Technical fall

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The memory of getting blown out at Virginia Tech simmered for Georgia Tech all year.

Now, the Hokies know how it feels.

Reggie Ball and the No. 24 Yellow Jackets made their second consecutive visit to Lane Stadium a huge success Saturday, jumping out to a big lead and beating the 11th-ranked Hokies 38-27 at their own disruptive game.

“I challenged our guys to go out and win on special teams,” coach Chan Gailey said. “There was a lot of positive things today. Our guys accepted the challenge.”

The Yellow Jackets (4-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) used a blocked punt to set up a 25-yard touchdown drive, then scored on defense, too – a 38-yard fumble return.

They also downed several punts deep in their own territory.

“Things like that shouldn’t happen to us,” Hokies coach Frank Beamer said.

Georgia Tech made the Hokies (4-1, 2-1) look like nothing special with Ball finding receivers Calvin Johnson and James Johnson with ease early on, and mixing in enough of his own running to keep Virginia Tech on its heels.

It looked similar to last year’s game between the Techs, won by the Hokies 51-7, except this time it was the visitors that had the upper-hand all the way.

“We were motivated by that game,” said Calvin Johnson, who caught six for 115 yards and two scores. “We were humiliated last year. We had a chip on our shoulders.”

It showed right away.

A sea of fans clad in orange and maroon filled Lane Stadium, but the Yellow Jackets quickly silenced them, taking a 21-0 lead before the game was 11 minutes old.

The first drive covered 80 yards in five plays, starting with a 59-yard pass to wide open James Johnson and ending with Ball’s 2-yard pass to Calvin Johnson.

After the Hokies punted, the Yellow Jackets went 62 yards in three plays. Ball ran 9 yards on a keeper, then hit Calvin Johnson with a short pass and the big receiver ran untouched past three defensive backs for a 53-yard touchdown down the right side.

After another three-and-out by the Hokies, Georgia Tech’s Troy Garside blocked Nic Schmitt’s punt, setting the Yellow Jackets up at Virginia Tech’s 25 yard-line.

Tashard Choice made it 21-0 with a 5-yard run.

In 12 plays, the Yellow Jackets had gained 167 yards and were just two points shy of what Virginia Tech’s first four opponents had managed to score collectively.