10-1 Hokies Rip Cavaliers, Hope For Best

Roundup

After a dominant performance against its biggest rival, after etching its name into the school record book, after establishing itself as one of the best teams in the nation, Virginia Tech can finally say it:

Go Miami.

With a resounding 26-9 victory against Virginia on Friday in front of a packed house in Blacksburg, Va., the Hokies did all they could to put themselves in the forefront of the national college football conscience.

“I thought the way we won this football game is important,” Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “This football team fought through some things and just got better and better and better. That says something about the quality of the people.”

Virginia Tech (10-1) won for the 20th time in its last 21 games and is assured of no worse than second place in the Big East Conference and a Gator Bowl berth. If Miami upsets Syracuse today in the Carrier Dome, it would create a three-way tie for the conference championship, and the Hokies figure to wind up in the Bowl Alliance for the second consecutive year because of their rankings in next week’s polls.

“I’m just happy we won,” Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller replied when presented with the possibilities. “That’s the only thing we can control. That’s the only thing I’m thinking about.

“I’m going to savor this one,” he said. “There aren’t many like this.”

No, sirree. The 1996 Hokies became the first team in school history to win 10 games during the regular season. They are going to their fourth consecutive bowl game, the most successful such streak in the program’s history.

And No. 17-ranked Tech capped it by bouncing the 20th-ranked Cavaliers (7-4), who accepted a Carquest Bowl bid earlier this week, but who were no match for the Hokies, especially in the second half.

“You’re not going to win with just field goals,” Virginia coach George Welsh said. “You’ve got to get a couple of scores. When you don’t get any touchdowns, something’s wrong.”

Virginia’s Tiki Barber ran for 162 yards - 80 on the Cavs’ first play from scrimmage - and got the school’s career rushing record. But the Hokies’ defense limited Virginia to three Rafael Garcia field goals and kept the Cavaliers out of the end zone for the first time since a 13-3 loss to Florida State in 1992.

Quarterback provided the sharpest contrast between the two teams. Druckenmiller was an efficient 15 of 22 for 197 yards and two touchdowns. And most importantly, no interceptions, which snapped Virginia’s NCAA-record streak of 39 consecutive games with at least one interception.

“Those guys are really good on defense,” Druckenmiller said. “But today I felt good back there. Our receivers got open and the line blocked for me, and it all worked out to our advantage.”

Meanwhile, Virginia quarterbacks Tim Sherman and Aaron Brooks were a combined 12 of 32 for 176 yards with one interception.

(19) LSU 17, Arkansas 7

In Little Rock, Ark., Herb Tyler converted four consecutive long-yardage situations with his passes, and LSU gave up only three first downs in the first half as the Tigers beat the Razorbacks.

Tyler turned third-and-16, third-and-7, third-and-10 situations into first downs and threw a 35-yard touchdown pass on second-and-12 as the Tigers (9-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) scored TDs on their first two possessions. Tyler completed 5 of 6 for 112 yards during the two drives, despite a steady rain.

Arkansas (4-7, 2-6) made 81 yards in the first half, and crossed midfield only once in the first 44 minutes.

The Tigers, 16-6-1 in two years under Gerry DiNardo, gained a share of the SEC Western Division title with Alabama and will play in their second consecutive bowl game next month. The Tigers won a total of 16 games during the four years prior to DiNardo’s arrival.

Arkansas, winner of the Western Division title last year, is 22-23-1 in four years under Danny Ford.

Texas 51, Texas A&M 15

In Austin, Texas, James Brown threw four touchdown passes, two to Mike Adams, as the Longhorns defeated the Aggies, earning the Big 12 South title and a berth in the conference championship game in St. Louis on Dec. 7.

Texas 6-2 Big 12) made it two straight over A&M (6-6, 5-4), which was eliminated from bowl contention and suffered its first non-winning season since going 5-5-1 in 1983.

It was the most lopsided victory by either team in the 103-game series since Texas defeated A&M 53-16 in 1982.

Texas, which rolled up 594 yards, took control early in the third quarter after stopping a fake punt by A&M at the Aggies’ 39 and scoring eight plays later on 2-yard TD pass from Brown to Derrick Scott for a 24-9 lead.

Adams then caught TD passes of 14 and 36 yards, putting Texas up 37-9 with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TODAY’S TOP 25 GAMES (1) Florida at (2) Florida State (9) Tennessee at Vanderbilt (10) Notre Dame at Southern Cal (16) Syracuse vs. (23) Miami