BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Virginia Tech shot off fireworks.
Then shot itself in the foot.
|
|
| Marcus Vick has his worst game as a college QB, accounting for six turnovers. (AP) |
Then the home team played dead.
Enter Sandman?
Make it, exit Hokies.
And take your fumblin', stumblin', bumblin' quarterback with you.
No. 3 Virginia Tech morphed into Virginia Dreck on the biggest stage in the school's and program's history. Call it Beamer Bawl played in the slow Lane (Stadium).
The question of the week around here now sounds like a cruel joke.
Is Marcus Vick better than his brother?
At chess, maybe. In the game of his life, Mike's Little Bro (pick one) a) choked; b) gagged or c) committed six turnovers.
|
(1999-present) |
|
| School | TDs |
| Miami (Fla.) | 57 |
| Va. Tech | 51 |
| Kansas St. | 41 |
| Nebraska | 39 |
| Fresno St. | 36 |
If you said all of the above, move into BCS contention -- which is where Miami should be after a jaw-dropping 27-7 victory.
Yes, Miami. Let us re-introduce you to the No. 5 Hurricanes (7-1) who turned their underdog indignation into arguably their biggest win since the 2001 national championship season.
"I think we did have a little edge," coach Larry Coker said. "We took it a little personal. People didn't give us much of a chance. We didn't come in here to be the underdog.
"Nobody was really talking about us playing the game."
Being a road dog is normal for most teams most of the time. For Miami, it's an event, a slap. For only the fourth time this decade, the Hurricanes came in as an underdog (6 1/2 points).
They've now won all four.
"It's a statement," said left tackle Eric Winston, "to all of college football."
Miami started the night as the highest-ranked, one-loss team in the BCS ratings (No. 6). If the 'Canes end up outside the Rose Bowl looking in, it won't be for lack of trying. Judging by his gutty performance here, Kyle Wright has become arguably the best college quarterback in Florida. For the fourth consecutive game, the nation's No. 1 defense allowed less than 200 yards.
If not for a dropped snap by holder Brian Monroe in the opener at Florida State, the 'Canes could be undefeated.
Now they will need help with USC, Texas and possibly Alabama ahead of them in Monday's new BCS ratings.
Sensing that, seconds after the game ended Winston was on the stump.
"If you guys don't think we're the best one-loss team in the nation, something's going on out there in the media," he said. "We're just waiting for someone to fall. That's going to happen and we're going to get catapulted in." Playing at varying times Saturday without his starting quarterback (Wright), leading rusher (Tyrone Moss) and returner (Devin Hester), Coker reminded us that it is an assembly line in South Florida, not a roster.
On the same first-half drive, Wright was dinged in the head and Moss sprained his knee. No problem. Backup quarterback Kirby Freeman (22 passes this season to that point) and second-string tailback Charlie Jones (40 career carries) led the team's first touchdown drive.
Of the three, only Wright returned.
Better than never getting started. Like Vick.
His off-field problems last year might have disgraced the family name. On Saturday, his play might have wrecked the Hokies' season.
At halftime he had completed two of 10 passes -- one to a teammate and one to Miami's Kelly Jennings. In the third quarter alone, Vick lost three fumbles.
For the game he lost four fumbles, tossed two interceptions and never, ever felt comfortable. Miami sacked him four times.
"He holds the ball out there with one hand," defensive end Thomas Carroll said. "He's a great playmaker but that's going to get him in trouble in the long run." Michael Vick carried the ball the same way. Back then it was daring and cool. Under him, the Hokies reached the national championship game six years ago. Under Marcus, Virginia Tech is a late-season casualty now that there are only three undefeated teams remaining (USC, Texas and Alabama).
Tech's collapse is really nothing new. Since 2000 it is 55-18 but 15 losses have come after Nov. 1.
"I don't think they're up to the mountaintop yet," Winston said.
Miami may help spare the BCS one of its messier scenarios. A sigh of relief could be heard from the general direction of Dallas where BCS chairman Kevin Weiberg can't wait to give up the title in January and go back to his day job as Big 12 commissioner.
As that league's headmaster, he is giddy. No. 2 Texas disposed of Baylor 62-0 to solidify its spot in the BCS ratings.
As the BCS caretaker, the explanations for Weiberg will come a little easier and maybe not at all if punchless Alabama cooperates in coming weeks. The road is seemingly paved for the Trojans and Longhorns to drive all the way to Pasadena, if they keep winning.
Isn't it?
"I think things are going to get very interesting down the stretch," Coker said. "A lot of crazy things happen."
"You gotta help us out a little bit," Winston pleaded to a small group of reporters. "It's not too often that a hurricane gets bent off course."
The 'Canes don't suffer fools or sportswriters well. Sometimes they are the same thing. Miami was inspired, apparently, by a certain balding Internet columnist who wrote them off this week.
Bad idea. The Miami dynasty lives.
"There's a lot of sentiment in the locker room that this thing isn't over yet," said Winston who couldn't wait to talk to that certain balding Internet columnist.
"This isn't the end of us."
