Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 34

ACCSEC COLLEGE FOOTBALL ASI IEY1I IE CITIZEN-TIMES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2005 D2 'If III ir Hokies secure spot in ACC title game No. 5 Virginia Tech 30 Northcs, 3 1 drive inside the Tech five in the fourth quarter, but the Hokies defense held on four consecutive plays. Earlier, the. Hokies seemed tentative. Humes fumbled the ball away in the first quarter, and Vick finally brought the frigid crowd to life with a l-yard scoring pass to a diving Jeff King early in the second quarter.

Brandon Pace's extra point try was pulled wide to the right The game's next five possessions ended in punts before Vick overthrew David Clowney late in the second quarter and Kareen Taylor intercepted, leading to a 25-yard field goal from Connor Barth with left in the half. It could have been worse for Tech, but on the play before the kick, Jesse Holley dropped Matt Baker's perfect pass in the end zone. PM J'- A -A Steve HeJber me associated press North Carolina receiver Jesse Holley gains yardage as Virginia Tech defender Noland Burchette closes in during the first half Saturday at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va. Loss ends UNC's i i hopes for bowl berth By Hank Km Jr. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BLACKSBURG, Va.

Cedric Humes ran for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns and No. 5 Virginia Tech advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game with a 30-3 victory against North Carolina on Saturday night The Hokies (10-1, 7-1) led only 6-3 at halftime, but Humes scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards and Bran-den Ore added a TD run all in the third quarter as Virginia Tech made certain it didn't squander a second chance to win the ACC's Coastal Division. The Hokies feared they had blown their chance three weeks ago when they lost 27-7 to Miami, at t-r. -r, N.C. State's Andre Brown breaks half of Saturday's game.

turnovers and other mistakes down the stretch. A week ago, quarterback Sam Hollenbach was responsible for three turnovers two were turned into TDs by Boston College and he continued to give away the ball against N.C. State. With Maryland trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter, Hollenbach tried to connect with Danny Melendez, but Williams forced him to throw early. Hudson stepped in front of Melendez and ripped the ball out of his hands, then sprinted up the sideline with his first intercep See box score on D6 i but the Hurricanes then lost at home last weekend against Georgia Tech.

While the Hokies move on to the inaugural championship game next Saturday in Jacksonville, against Florida State, the loss deprived the Tar Heels (5-6, 4-4) of becoming the ninth conference team to have the six wins needed for a bowl berth. Virginia Tech will be seeking its second ACC title in as many years since joining the league, and will be facing a Seminoles team that lost its third straight Saturday, the first three-game slide for coach Bobby Bowden's 111 a long gain during the second tion of the season. "I've known Marcus since he was in eighth or ninth grade, because I was recruiting his brother," Amato said. "Marcus is a great player, and we are lucky to have him at N.C State." That made it 17-7, and on the next possession, Williams sacked Hollenbach and forced a fumble, with defensive tackle DeMario Pressley recovering for the Wolfpack. When the Terps held, John Deraney came on for a 29 -yard field goal to increase the margin to 20-7.

"Until we learn not to beat 31, but the Wildcats squandered Photos by Karl DeBlafcerAHE associated press Maryland quarterback Sam Hollenbach fumbles after being hit by N.C. State's Mario Williams and Jimmie Sutton (8) during the second half Saturday in Raleigh. WoGf pads paling to hwi game team since the 1983 season. The Hokies that came out after halftime would be a formidable foe for anyone, even though Marcus Vick was hardly a factor, finishing 8-for-i5 for just 61 yards. Humes carried on six plays the first time the Hokies got the ball after the half.

He had runs of 9 and 13 yards to start the drive, and finished with a l-yard dive. After the Tar Heels went three-and-out, Ore took over at tailback, carrying seven times for 42 yards including a 20-yard burst before scoring from 4 yards out The Hokies again held the Tar Heels without a first down, and again it was Humes' his touchdown coming as he pushed a pile of defenders into the end zone. That made it 27-3, and the Tar Heels were finished. They did ACC N.C. State Maryland 20 14 See box score on D6 ourselves, we're not going to be a very good team," Terps coach Ralph Friedgen said.

"We're a young team. Hopefully, we'll learn from that" Hollenbach briefly bounced back. He led Maryland on a 75-yard drive to pull within 20-14, finishing it off with a scoring toss to tight end Vernon Davis that covered 15 yards. But N.C. State held on for its fourth win in the final five games when Hudson intercepted another one of Hollenbach's passes with 34 seconds left.

