The No. 20-ranked Hokies rolled to a big early lead, then held off Western Kentucky for a 27-13 nonconference football victory Saturday before a sellout homecoming crowd at Lane Stadium.

"I think they're all going to be down to the fourth quarter," said coach Frank Beamer, whose team led 27-3 early in the third quarter before its offense sputtered.

Western Kentucky frequently opted to go without a quarterback on the field and instead snapped the ball directly to tailback Dexter Taylor. The Hilltoppers kicked a field goal late in the third quarter to make it 27-6, then recovered an onside kick.

"We took a lot of pride in trying to match one of the best special teams in the country," coach David Elson said. "We executed it well."

The Hilltoppers (2-4) then drove 50 yards, again without a quarterback on the field, before David Wolke came on to throw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Tristan Jones that made it 27-13 with 11:58 left.

"Once we got the lead. we kind of let down a little bit," said Greg Boone, who caught a 27-yard pass for the Hokies' first touchdown. "We just got a little complacent."

Western Kentucky went three-and-out on its next possession, though, and the Hokies held on for their 30th consecutive win at home against a nonconference opponent.

Darren Evans ran for two touchdowns, and Tyrod Taylor's TD pass to Boone was his first of the season, coming with 5:10 left in the first quarter. Dustin Keys had field goals of 22 and 27 yards.

Taylor finished with 125 yards passing before being replaced by former starter Sean Glennon with 8:58 left in the third quarter.

Wolke was 7-of-19 for 49 yards for Western Kentucky. Dexter Taylor and Bobby Rainey combined to carry 22 times for 150 yards.

Evans' first touchdown, from 1 yard out, gave the Hokies a 17-3 lead with 25 seconds left in the first half.

Two plays later, Victor Harris intercepted a pass from Wolke and returned it 49 yards to the Hilltopper's 5, setting up a 22-yard field goal by Keys just before halftime.

Evans, who finished with 79 yards on 21 carries, added a 2-yard TD run with 10:39 left in the third quarter to give Virginia Tech a 27-3 lead.

The Hokies lost their starting tailback, Kenny Lewis Jr., who ruptured his Achilles tendon in the third quarter and will be out for the season.

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