BLACKSBURG, Va. – Kyron Drones threw a touchdown pass in the second overtime before running for the two-point conversion and Virginia rallied last in a 42-34 victory over California on Friday night.
Drones hit Takye Heath for a 7-yard touchdown to begin the second OT for Virginia Tech (3-5, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), and then ran it in on the mandatory two-point try for an eight-point advantage.
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True freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw four straight incompletions for California (5-3, 2-2) to end it.
Virginia Tech’s John Love and Cal’s Chase Meyer both missed go-ahead field goals in the final 62 seconds to force overtime.
Sagapolutele connected with Mason Mini for a 25-yard score on the first play of OT to give Cal the lead. Drones scored on a 17-yard run to tie it.
Drones completed 9 of 18 passes for 119 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Marcellous Hawkins rushed 21 times for 167 yards and Drones carried 21 times for 137 and two scores.
Drones connected with Ayden Greene for a 27-yard touchdown and Love added a 46-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead after one quarter.
Another Meyer field goal and two short touchdown runs by Kendrick Raphael gave the Golden Bears a 20-point run and a 10-point lead at halftime.
Love kicked a 52-yard field goal and Drones fired a 44-yard scoring strike to Heath to tie it 20-all heading to the fourth.
Drones scored on a 14-yard run with seven minutes left to put the Hokies ahead, but Raphael scored on a 2-yard run to tie it at 27-all.
Sagapolutele completed 24 of 39 passes for 285 yards. Raphael carried 20 times for 71 yards and three scores.
In the only other previous matchup, Cal beat Virginia Tech 52-49 at the Insight Bowl on Dec. 26, 2003.