Richmond Times-Dispatch from Richmond, Virginia • C1

1101 7TDCYD1 2star CMY college footba 1101 7TDCYD1 ZALLCALL 1 01 704 HMSBONI-AA C2 NADDN C6 TOP 25 C7 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2004 Bnaux sbctionC PORTS col lege oot bal I Editor Jack Beminpr (804) 649-6445 jbemingetftimesdispatch.com i www.timeidiipatch.coni i NO. 7 FLORIDA STATE 36, NO. 6 VIRGINIA 3 (Xposed nationally hi Cavaliers foil top-10 test as SeminolesroU behind Sexton and tight defense BY JEFF WHITE Times-Dispatch Star Wbtter Tallahassee, Fia. The University of Virginia football team swaggered into Doak Campbell Stadium looking like a contender for the ACC tide. The Cavaliers staggered out looking like pretenders.

On a night when sixth-ranked U.Va. hoped to earn a watershed victory before an ESPN audience, fourth-year coach Al Grab's team tailed miserably. Seventh-ranked Florida State, the reigning ACC champion, scored the game's first 19 points and pulled away in the second half for a 36-3 victory. thought it would be a very difficult test," Grab said, and he was correct The Seminoles (3-1, 5-1) were the first ranked team Virginia faced this season. FSU would have been difficult to beat under any circumstances on the road, but U.Va.

hurt itself with special-teams breakdowns and untimely penalties. As if the defeat wasn't humbling enough, Virginia lost its best offensive lineman, AH-America candidate Elton Brown, to an apparent knee injury with 5:21 left in the third quarter. Groh said afterward that he didnt know the severity of the senior guard's injury. Virginia fell to 0-23 in road games SEE CAVALIERS, PAGE C5 U.Va. can't find welcome mat at FSU TALLAHASSEE, Fl.

Maybe Virginia will win one of these showdowns some day. Big game on the road. Packed stadium. Nationwide TV audience. Poll sta GAME DAY STATE 7 Florida State 36 -6 Virginia 3 Virginia Tech 62 Florida 0 Villanova 49 Richmond 10 William and Mary 31 Rhode Island 24 James Madison 24 Maine 20 Coastal Carolina 21 VMI 14 Hampton 58 Norfolk State 10 Virginia State 24 Virginia Union 7 Emory Henry 48 Randolph-Macon 21 Hampden-Sydney 31 Washington and Lee 28 Coverage, Paget CM, Back Page ACC Georgia Tech 24 Duke 7 Clemson 35 Utah State 6 N.C.

State 13 Maryland 3 North Carolina at -11 Utah late Coverage, Paget C4-6 TOP 25 -1 Southern Cal 45 -15 Arizona State 7 2 Oklahoma 31 Kansas State 21 4 Auburn 38 Arkansas 20 -10 Wisconsin 20 -5 Purdue 17 -8 California 45 UCLA 28 9 Texas 28 Missouri 20 -12 Georgia 33 Vanderbilt 3 -13 Tennessee at Mississippi late -14 Michigan 30 Illinois 19 -23 Texas 36 at-16 0kla.State 20 Michigan State 51 -19 Minnesota 17 -21 Boise State 45 at Tulsa 42 -22 Florida 52 M.Tennessee 16 Alabama 27 -24 So. Mississippi 3 Iowa 33 -25 Ohio State 7 Coverage, Paget C6-7 COMING UP VA.TECK Oct. 28 VMM at Ga. Tech 7:30 p.m ESPN VIRGINIA: at Duke 'GSD' 1 pjti. RICHMOND: J.

Madison, ct jj 3 pjti. JS-' tus and bowl positioning up for grabs. Lega-cies on the line. The Cavaliers thought they were up for this sort of undertaking last night They weren't The Cavs came to town No. 6 in the country to Florida State's No.

7. They left humbled 363 losers. They BOB Upper point of view couldn't cope with FSlTs runners, passers or catchers. Their big offensive line couldn't open holes or offer much in the way of pass protection. They were slower on both sides of the balL They fell behind early and never gave hint of a comeback.

