Georgia Tech Runs W. Va.’S Bowl Skid To 7

Joe Hamilton passed and ran for 356 yards and three touchdowns Monday night to help Georgia Tech beat West Virginia 35-30 in the Carquest Bowl, extending the Mountaineers’ bowl losing streak to seven games.

The Yellow Jackets scored on their first three possessions to go ahead 21-7 and led the rest of the way.

West Virginia closed within five points on Marc Bulger’s 74-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Porter with 3:49 left, but Georgia Tech picked up two first downs to run out the clock.

Both teams finished the season 7-5.

The game drew only 28,262 fans, smallest crowd in the bowl’s eight-year history. Carquest officials had hoped for 50,000 in 75,192-seat Pro Player Stadium.

Hamilton, the game’s most valuable player, passed for 274 yards, completing 19 of 36, and added 82 yards rushing in 14 carries. He scored from the shotgun on scrambles of 30 and 9 yards and hit Mike Lillie with a 3-yard touchdown pass.

West Virginia and coach Don Nehlen fell to 1-9 in Florida since 1980, including 0-5 in bowls. Their last bowl victory was against Texas Christian in the 1984 Bluebonnet Bowl.

Georgia Tech, which had the worst defense in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is the fourth team this year to hold Amos Zereoue under 100 yards. He gained 84 yards in 17 carries and scored on runs of 14 and 19 yards, giving him 18 TDs this season.

The latter run, on a nifty variation of the Statue of Liberty play, reduced Georgia Tech’s lead to 28-21.

Jay Taylor’s 21-yard field goal made it 28-24 late in the third quarter, but the Yellow Jackets scored their only points of the second half with 4:44 left on Charles Wiley’s 5-yard run for a 35-24 lead.

The Yellow Jackets mounted touchdown drives of 80, 76 and 94 yards on their first three possessions to take a 21-7 lead early in the second period.

Yellow Jackets 35, Mountaineers 30

Georgia Tech 14 14 0 7 - 35

West Virginia 7 7 10 6 - 30

First quarter GT-Wilder 1 run (Chambers kick), 9:05.

WV-Zereoue 14 run (Taylor kick), 6:26.

GT-Hamilton 30 run (Chambers kick), 2:58.

Second quarter GT-Lillie 3 pass from Hamilton (Chambers kick), 10:11.

WV-Porter 21 pass from Bulger (Taylor kick), 4:45.

GT-Hamilton 9 run (Chambers kick), :27.

Third quarter WV-Zereoue 19 run (Taylor kick), 9:26.

WV-FG Taylor 21, :42.

Fourth quarter GT-Wiley 5 run (Chambers kick), 4:44.

WV-Porter 74 pass from Bulger (pass failed), 3:49.

A-28,262.

GT WVa First downs 28 24 Rushes-yards 53-210 22-56 Passing 274 353 Comp-Att-Int 19-36-0 25-40-1 Return Yards 1 11 Punts-Avg. 4-42 3-43 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-1 Penalties-Yards 10-86 9-75 Time of Possession 35:02 24:58 Individual statistics RUSHING-Georgia Tech, Hamilton 14-82, C.Rogers 16-75, Wiley 20-48, Wilder 3-5. West Virginia, Zereoue 17-84, Bulger 5-(minus 28).

PASSING-Georgia Tech, Hamilton 19-36-0-274. West Virginia, Bulger 25-40-1-353.

RECEIVING-Georgia Tech, Steagall 7-112, Middleton 4-45, C.Rogers 3-45, Wilder 3-41, Daniels 1-28, Lillie 1-3. West Virginia, Foreman 12-110, Zereoue 5-55, Porter 4-124, Greene 3-51, Ivy 1-13.

MISSED FIELD GOAL-Georgia Tech, Chambers 42.