Miami................ 0 7 7 0 - 14 Virginia Tech (10)... 14 3 13 14 - 44 Scoring Summary: 1st Quarter 10:12 VT - Ore 4 yard run (Dunlevy) 05:07 VT - Harper 15 yard pass from Glennon (Dunlevy) 2nd Quarter 14:17 VT - Dunlevy 40 yd FG 00:21 UM - Wright 4 yd run (Zampogna) 3rd Quarter 10:28 VT - Dunlevy 44 yd FG 05:41 UM - Hankerson 1 yd pass from Wright (Zampogna) 03:01 VT - Ore 7 yd run (Dunlevy) 00:28 VT - Dunlevy 37 yd FG 4th Quarter 11:33 VT - Weatherford 1 yd run (Dunlevy) 05:48 VT - Cheeseman 2 yd run (Dunlevy)
#10 Virginia Tech got a strong performance from Sean Glennon, Branden Ore and the defense en route to a 44-14 pasting of Miami in Lane Stadium on Saturday. The Hokies improved to 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the ACC with the win. Miami dropped to 5-6 and 2-5. The stage is now set for the battle between Virginia and Virginia Tech for the ACC Coastal Division Championship.
Virginia Tech rushed for 182 yards on Miami. Branden Ore had 81 yards on 15 carries, as well as two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 21 yards. Ore ran strong for the entire game, and looked much closer to his 2006 form. At one point, he barreled over Miami linebacker Colin McCarthy at the goal line for a touchdown.
Eddie Royal added 44 yards rushing on two end arounds. Royal also broke the ACC record for punt return yardage in a career. He now has 1,284 punt return yards in his career, with at least two games remaining to add to his record.
Sean Glennon got most of the reps in this game after Tyrod Taylor tweaked a muscle in his left side in the third quarter. Taylor finished the game 1-of-2 passing for five yards, but he made an impact in the running game with seven carries for 38 yards.
Glennon finished the game 13-of-24 for 171 yards and a touchdown to Justin Harper. He had one sure touchdown dropped by Josh Morgan, and another apparent touchdown pass to Josh Hyman was ruled out at the Miami one yard line. There was not enough evidence to overturn the play, although it seemed apparent to most people watching that Hyman made it across the goal line before going out of bounds.
Hyman led the Hokies in receiving with three catches for 60 yards. He now has 1,045 receiving for his career. All four of Tech’s senior receivers have now surpassed the 1,000 yard milestone in their careers.
Justin Harper added three catches for 48 yards, including one impressive one-handed catch on a perfectly thrown fade route from Glennon.
The Virginia Tech defense held Miami to just 213 yards of total offense. Miami had -2 yards rushing. It was the first time since the Rutgers game in 2002 that the Hokies have held an opponent to negative rushing yardage. Hurricane running back Javarris James managed just seven yards on 10 carries.
Vince Hall made his return to the starting lineup and led the team with 13 tackles. Despite missing four games with an injury, Hall is still second on the team in tackles, with 74 on the season.
Whip linebacker Cam Martin finished with 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. The Hokies sacked Miami quarterback Kyle Wright five times. Chris Ellis had one sack and one fumble recovery. He leads the team in both categories, with 7.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries.
Macho Harris had an interception that he returned 44 yards, giving him five interceptions on the season, a team high. The Hokies have picked off 18 passes this season, while throwing just five of their own.
Recap
Miami went three and out on their first possession of the game, and the Hokies took over on their own 39. Virginia Tech came out firing on all cylinders. The first play was an end around to Eddie Royal that gained 19 yards, and Branden Ore gained 22 yards on the next play.
Tech gradually drove the ball inside the Miami 5, and Branden Ore took it in from four yards out, running over linebacker Colin McCarthy in the process. Jud Dunlevy’s extra point was good, and the Hokies were up 7-0 with 10:12 left in the first quarter.
The Miami offense went three and out on the ensuing possession, and Tech took over on their own 43. This time the Hokies went 57 yards in nine plays to increase their lead. Tech converted two third downs on the drive. The first came on third and 10 from the Miami 33. Glennon found Josh Hyman on a slant for a 14 yard gain and a first down.
The other third down conversion was a 15 yard touchdown pass to Justin Harper. Harper ran a fade, and Sean Glennon threw the pass perfectly, putting it where only Harper could make the play. Harper adjusted his body and made a spectacular one-handed catch in the back of the end zone, putting VT up 14-0 with 5:07 left in the first quarter.
The Canes went three and out yet again on their next possession. They did not pick up a first down in the first quarter. The Hokies went on the move again, with Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon driving the offense down the field. Unfortunately for Tech, the drive bogged down at the Miami 23 after Sean Glennon was sacked. Instead they settled for a 40 yard Jud Dunlevy field goal, which made the score 17-0 with 14:17 left in the second quarter.
It looked like the Hokies were rolling, but Miami dominated the second quarter. Tech did not pick up a single first down in the second quarter, matching the Hurricanes’ first quarter. Miami had three great chances to score, but could only come up with points on one of the drives.
