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No. 16 Virginia Falls to No. 11 Virginia Tech, 24-10
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Nov. 27, 2004
Final Stats | Video Highlights
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) – Bryan Randall threw two second-half touchdown passesand No. 11 Virginia Tech moved one victory away from the Atlantic CoastConference title Saturday with a 24-10 victory over No. 16 Virginia.
The Hokies (9-2, 6-1) can win the league title and the Bowl ChampionshipSeries berth that goes with it by winning next week at No. 9 Miami, the teamthat moved from the Big East to the ACC with Virginia Tech this season.
The Hokies also deprived Virginia (8-3, 5-3) of a share of the league title,slowing the Cavaliers’ running game in the second half and daring quarterbackMarques Hagans to try and beat them through the air.
Hagans threw one touchdown pass, a 32-yarder that Alvin Pearman pulled inover Jimmy Williams in the third quarter, but completed just seven other passesbefore the Hokies went ahead 24-10 with 5:08 to play.
Randall, honored along with 18 other seniors before his final game at LaneStadium, passed Don Strock as Virginia Tech’s career passing yardage leader ona 12-yard completion to Jeff King with 10 minutes left.
Randall celebrated on the next play, finding Josh Hyman behind Tony Franklinfor the second time, this one for 32 yards and a 17-10 lead. Cedric Humespadded the margin with a 32-yard TD run with 5:08 left.
After a scoreless first half, Virginia Tech got the help of two 15-yardflags to drive 66 yards and get on the board.
Franklin was called for pass interference when Randall threw deep for JoshMorgan, and on the next play, Kwakou Robinson got a 15-yard personal foul forhitting Randall after he’d been tackled on an 8-yard run.
The plays led to Brandon Pace’s 31-yard field goal midway through thequarter, and then the Hokies’ reputation may have helped them out, too.
Facing a fourth-and-12 punt from his own 18, and undoubtedly aware for theHokies’ affinity for blocking kicks, Virginia freshman punter Chris Gould gotoff a wobbler that was downed at the Virginia 45, just 27 yards away.
It took one play, Randall hitting Hyman with Franklin trailing down the leftsideline, to put the Hokies back on top for good.
Virginia had two good scoring chances in the first half, but the Hokiessnuffed them both out. Jim Davis got a hand on Connor Hughes’ 45-yard fieldgoal try on the game’s opening drive, and Jonathan Lewis recovered a fumble byWali Lundy at the Hokies 8 in the second quarter.
That play came just after a 78-yard run by Pearman.
The Cavaliers finally broke through in the third quarter after a fumble byEddie Royal on a punt return at the Hokies 31. Facing third-and-11, Hagans hitPearman, who made a jumping catch in the end zone.
Hughes tied it on a 19-yard field goal with 13:03 to play, capping a17-play, 78-yard march.