Five Takeaways From Virginia Tech Football's 35-20 Loss to No. 13 Georgia Tech

No. 1: For the remaining three quarters, the Hokies held around.

After 15 minutes of football, Virginia Tech held around, matching the Yellow Jackets 20-20 in the final three quarters. In average gain per play, the Hokies were relatively close, racking up 6.7 yards a play to Georgia Tech's 7.3. Virginia Tech also held Georgia Tech to six points in the second quarter, despite losing the time of possession battle, 11:23 to 3:37.

No. 2: Ja'Ricous Hairston showcased high upside and appears to be the TE2 as of now.

With Harrison Saint Germain sidelined, Ja’Ricous Hairston made the most of his expanded role and delivered a breakout performance that firmly established him as Virginia Tech’s No. 2 tight end. The redshirt freshman displayed both athleticism and awareness, hauling in two receptions for 36 yards and two touchdowns.

His first score came on a 33-yard strike down the middle, where he showcased impressive speed and route-running to separate from the defense. Later, Kyron Drones found him again on a heads-up throw in the red zone, capping off Hairston’s productive outing.

No. 3: The freshmen played well.

At one point in the game, Virginia Tech’s defense featured four true freshmen on the field, a sign of both youth and depth development within the unit. Leading that group was linebacker Noah Chambers, who continued his strong first-year campaign with five total tackles, including four solo stops. Fellow freshman Jordan “Jojo” Crim added four tackles of his own, officially burning his redshirt after surpassing the four-game participation limit.

Overall, it was a solid performance from a freshman group forced into early action due to the sheer number of absences. 21 Hokies were marked as out in yesterday's game day availability report and the number balloons to 26 when including transfers and James Djonkam, who is no longer with the team, per Montgomery.

No. 4: Third-down troubles plagued Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech’s offense couldn’t find any rhythm when it mattered most, finishing 0-for-8 on third-down conversions. The Hokies consistently found themselves behind the chains, forcing uncomfortable passing situations that neutralized their running game. Drones appeared overmatched at times, struggling to extend plays or find open receivers against a disciplined defensive front. Protection also broke down on several snaps, leaving Drones with little time to operate; he absorbed three sacks.

No. 5: The run defense fell flat against Georgia Tech.

The Hokies faced their toughest opponent yet in regards to defending the run game. And they broke. Virginia Tech surrendered a season-high 286 rushing yards to Georgia Tech Saturday. Tailback Malachi Hosley led the charge with 129 rushing yards and a score on 11.7 yards a carry. Running back Malachi Hosley gashed the defense for 129 yards and a touchdown, averaging an impressive 11.7 yards per carry. Meanwhile, quarterback Haynes King added another dimension with his legs, rushing for 60 yards and two scores.