Richmond Times-Dispatch from Richmond, Virginia • E1

10104TDCY01 1 01 04TDCY01 ZALLCALL 66 01:20:56 010405 Bnairn TUESDAY, JANUARY4, 2005 SECTION OXLEGE HOOPS E3 SCX3REBQARD E7 NFL BACKPAGE PORTS Hm of Rsndy Johnson to ttw New York Yankees ts a step closer to realty a E2 Editor Jack Beminpr (804) 649-6445 jbemingetftimesdispatch.com "Xbsz www.HmeiDiipatch.coci VA. TECH 13 AUBURN 16 MAROON BLUE 01 HURT BY MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, VIRGINIA TECH FALLS SHORT AGAINST AUBURN BY MIKE HARRIS TmesDispatch Staff Wbttfji new Orleans Virginia Tech loves the fourth quarter as it has shown several times this season. The ninth-ranked Hokies' favorite quarter almost gave them an upset victory in the Sugar Bowl last night, but third-ranked Auburn managed to maintain its perfect record with a 16-13 victory before Inside Auburn' defense stakes its claim to a No. 1 tanking in its impieiiive ho wing, holding Vhginia Tech scoie-len until the final 7 minutei. Notes, game summary.

Look for a lideihow of Sugar Bowl imagei at www. Time Oowarags, Pa gas E4-5 7749 at the Superdome. Missed chances hurt Tech. Jesse Allen dropped a pass on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the first half, and the normally reliable Brandon Pace missed a short field goal try. Tech quarterback Bryan RandaU threw two touchdown passes in the final quarter, good enough for him to move past Maurice DeShazo into first place on the Hokies' all-time list He hit Josh Morgan with an 80-yard stirke with 2:01 to play that, combined with Pace's extra point, cut the Hokies' deficit to three points.

But the Hokies' onside kick failed, and with Tech out of ttzv. 1 ji sgfcy vfeftr Wit. i 'Jfli-'jr yif -j -3 ri timeouts, Auburn ran out the clock. The victory gave Auburn a 13-0 record and kept alive its hopes of moving past Southern California and Oklahoma into the top spot when the final Associated Press poll is released not a likely possibility given the Tigers' near miss against Tech. USC and Oklahoma play tonight in the Orange Bowl in the Bowl Championship Series national-ti- SEE UGAR, PAGE E4 Hokies gambled but didn't know when to hold 'em NEW ORLEANS The only game Virginia Tech could play last night was a tantalizing version of what-if and you don't get short odds on fluff like that in this town.

Play Auburn's Tigers? That was a dicier matter altogether These Tigers are no tabbies. They proved the point last night by polishing off a 13-0 campaign with a Sugar Bowl triumph that was short on style points and long on crunch. The 16-13 margin likely didn't do enough to spit-shine Auburn's claim for national-championship consideration. It did everything to keep Tech on a 60-minute slippery slope and wondering about one large might-have-been. The profile of walk-on fullback Jesse Allen in Tech's bowl guide BOB Upper point of view states that he's "an outstanding blocker who can catch the ball out of the backfield." Allen latched onto three passes this season.

But he and Hokie Nation will mourn the one that got away. It was midway through the second quarter, Tech down 6-love, fourth and goal from Auburn's 1. You're the underdog, your pass defense is looking a mite shaky, this is your first sniff of the goal line, you go for it. And so Tech did Bryan Randall rolling right and zipping the ball to an open Allen in SEE LLP ER, PAGE E5 In his final college start, Virginia Tech's Bryan Randall threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. NOT BAD, COULD On TIMES-DISPATCH PREP RANKINGS BE BE1 rTER arc? BOYS GIRLS Playing a tough arty-season schedule, mostly without one of its key players, has left the University of Richmond men's basketball team at 5-5.

Paga E3 1 1 -2 PUNCH MAKES GAME A KNOCKOUT Heisman Tro phy-winning quarterbacks Jason White of Oklahoma (left) and Matt Leinait of Southern California will highlight the Bowl Championship Series national-title game between the second-ranked Sooners and top-ranked Trojans in the Orange Bowl tonight. Story, John Markon's column, Paga E6 Prav. Prav. Team W-L rank Taam W-L rank 1. Meadowbiook 9-0 No.

1 1. Monacan 9-0 No. 1 2. LC. Bird 8-0 No.

2 2. Manchester 8-1 No. 2 8. Hermitage 8-1 No. 8 8.

Prince Georga 9-0 No. 8 4. John ManhaD 5-0 No. 4 4. Deep Run 7-1 No.

4 5. Bjghknd Spmgi 7-8 No. 5 5. LC. Bird 5-2 No.

5 6. Banadietina 9-5 No. 8 6. Hermitage 8-2 No. 8 7.

Manchester 9-1 No. 6 7. Petersburg 5-1 No. 7 8. Henrico 8-2 No.

7 8. Meadowbiook 7-2 No. 9 9. Hopewell 6-1 No. 10 9.

Aflee 6-2 No. 6 10. Petersburg 8-8 No. 9 10. Henrico 4-8 No.

10 See the weekh Preps page featuring players of the and statistics. Coming Thursday: week, ana tannings.