The Virginia Tech Hokies ran past the Tulane Green Wave, winning the 2023 Military Bowl 41-20 in a wet, sloppy matchup. Unrelenting rain affected both teams, resulting in a combined five fumbles lost on the day. Ultimately, the Hokies’ physical rushing attack led by quarterback Kyron Drones was too much for the Green Wave to overcome as the Hokies overpowered Tulane in the bowl win.
Key Moments in the Game
After going three and out, Tulane capitalized on the first turnover of the game on Virginia Tech’s first offensive possession. Green Wave linebacker Tyler Grubbs returned a fumble for a touchdown, resulting in the first points of the game. Later in the first quarter, Virginia Tech returned the favor. The Hokies recovered a fumble by Tulane’s Dontae Fleming as he returned a punt on the Green Wave 11-yard line. Drones ran for a touchdown on the next play. The Hokies went up 10-7 at that point and never trailed again.
Drones’ running ability and timely pass completions were problematic for Tulane for the entirety of the game. He ran for a first down and completed four passes on one drive at the end of the first half, finishing the drive with a touchdown pass to tight end Harrison St. Germain to put the Hokies up 17-10. Tech recovered an onside kick after the score but was not able to steal more points before the half.
Although Drones was the star of the night, he was not a one-man show. Running back Bhayshul Tuten combined with Drones to rush for over 300 yards in the contest. Tuten broke free early and often, with a long of 44 yards. He ran for a critical 12-yard touchdown after yet another Tulane fumble in the fourth quarter that effectively put the game out of reach.
Where Tulane Came Up Short
Tulane went into the game with an impressive 11-2 record but was shorthanded due to opt-outs. Its starting quarterback and multiple wide receivers didn’t play in this one. The circumstances surrounding its roster combined with the weather required the Green Wave to lean towards their running game, as evidenced by only 21 passing attempts during the game. Despite their star running back, Makhi Hughes, averaging almost six yards per carry, it wasn’t enough to keep the Hokie defense honest.
The aggressive Virginia Tech defense loaded the line of scrimmage with defenders. The defense finished with six tackles for loss. The Hokies only got one sack on the day, but they repeatedly hit the quarterback on both passes and zone-read run plays. Tulane was able to run successfully at times with the help of misdirection, but the gadget plays were unsustainable.
Standout Players
The game was won in the trenches, and Virginia Tech had an impressive day on the ground. Drones rushed for 176 yards, including runs of 17, 38, and 51 yards. Tuten rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns. The Hokie offensive line was physical at the point of attack, and Drones had ample time on passing plays. Virginia Tech did not have a high volume of passing attempts, but still managed to complete passes to seven different receivers.
Defensively, Virginia Tech’s safety Keonta Jenkins was aggressive from the secondary. He was second on the team with six tackles and had two tackles for loss. The tackles for loss from the safety position spoke to the Virginia Tech coaching staff’s assertive approach to the game.
The Green Wave got a glimpse of their possible future at quarterback with sophomore Kai Horton. Horton had the unenviable task of playing with a mostly inexperienced group of receivers in inclement weather. His 119 passing yards won’t jump off the page, but the willingness to keep playing through multiple hard hits was impressive.
The aforementioned Grubbs not only had the scoop-and-score but also led the Green Wave with 10 tackles. His fellow linebacker and former LSU transfer Jared Small was seemingly everywhere, with nine tackles and two tackles for loss.
What it Means Moving Forward
The Military Bowl served as a positive step for head coach Brent Pry’s Virginia Tech program. He improved to win a bowl game and finish over .500 after a three-win season a year ago. It appears that he has a solid centerpiece in Drones at quarterback to build around for the future.
As for Tulane, it was a bad game but not a bad year. An 11-win season is impressive in any conference. Jon Sumrall has taken the head coaching job after a remarkable run at Troy and surely had a close eye on players who could be key contributors to his team moving forward.