The first drive began on the Miami 10, and they drove all the way to the Virginia Tech 16. On third down, Wright was sacked by VT defensive tackle Barry Booker, who knocked the ball loose. Chris Ellis jumped on the loose ball, recovering the fumble and stopping Miami’s drive.
Miami’s next drive ended at the Tech 1. The Canes had four chances to score from inside the Tech 3 yard line. Four straight runs by Javarris James netted just two yards, and the Hokies held on their own 1.
Miami finally got on the scoreboard right before halftime. On a drive that began at the Virginia Tech 30, the Canes gradually moved the ball closer to the goal line, with Kyle Wright completing several passes. The Hokies first held Miami to a field goal, but the defense lined up offsides, giving the Canes new life.
On the next play, Kyle Wright scrambled four yards for a touchdown to make the score 17-7 with 21 seconds left in the second quarter. The half ended with Virginia Tech kneeling on the ball.
Virginia Tech got the ball first in the second half, beginning their first drive on their own 13. The Hokies converted two third downs to put together a nice drive. Glennon found Justin Harper for a 23 yard gain on a crossing pattern, and later hit Branden Ore for a 20 yard gain on third and 14.
The drive ended with three straight dropped passes. The first was to Andre Smith, but the big two were to Josh Morgan. Recognizing single coverage, Morgan made an inside move and badly beat his man. Glennon got him the ball for what would have been an easy 27 yard touchdown. However, Morgan couldn’t come up with it. Tech ran a similar play on third down, and Morgan got his hands on that one as well, but couldn’t make the catch.
Jud Dunlevy came on and hit a 44 yard field goal, giving Tech a 20-7 lead with 10:28 left in the third quarter.
Miami started their next drive on their own 47 thanks to a short kickoff, and they cut into Tech’s lead again. This time Kyle Wright threw a one yard touchdown pass to Leonard Hankerson in the corner on third down. Hankerson clearly pushed off on Macho Harris right before the ball arrived, but there was no flag.
Virginia Tech’s Xavier Adibi received a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing. The Hokies lead had shrunk to 20-14 with 5:41 left in the third quarter. At that point, the game seemed to be going down to the wire.
The Hokies took control on their next possession. Glennon hit Andre Smith for a 20 yard gain on the first play of the drive, and then found Justin Harper for 10 yards on the next play. Branden Ore then rumbled for a 17 yard gain to the Miami 21. Ore then had three straight runs totaling 21 yards, the last being a seven yard touchdown run. With 3:01 left in the third quarter, the Hokies led 27-14.
On Miami’s next possession, Kyle Wright threw his only interception of the game. Facing pressure from Kam Chancellor, Wright threw a deep ball over the middle without setting up properly to throw, and the ball sailed on him. Macho Harris picked it off and returned the interception to the Miami 20.
Virginia Tech couldn’t convert the interception into a touchdown, but they did settle for another Jud Dunlevy field goal, this time from 37 yards out. Tech led 30-14 with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.
Virginia Tech’s first drive of the fourth quarter began at their own 35. Eddie Royal gained 25 yards on an end around on the first play of the drive, and the Hokies were in business. Facing third and 12, Glennon hit Josh Hyman on a crossing pattern. Hyman took it all the way to the Miami 1. Hyman appeared to extend the ball over the goal line before going out, but the officials ruled him out at the 1, and replay couldn’t overturn the call.
On the next play, senior fullback Carlton Weatherford ran it in from a yard out, giving Tech a 37-14 lead with 11:33 left in the fourth quarter.
Later in the quarter, Kyle Wright fumbled on the Miami 9, and Brandon Flowers recovered, giving the Hokies a very short field. Three plays and three Jahre Cheeseman runs later, the Hokies led 44-14 with 5:48 remaining in the game. At that point, it was just a matter of running out the clock.
Boston College defeated Clemson on Saturday night, so the winner of next Saturday’s VT-UVA game will meet the Eagles in the ACC Championship Game. The VT-UVA game is set for noon on Saturday, and either ESPN or ESPN2 will provide the television coverage.
STATISTICS
VT UM
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First downs 20 13
Rushed-yards 43-182 29-(-2)
Passing yards 176 215
Sacked-yards lost 4-29 5-44
Return yards 81 155
Passes 14-26-0 21-36-1
Punts 6-51.7 3-43.7
Fumbles-lost 0-0 4-2
Penalties-yards 7-34 8-50
Time of possession 29:48 30:12
Att: 66,233
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-VT, Ore 15-81, Royal 2-44,
Taylor 7-38, Lewis 3-16, Pickle 5-11
Cheeseman 3-9, Weatherford 1-1, TEAM 1-(-1)
Glennon 6-(-17). UM, James 10-7, Thomas 4-5
Wright 15-(-14).
PASSING-VT, Glennon 13-24-171,
Taylor 1-2-5. UM, Wright 21-36-215-1.
RECEIVING-VT, Hyman 3-60, Harper 3-48
Ore 3-21, Smith 1-20, Weatherford 1-10
Morgan 1-9, Lewis 1-5, Royal 1-3
UM, Shields 6-81, Hill 5-33, James 3-27
Hankerson 2-25, Jenkins 2-20, Jones 1-15
Thomas 1-8, Epps 1-6.
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