechTop 25 #37 of 667
lost by 15 as a 14.5-point underdog
L 23-30 vs Wake Forest #69 of 667
lost by 7 as a 4.5-point favorite
W 23-21 @ NC State #53 of 667
won by 2 as a 10.5-point underdog
W 38-6 vs Wofford #193 of 667
won by 32 as a 34.5-point favorite
L 26-45 vs Old Dominion #80 of 667
lost by 19 as a 5.5-point favorite
L 20-44 vs VanderbiltTop 25 #42 of 667
lost by 24 as a 2.5-point favorite
L 11-24 @ South CarolinaTop 25 #13 of 667
lost by 13 as a 7.5-point underdog
The series
Virginia Tech leads the series 46-23-5
74 meetings since 1902 · Virginia Tech has won the last 3
- 1984Virginia Tech 54-7
- 1983Virginia Tech 28-0
- 1982Virginia Tech 14-3
- 1981VMI 6-0
- 1980Virginia Tech 21-6
Line, fans and home field
The betting line, and the fans
Our model and the betting line agree on Virginia Tech’s chances here.
Virginia Tech favored by 54.5 · Total 60.5
How games like this usually go
Virginia Tech by 54.5, and it went to form
Half of games8 in 10 gamesThis game
The band is where a favorite’s chance ran in the 411 games since 2025 with a favorite of 21.5 points or more.
The market
The spread moved 4 points toward Virginia Tech.
The total rose 3 points.
Spread: −50.5 → −54.5 · Total: 57.5 → 60.5
Weather at kickoff
Warm and dry. Feels like 76° at kickoff.
VMI at Virginia Tech · Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 · Lane Stadium, Blacksburg
- 76°feels like at kickoff
- Dryno rain at kickoff
- 100weather score, Ideal
- Tiedfor the best of the day's 7 kickoff times
At kickoff, Sept. 5, 2026.
Weather score: 0 to 100, higher is better, for the first 3 hours and 20 minutes of the game. Ideal is 100, Comfortable 90 to 99, Mixed 75 to 89, Rough 50 to 74, Harsh under 50.
Kickoff times that Saturday
Games in this time zone used 7 kickoff times that day, local time (kickoffs within 30 minutes of each other count as one). This game, ringed, was tied for the best of the day's seven kickoff times. At Lane Stadium that day, a 3:30 pm kickoff would have scored 73, against 100 at 7 pm.
- noon: 81, Mixed
- 12:45 pm: 78, Mixed
- 2 pm: 75, Mixed
- 3:30 pm: 73, Rough
- 6 pm: 91, Comfortable
- 7 pm: 100, Ideal (this game)
- 7:45 pm: 100, Ideal
Weather score at each kickoff time.
Tap a dot to read that kickoff time.
At kickoff, Sept. 5, 2026. Wind is not drawn here; gusts are in each score.
Home field
Virginia Tech is worth +2.5 points (±3.6) more at home than on the road since 2018 — bottom third of FBS, 22nd percentile.
50% at home, 38% on the road against FBS opponents (24-24 home, 17-28 away).
Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge (why); the books use about 3. Against the closing line this stadium reads -0.3 at home vs. away over 100 games — inside the ±6.4 noise, so the flat number is the honest one here.
Night kickoff — historically worth about half a point more to the home side against the number, and not much more than that. The visitors travel about 67 miles to get here.