No. 9 Virginia Tech Holds Off East Carolina 17-7 in Season Opener

Wheeler hauls in career-best seven catches for 81 yards and a score.

Virginia Tech University

BLACKSBURG, Va. - A career game by tight end Sam Wheeler and a defensive touchdown by Victor "Macho" Harris helped the No. 9 Virginia Tech football team to a 17-7 season-opening victory over East Carolina (0-1) Saturday in front of a sell-out crowd of 66, 233.

Wheeler gathered seven receptions for 81 yards - both career highs - and scored the insurance touchdown for the Hokies (1-0) early in the fourth quarter on a 21-yard reception from quarterback Sean Glennon.

Glennon finished the day 22-of-33 for 245 yards after overcoming an interception on his first play of the game.

Harris scored on a 17-yard interception return in the third quarter to headline the Hokies' defensive effort.

Three players recorded double-digit tackles for Tech, as Vince Hall captured 13, and Xavier Adibi and Brandon Flowers each contributed 10.

The Hokies got on the board first with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter when senior placekicker Jud Dunlevy drilled his first collegiate field goal attempt through the uprights to give Tech a 3-0 lead.

The 25-yard line drive capped off a six-minute drive that saw Glennon complete passes to four different receivers, including a 37-yard toss to senior Josh Hyman to the East Carolina 4-yard line.

The Pirates claimed the lead just 37 seconds into the second quarter however, when ECU running back Chris Johnson plunged into the end zone from two yards out.

The drive began with 2:37 left in the first, when Tech running back Branden Ore, who managed 70 yards rushing on the day, fumbled at the ECU 48-yard line.

ECU cornerback Jerek Hewett covered it up, and nine plays later, Ben Hartman's PAT attempt was true to put ECU up 7-3.

The Pirates' defense held strong for the rest of the half, limiting Tech to just six yards rushing. ECU's defense held so strong in fact, that Tech called upon its own defense to account for the Hokies' first touchdown of the season.

After downing a Brent Bowden punt on the ECU 2-yard line, Tech cornerback Victor "Macho" Harris picked off Brett Clay's second-down pass at the 17, and returned it all the way to the end-zone with a dive to the pylon resulting in his second-career score.

He returned an interception 72 yards last year against Cincinnati, and is now the 25th player under head coach Frank Beamer to record at least two career touchdowns on defense or special teams.

It was the 70th defensive touchdown under Beamer, and following Dunlevy's PAT, Tech took a 10-7 lead into the locker room.

The score remained the same throughout the third quarter and into the fourth until Glennon lofted the game-sealer to Wheeler in the corner of the end zone.

ECU's defensive effort was headed up by linebacker Quentin Cotton, who tallied a game-high 14 tackles, including two for loss and a forced fumble.

For Tech, Justin Harper chipped in five receptions for 64 yards, while Josh Morgan caught four for 40.

Tech will next head to Baton Rouge, La., for a 9:15 p.m. showdown with No. 2 LSU (1-0) next Saturday.

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