After trailing 20-10 at halftime, the Virginia Tech football team dominated California in the third quarter and midway through the fourth to score 17 unearned points for a 27-20 lead.
Kyron Drones scored on a touchdown run midway through the fourth for a seven-point lead. California, which struggled to move the ball in the second half, marched down the field and faced a third and goal from inside the 5-yard line. Virginia Tech sacked Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, but a brutal roughing the passer call gave the visitors new life. Instead of a fourth-and-goal from the 12, they got a first-and-goal inside the 5 and tied the game on a Kendrick Raphael touchdown run.