Richmond Times-Dispatch from Richmond, Virginia • 37

TT iff i I i 'V VS' tv: fticbmotift Simcs-SispalcJj SECTION SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5 2000 NFL D2-3 SUNDAY PUNCH D4 SCOREBOARD 016 i Editor JickBemineer (804)649-6445 beminfnttlmesdiipatctixoni Sports The Renegades plug aH of their teaks in a 5-1 loss to the Greensboro Generals D5 national-title quest derailed Miami looks for boost in BCS ratings 21 asm Vick's motion denied in bid to rescue Tech MIAN This sucker was over 2 V4 minutes into the second period Virginia Tech was behind two touchdowns to nil at that Juncture and fresh out of miracle cures No Oral Roberts moment no Clara Barton bedside reawakening no Hawkeye and Trapper John helicoptering in to staple the wounded world-beater back together again No Michael ascendant in other words No sizzle No hope for the Hokies Three glimpses of Michael Vick on one aborted drive in fact were all it took to confirm that shot at a national championship had turned to dust in the Orange Bowl yesterday The Hokies would get clobbered 41-21 in this showdown with Miami would be exposed early by the pasfrcatchers would tackle hor-ribly on fuhgeddaboutit TD toward the end of the first half would get nothing from its offense this side of Lee legs when it mattered would surrender 466 yards worth of prime Dade County real estate But they at least were still in it mathematically and psychologically at 14-love a minute into the second quarter The Hokies were positioned at Miami's 49 after a 2Syard punt return by Ronyell Whitaker Vick was in for his second shift of taking snaps Dave Meyer having been yanked after three Blugglsh possessions It was now or er The verdict: never Vick had made his first career appear-ance in middle relief on the previous series which began at 6 and ended at the 31 and included three passes and one completion and no cut-and-dried sense of what the kid could and do Turns out he could show all the mox-ie in the world but get out of the way of a walL Not a promising way to do business when you make your liv- SEE UPPER PACE D10P THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick (7) fumbles the bal as he la tackled by Miami's Jamaal Green in the second quarter at the Orange BowL Tech is no match jbr Miami with Vick Davis hampered BY MIKE HARRIS TIhes-Dbpatch Star Warm MIAMI At full strength Virginia Tech faced a difficult task trying to win against the University of Miami at the Orange Bowl Depleted? The result spoke for itself Miami ended its five-game losing streak to Tech yesterday by whipping the Hokies 41-21 in front of a Big East Conference record crowd of 77410 Miami makas The third-ranked Hurricanes dominated Its BCS case early and allowed the second-ranked Hokies Tsch notes Page all their points and almost half of their yard- Dll age in the final quarter The loss snapped a 19-game regulareeason winning streak and 14-game Big East streak for Tech (6-1 8-1) Miami is 4-0 7-1 Virginia Tech had limited use of quarterback Michael Vick (sprained right ankle) and receiver Andrd Davis (sprained ligament in left ankle) Vick played four series in the first half Davis only a few plays before going out midway through the second quarter need a healthy Michael said quarterback Dave Meyer who started and then played the second half for Tech "It was obvious how much we needed a healthy Michael Vick out there Said comerback Ronyell Whitaker healthy today Tech was forced to limp by without star at quarterback BY BOB UPPER Toces-Dispatch Stapf Warms mian Michael Vick woke up yesterday and knew hie couldn't play No way no how The ankle the right one he sprained a week ago against Pittsburgh was too stiff and too sore He figure he'd be too effective against a defense as fast and ornery as 7 In the end he was all too correct Vick suited up and played for Virginia Tech against the Hurricanes but Quarterly about all he accomplished Once the Heis- quarter report man Trophy front-runner but now limping Pag D10 into the among-others-receiving-votes cate- Big East stand-gory Vick felt better during warmups and tap Page D10 then got the call to relieve Dave Meyer late in the first period He put on his helmet and hoped for the best 1 wanted to give it a he said have to be a leader The coaches asked me if I wanted to go I said The results were very un-Vick-like He completed 2 of 5 passes for 9 yards and threw an interception Heran three times for a net 5 yards He lost a fumble He reappear in the second half The Hokies lost 41-21 Their linchpin quarterback felt a little lost out there too just he said couldn't get on my toes like 1 wanted to I have that push I bootleg I couldn't do anything You got to move back there I Vick's lack of mobility yas particularly noticeable on his second series when Tech down 14-0 began on Miami's 49 SEE VICK PAGE Dllta THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Miami's lamaal Green sacks Virginia Tech quarterback Dave Meyer in the first half of the 41-21 victory In the Orange BowL Miami's Santana Moss heads toward the end zone for a first-quarter touchdown against Virginia Tech SEE TECH PACED 10 Father spanks son in Bowden Bowl II Stingy defense key to win in OT The Associated Puss TALLAHASSEE Fla Bobby Bowden gave his son the same treatment he affords all the other wannabes who Florida State beat No 10 Cfem-son 54-7 in Bowden Bowl IL The second coaching matchup between Bowden and Ins kid Tommy included all the expected sideshows: father and son meeting at midfield before kickoff surrounded by dozens of cameramen wife Ann watching from a luxury box wearing a shirt with garnet and gold on one side burnt orange on the other But this game was nothing like the 17-14 victory Florida State had to fight for last year in Death SEE BOWDEH PAGE D7 Atlantic 10 Conference win that keeps UR on track for the Division I-AA playoffs the Spiders got a 25-yard field goal from Doug Kirchner on the first possession of overtime and rebuffed the OT opportunity We just never got into the flow the way we have in our previous eight said coach Jim Reid whose Spiders (5-1 7-2) are rated No 13 in I-AA "There was no energy on the sideline There was no excitement I really believe it was Rhode Island that took us out of SEE UR D6 BY JOHN Tbus-Dtsfatch Stait Warm KINGSTON RL This is why defense tops the University of football priority list The Spiders managed only one touchdown yesterday at Rhode Island but still pre- vailed 13-10 in over- lip 19 time because they played better with- Uni 10 out the ball than with it Before 3681 at Meade Stadium defense surrendered a late-game TD that allowed the Rama to tie it at 10 But in this Fht PRESS think they can beat Florida State First he wore him down Then he rubbed it in Chris Weinke threw for 521 yards last night and Bowden kept his starters on the field well into the fourth quarter as No 4 Stepping down West Virginia football coach Don Nehlen announced his retirement yesterday after 21 seasons on the sideline (Details Page D9) 4X4 JU.