Now Hudson and his teammates can only hope for one more game. "We're fighters. We're winners," Hudson said. "We came back from 2-4." The Terrapins completed their schedule losing four of the final five. They played this one without starting receiver Derrick Fenner, who didn't make the trip for unspecified reasons.

Yet even with Fenner, Maryland would have had a hard time solving the Wolfpack's defense, which gave up 30 yards rushing and finished with seven sacks. Hollenbach was 20-for-35 for 235 yards, along with his three turnovers. centage short passes to get some confidence and get intq the flow of the game," Ainge said. Tennessee's Arian Foster finished with 114 yards on 26 carries and also had five catches for 44 yards. Kentucky lost starting quarterback Andre Woodson in the second quarter to a shoulder injury, and his backup, freshman Curtis Pulley, fumbled three times, losing one, and threw three interceptions, one of which Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell returned 7 yards for a third-quarter touchdown.

Pulley finished 23-033 passing for 149 yards. "Curtis did some good things in ruiicf, but he's still a true freshman," Brooks said. ACC ROUNDUP No. 10 Miami 25 Virginia 17 See box score on D6 Hurricanes win. but it's not enough THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MIAMI Kyle Wright threw for 248 yards and the go-ahead score, then scampered a career-long 31 yards to set up the final touchdown as No.

10 Miami beat Virginia 25-17 on Saturday. Charlie Jones ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns for Miami, which had to win to stay in contention for the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division title and a spot in the league's title game against Florida State next Saturday. But later Saturday, Virginia Tech clinched the Coastal title with a 30-3 victory over North Carolina. Wright completed 23 of 30 passes, including a 17-yard touchdown to Sinorice Moss that put the Hurricanes (9-2, 6-2) ahead for good. And his long run on third-and-2 with 1:58 left set up Jones' 1-yard run that sealed Miami's fifth regular season with at least nine wins in the past six years.

Deyon Williams had a pair of touchdown catches for Virginia (6-5, 3-5), including a 6-yarder from Marques Hagans with 27 seconds left Williams also caught a 90-yard scoring pass from wide receiver Emmanuel Byers in the first quarter the longest pass allowed in Miami history. Hagans completed 15 of 28 passes for 206 yards for Virginia, which also got 61 yards on 16 carries by Wali Lundy. Williams caught six passes for 152 yards for the Cavaliers, who are winless in 14 trips to Florida. Quadtrine Hill caught a career-high seven passes for 42 yards for Miami, which bounced back from last weekend's 14-10 home loss to Georgia Tech a defeat that knocked the Hurricanes out of the national title picture. Trailing by eight late in the fourth quarter, Virginia drove 59 yards with Hagans completing five of his first six passes.

But facing a fourth-and-6 and with 4:04 left, Hagans' pass was too high for Williams and Miami took over on downs. That set up Jones' second touchdown and ensured that Miami's seniors would leave the Orange Bowl winners in their final home game. No. 13 Georgia 14, No. 20 Georgia Tech 7 ATLANTA Georgia still rules its own state.

D.J. Shockley threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Bryan Mc-Clendon with 3:18 remaining, and Tim Jennings clinched the victory with an interception at the goal line as the yth-ranked Bulldogs beat No. 20 Georgia Tech. Georgia (9-2) defeated its state rival for the fifth year in a row. Both teams scored in the first quarter, then slogged it out much of the night in a field-position battle.

Finally, Georgia Tech (7-4) cracked. Thomas Flowers, who had two big punt returns in the second half, broke off a 33-yarder that gave the Bulldogs possession on the Georgia Tech 39. Shockley converted a key third down with an 8-yard pass to Mario Raley, then went all the way to the end zone. On second-and-5 from the 19, Shockley laid the ball out perfectly for McClendon, who hauled in the pass despite tight coverage by Dennis Davis. Shockley completed 15-034 for 198 yards, while Georgia Tech's Ball was held to 155 yards passing and had three turnovers two interceptions and a SEC Mississippi State --35 Mississippi 14 Norwood, Bulldogs trample Ole Miss By Joedy McCreary THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STARKVILLE, Miss.

