Louisville vs Virginia Tech: No. 16 Cardinals blitz the second half to win 28–16 in Blacksburg

Louisville flipped a 16–7 halftime deficit into a 28–16 road win over Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon at Lane Stadium, riding a pair of second-half touchdowns from Keyjuan Brown and another electric day from national rushing leader Isaac Brown. The result moves the Cardinals to 7–1 and keeps their conference title path intact, while the Hokies fall to 3–6 after letting a winnable game slip away.

How Louisville turned 16–7 into 28–16

Virginia Tech controlled the first half with field position and special teams juice—an early blocked punt for a safety plus a red-zone strike had the Hokies up nine. The game pivoted after the break:

• Third quarter spark: Miller Moss feathered a 24-yard touchdown to Chris Lacy to pull within two possessions and settle the offense.

• Brown x Brown finish: With the line leaning on inside zone and duo, Keyjuan Brown banged in two second-half TDs, and Isaac Brown kept the chains moving before leaving late with a leg issue.

• Defense closes the door: Louisville held Tech scoreless after halftime, shrinking explosive plays and winning third down (the Hokies went cold in obvious passing situations).

In all, the Cardinals posted 371 total yards to 240, controlled the ball in the fourth, and stitched together 21 unanswered points after intermission.

Star turns and turning points

• Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville: 130 rushing yards on 16 carries, including a 52-yard touchdown sprint on the game’s second snap. He exited with 5:40 left, grabbing at the back of his right leg after a run wiped out by penalty; he walked off with assistance.

• Keyjuan Brown, RB, Louisville: The finisher. Two second-half scores that matched Louisville’s identity—patient double teams, vertical footwork, and no wasted steps.

• Miller Moss, QB, Louisville: Managed the middle eight minutes brilliantly, using tempo to freeze rotations and trusting quick game until the shot to Lacy changed the geometry.

• Kyron Drones, QB, Virginia Tech: Powered the early surge with a 3-yard TD run and a short scoring toss to Cam Seldon, but the passing game stalled under tighter windows.

Hidden lever: Louisville’s special-teams miscue in the first quarter could have snowballed; instead, coverage units steadied and the defense bought the offense time to recalibrate.

Box score snapshot

• Final: Louisville 28, Virginia Tech 16

• Total yards: Louisville 371, Virginia Tech 240

• 3rd down: Louisville 4/11, Virginia Tech 4/15

• Turnovers: Louisville 1, Virginia Tech 0

• Attendance: 54,030 at Lane Stadium

• Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. ET (national over-the-air telecast)

What it means for both teams

Louisville (7–1): A mature road win—down two scores, no panic, and a second-half identity that should travel in November. If Isaac Brown’s late knock proves minor, the Cardinals keep one of the country’s most efficient run games intact heading into the stretch.

Virginia Tech (3–6): The formula worked early—defense, special teams, manageable fields—but the offense lacked a second counter once Louisville pinned the edges and squeezed the seams. To keep bowl hopes alive, Tech needs cleaner third-down answers and more bite from the downfield passing game.

Key sequences, drive by drive

1. 12:58 1Q — 7–0 Louisville: Isaac Brown hits the crease and houses a 52-yarder.

2. 1:57 1Q — 7–7: Drones finishes a short field with a keeper.

3. 0:52 1Q — 9–7 Virginia Tech: Blocked punt safety energizes Lane Stadium.

4. 8:25 2Q — 16–7 Tech: Drones to Seldon from five yards caps the best Hokie march.

5. 9:07 3Q — 16–14 Tech: Moss to Lacy for 24 yards—the momentum pivot.

6. 4Q: Keyjuan Brown twice across the goal line; Louisville’s defense shuts it down.

Where to watch (replays)

The game aired nationally on an over-the-air broadcast network. Full and condensed replays, plus highlights, will post on the league’s official digital platforms and through each school’s team channels/apps; availability may vary by region and subscription.

What’s next

• Louisville: A late-season run that now features seeding leverage and a road-tested script—lean on the run, pick spots for Moss, and trust a defense that tightened when it mattered. Medical eyes turn to Isaac Brown’s status; his availability swings game plans.

• Virginia Tech: One possession here, one third-down there—that’s the margin. The Hokies need a cleaner explosives ledger and more consistent pass pro to flip November close games.

 Louisville took Virginia Tech’s best early punch, then authored a poised, physical second half. If the Cardinals’ bell-cow back is healthy, this comeback in Blacksburg will read like the moment their season shifted from “promising” to “dangerous.”