It doesn't take a math major to decipher this equation. Thursday night plus Lane Stadium equals Virginia Tech success. That formula held true against the No. 23 Maryland Terrapins. The Hokies (6-3, 3-2 ACC) staved off a third quarter Terps' (6-3, 3-2) run to win 23-13.
There was serious question prior to the game as to who would line up behind center. In the loss to Florida State on Oct. 25, both Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon were injured, while third-stringer Cory Holt finished the game.
Glennon was healthy enough to be tapped as the starter on Thursday -- a game-time decision by head coach Frank Beamer.
However, it would be running back Darren Evans who would grab the spotlight.
Evans, a redshirt freshman from Indianapolis, had 32 carries for a school-record 253 yards.
"We said we needed to run the football better," Beamer said. "And when (Darren Evans) got in there he got hot. There were some holes there and when he got in there he ran strong, really strong at the end."
He also produced his ninth touchdown of the season when he dived into the end zone from a yard out.
"Evans broke a lot of tackles, which hurt us throughout the game," Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen said.
Although Evans had the second Hokie score of the contest, Glennon and Greg Boone produced the first.
After a 46-yard field goal attempt by Maryland kicker Obi Egekeze sailed wide right, Glennon led an 11-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a five-yard toss from to Boone in the back of the end zone.
"It would have taken a broken leg to get me out of that game," Glennon said.
Boone also took snaps at quarterback -- although he didn't attempt a pass -- and took handoffs as a running back.
"We took last week and worked on (Boone at quarterback) a little bit," Beamer said. "I think that can keep developing and I think we have some possibilities there."
Maryland came back with a nine play, 56-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 41-yard field goal from Egekeze. Maryland quarterback Chris Turner threw for 55 yards on the drive, but was held to 74 yards in the first half.
After the Hokies produced an 80-yard drive, resulting in Evans' score, Tech finished the half with a 35-yard field goal from Dustin Keys.
The Tech defense stepped up immediately in the second half.
Turner dropped back to pass on the first play of the third quarter and was sacked by defensive end Orion Martin, causing a fumble that was recovered by Cordarrow Thompson. Martin has a sack in five of his last six games.
Tech was unable to move the ball any farther, settling instead for a 30-yard field goal from Keys.
But the Terps would produce the rest of the third-quarter points.
The Maryland offense would not be halted, as it came up with a six play, 98-yard touchdown drive, capped off by a 63-yard pass from Turner to wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.
After the Hokie offense was stymied, the special teams encountered trouble.
Brent Bowden's punt traveled just 15 yards when Torrey Smith blocked the ball. After Tech's defense held strong, the Terrapins were forced to punt. However, as the punt landed on the ground inside the Maryland 20-yard line, the ball went off Kam Chancellor's back. It was recovered by the Terps, who resumed possession at the Tech 11. However, Maryland had to settle for a 27-yard field goal from Egekeze.
"In the third quarter there were some ugly things, but what we are really proud of is our football team hung in there ...the defense hung in there and held them to a field goal," Beamer said. "I am really proud of our offense."
The Hokie offense steadily moved the ball down the field in the beginning of the fourth quarter, ending with a Keys 27-yard field goal. The Lou Groza Award semi-finalist is now 19-for-22 on the season.
Behind the running of Evans, the Hokies ran out the clock on their 15th win in 18 games on Thursday night ESPN telecasts -- 8-2 at Lane.
Glennon, bum leg and all, finished 14-for-20 with 127 yards through the air, including a touchdown. On the receiving end, freshman Danny Coale caught three passes for 38 yards. Coale was one of seven Hokies who had a reception.
Defensively, linebacker Cody Grimm -- who had two sacks against Florida State -- had seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Martin and Dorian Porch each recorded six tackles.