BLACKSBURG, Va. — Frank Beamer is fond of apologizing for not remembering something from the past by saying, “that was a lot of fourth quarters ago.”

He hasn’t had many like the one No. 16 Virginia Tech put him through Monday night before beating Georgia Tech 20-17 in overtime.

Cody Journell kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime, then made a 17-yard field goal in the extra period for the victory. The Hokies’ defense set up the victory by nearly burying Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington under a pass rush that caused him to try to throw the ball away, and he did – right to Hokies cornerback Kyle Fuller.

Even for September, and a season opener, the game could have huge implications in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division.

In the seven years the ACC has held a championship game, only the Hokies (five times) and Yellow Jackets have ever represented the division. The victory, because of tiebreakers, essentially gives Virginia Tech a two-game lead over the Yellow Jackets, though Beamer knows it’s still early. Very early.

“I think you’ve got an advantage,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any question about that. A big advantage, but there’s a lot of football to be played.”

And, he hopes, a lot of it better football, especially by his offense.

The Hokies scored on their second series and seemed to be moving the ball with ease. Then they stalled on series after series until midway through the fourth quarter. They mustered only 326 yards of offense, severely taxing a defense that allowed just 288 to the Yellow Jackets’ vaunted triple option.

But there were good signs, too, starting with the comeback and the ability of Journell to shake off an earlier miss from 38 yards and make the big kicks.

“I really just try to clear my head of everything whenever I’m out on the field,” Journell said. “I just tried to let everything go and do what I needed to do.”

In the process, he prevented the Hokies from another crushing early season loss. They lost to East Carolina in their 2008 opener, Alabama in 2009 and Boise State in 2010, and in a season where some view them as national championship contenders, they couldn’t afford to start with a loss to an ACC division foe.

It seemed fitting to Beamer that Journell came through. Last season, he missed the Sugar Bowl while serving a suspension for his arrest on felony breaking and entering charges. He later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing, and was reinstated under conditions set by athletic director Jim Weaver.

“Cody made a big mistake and I thought he paid a tremendous price,” Beamer said. “But I think he knows that this is his family and we’re all pulling for him.”