Jerious Nqrwood scored four touchdowns in his final game at Mississippi State, leading the Bulldogs to a 35-14 victory over rival Mississippi on Saturday in the EggBowL Norwood rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries and caught a 5-yard scoring pass from Mike Henig in leading the worst offense in the Southeastern Conference to 409 total yards 146 more than its average. He scored on runs of 1, 2 and 33 yards in surpassing 200 yards rushing for the second time this season and helped Mississippi State outrush Ole Miss 304-31. The Bulldogs (3-8, 1-7 SEC) won the Battle for the Golden Egg for the first time since 200L Flashbulbs popped, cowbells clanged and the Bulldogs hopped up and down at midfield before hoisting the 78-year-old gold-plated Golden Egg trophy. Norwood briefly left the game with leg cramps on the fifth play of the tlurd quarter. He returned for the final play of the quarter and keyed two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter.

Henig was 11 of 20 passing for 105 yards and two TD passes. His I- yard touchdown pass to Bryson Davis made it 28-14 put the game out of reach. Jeramie Johnson had two of his three interceptions in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. The Bulldogs used big plays on special teams and defense to set up Norwood's first two TDs. First, Clarence McDougal partially blocked a Rebels' punt, and on the next play Norwood ran 33 yards for a score to tie it 7-7.

Johnson returned his first interception to the Ole Miss setting up Norwood's 2-yard touchdown run. Norwood then gave Mississippi State a 21-14 lead with when his l-yard scoring run with 46 seconds until halftime capped an II- play drive. Ethan Flatt had a 41-yard touchdown pass to Taye Biddle on the Rebels' opening drive, and Micheal Spurlock had a 7-yard touchdown pass to former quarterback Robert Lane. But the Rebels (3-8, 1-7) couldnt get anything going in the second half, when they had just 39 total yards. Jim Lytte hi associated press Mississippi State running back Jerious Norwood hoists the Golden Egg trophy Saturday after the Bulldogs defeated Mississippi 1.

1. By Kerb I THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RALEKH Chuck Amato felt happy, proud and vindicated, all at once His N.C State Wolfpack had their sixth victory of the season to qualify for the postseason. "Five weeks ago, we were written off by people," he said. "This group of guys never quit, though. It is indescribable." Toney Baker had the go-ahead touchdown on a l-yard leap over the pile, Marcus Hudson returned one of his two interceptions 28 yards for a clinching score, and N.C.

State beat Maryland 20-14 Saturday to become bowl eligible. Mario Williams tied his own school record with four sacks for the Wolfpack (6-5, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference), who allowed a total of minus-6 yards in the third quarter. Despite losing four of their first six games, they likely will return to a bowl for the fifth time in six seasons under Amato after missing out in 2004. "They all took their coaching, the defense stepped up and we stopped making a lot of mistakes on offense and in the kicking game," Amato said. "This was a great win and we were definitely cranked up." No such luck for the Terrapins (5-6, 3-5).

They are staying home for the second year in a row, done in by repeated Volunteers By Murray Evans THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LEXINGTON, Ky. Tennessee managed to keep at least one of its streaks alive and ended a disappointing football season in positive fashion. Erik Ainge passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns Saturday as the Volunteers avoided finishing last in the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division with a 27-8 win over Kentucky. With its most lopsided victory of the season, Tennessee (5-6, 3-5 SEC) extended the second-longest active winning streak in an uninterrupted series between major-college opponents to 21 games. Notre Dame's 42 -game winning streak over Navy is the thump Wildcats for 21st straight time SEC Tennessee Kentucky 27 8 See box score on 06 longest Kentucky (3-8, 2-6) hasn't beaten Tennessee since 1984.

Tennessee began the season ranked No. 3 but fell out of bowl consideration last Saturday with a home loss to Vanderbilt, ending the Volunteers' 22-game winning streak over their instate opponent and their 16-year run of postseason appearances. The Vols, however, haven't lost to both Vanderbilt and Kentucky in the same season since 1964. Kentucky had been competitive against Tennessee the past two seasons, losing 20-7 and 37- tneir cnances tnis tune. Three times the Wildcats had possession inside the Tennessee 10 but came away with only two field goals.

"That's not good enough against a team like Tennessee," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. Ainge made his fifth start of the season and went the distance, completing 17 of 25 passes and setting season highs for completions, yards and touchdowns. His first-half touchdown throws of 50 yards to Robert Meachem and 32 yards to Chris Harmon, which staked the Vols to a 17-6 halftime lead, were Ainge's two longest completions of the season. "We threw some high per i.