Asked if he was disappointed in the lopsided outcome and his team's performance, Al Groh replied, "If I didn't say you'd think I wasn't a very good coach. I feel the same way I always do when we get beat not very good." How much history was lined up against Virginia? Beaucoups history. The Cavs were 0-22 on the road against ran. exuaarat assocwbd pbbs Florida State running back Leon Washington tries to escape the grasp of Virginia's Tony Franklin in the first quarter of the Semi-noles' 36-3 ACC victory in Tallahassee, Fla. Washington ran for 68 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Cwnptete sckediile, PageC6 Hokies devour a treat As defenses roll, VSU wins Gold Richmond is routed at Villanova Marvin Burroughs threw a career-tying five touchdown passes, leading Villanova to a 49-10 Atlantic 10 victory over the University of Richmond yes-terday in Vil A Division I-AA team, Florida is served as homecoming fare BY MIKE HARRIS bailed early. Tech's final touchdown came with 10:47 left in the third quarter. As ugly as it was, it could have been uglier. "We dressed 80 guys and played 80 guys, or got close," said Tech batter their opposition up and down windswept Hovey Field. Virginia State's coach Frank lanova, Pa.

-roughs was 18 of 23 for 260 yards. VA. TECH 62 FAMUO PAGE C6: N.C. State uses a dominant defensive performance to beat Maryland 13-3. score only when time expired in the second quarter.

Randall was out by the middle of the second quarter. It's easy to figure out what Florida got out of the game. "We had the opportunity to play in a real nice venue," Rattlers coach Billy Joe said. "We lined up against a great Division I-A program, and we get a check for $200,000 to take back home. I wouldn't want to play 11 Virginia Techs, but to play one Virginia Tech, thafs OK.

"Without question, we were outclassed, out-talented, outmatched, and the game and the score are indicative of a team that is highly superior to another team. We played about as well as we had the ability to play. Virginia Tech is a real solid, genu- SEE HOKIES PAGE C4 came out with the upper hand, scoring the first touchdown of the game on an interception return and holding VUU to a meaningless late score to lock up a 24-7 victory. The score and final yardage GOLD BOWL VSU 24 VUU 7 BACK PAGE: Columnist John Marten was one of the few to see the end of yesterday's game. whose team improved to 5-2.

Tech scored on the game's fourth play, a neat trick An early interception return for a TD was a decisive blow to VUU BY ANDY THOMPSON Times-Dispatch Staff Write The Gold Bowl always is more than just a football game. Yesterday, the annual contest that Virginia Union hosts against another conference rival was a social gathering, a cultural event, a reunion and a tailgaters' dream It was even a campaign stop for Union grad and mayoral hopeful Douglas Wilder More than anything, on this day, the Gold Bowl was chance to watch two physical defenses Times-Dispatch Staff Wbtter BLACKSBURG Football weather finally arrived in time for Virginia Tech's game yesterday. The day was brisk and breezy. Unfortunately, there was not much in the way of a football game to enjoy along with the weather. Tech rolled to an even-easier-than-expected 62-0 victory over Division I-AA Florida before a homecoming crowd at Lane Stadium that was announced as a sellout of 65,115.

Traffic wasnt a problem afterward as much of the crowd Four Villanova scores came off Richmond turnovers. Stacy Tutt accounted for more than half of Richmond's 286 total yards, throwing for 155 yards and rushing for 23 yards and a touchdown. It was the third straight loss for the Spiders (1-2, 2-4). Details, Page C2 since Florida (2-5) had the ball for the first three. Taking over on the Rattlers' 16 after a fumble recovery by Darrjrt Tapp, the Hokies scored right away on a pass from Bryan Randall to David Clowney.

Tech scored on its next seven possessions as well, failing to 198 yards for VUU and 317 for VSU were deceiving. This was a shigfest the Trojans led 100 with just more than 4 minutes re- SEE VS BACKPAGE.