Ethan Grunkemeyer’s TD pass to Luke Reynolds with 1:44 left lifts Virginia Tech past Clemson 20-16

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Ethan Grunkemeyer threw two touchdown passes to tight end Luke Reynolds, including a 5-yard scoring strike with 1:44 left in the game as Virginia Tech stunned Clemson 20-16 on Saturday night.

Grunkemeyer finished 20 of 32 for 156 yards with the two TDs and had no interceptions as Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-2 ACC) beat Clemson for the first time since 2007.

Tait Reynolds was 20 of 26 for 153 yards and ran for a 16-yard touchdown for Clemson (4-3, 2-2).

Trailing 16-13, Grunkemeyer led an 11-play, 69-yard scoring drive to take the lead, aided by two Clemson pass interference penalties and a late hit out of bounds resulting in three first downs for the Hokies.

The Tigers had a chance to win the game on their final possession, but Reynolds’ 26-yard third down pass completion along the left sideline to Bryant Wesco Jr. to reach inside the Virginia Tech 30 was overturned after replay ruled the receiver did not stay inbounds.

Reynolds was sacked by Mylachi Williams on the following play on fourth and 9 with 48 seconds left, sealing the Hokies’ win.

The win dealt a serious blow to Clemson’s hopes of getting back to the ACC championship game which it once dominated. No. 1-ranked Miami is unbeaten at 5-0 in the conference, followed by No. 17 Wake Forest and No. 23 SMU at 4-1 in ACC play.

Trailing 10-3 at halftime, Clemson used a stifling defense to set up three third quarter scores — two coming on Nolan Hauser field goals and another on Reynolds’ go-ahead touchdown run off a quarterback draw.

Clemson dominated the third quarter, outgaining Virginia Tech 146-13.

But the Hokies would come alive in the fourth, cutting the lead to 16-13 before Grunkemeyer’s winning drive.

It was the second straight win for James Franklin’s team after beating Georgia Tech 34-24 last week.

The takeaway

Virginia Tech: The Hokies could get absolutely nothing going in the run game against Clemson’s front seven, as they were held to 70 yards on 37 carries. That repeatedly put Grunkemeyer in third-and-long situations and made moving the chains a tough task all night.

Clemson: The Tigers still lack explosiveness on offense and they get virtually nothing down the field in the passing game. They have two of the nation’s most talented wide receivers in T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr. but they have been grossly underutilized this season. That’s partially the result of playing a freshman quarterback and an offensive line that has struggled.

Up next

Virginia Tech: at SMU on Friday.

Clemson: at Florida State next Saturday.

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