09/27/97 - 10:01PM ET - Click reload often for latest version
NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- ARKANSAS ST 0 0 0 0 0 VIRGINIA TECH (12) 14 14 9 13 50 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QTR: VTCH - TD, SHAWN SCALES 47 YD PASS FROM AL CLARK (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 7:35 VTCH - TD, KEN OXENDINE 1 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 13:19 2ND QTR: VTCH - TD, LAMONT PEGUES 1 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 9:13 VTCH - TD, ANGELO HARRISON 5 YD PASS FROM AL CLARK (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 14:37 3RD QTR: VTCH - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 32 YD, 2:21 VTCH - TD, LAMONT PEGUES 1 YD RUN (PAT FAILED), 11:49 4TH QTR: VTCH - TD, MARCUS GILDERSLEEVE 11 YD PASS FROM NICK SORENSEN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 4:27 VTCH - TD, LORENZO FERGUSON 84 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (PAT FAILED), 5:27
NCAAF 1 2 3 4 F - - - - -- Arkansas St 0 0 0 0 0 Virginia Tech (12) 14 14 9 13 50 FINAL
Virginia Tech-Scales 47 pass from Clark (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Oxendine 1 run (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Pegues 1 run (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Harrison 5 pass from Clark (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-FG Graham 32 Virginia Tech-Pegues 1 run (kick failed) Virginia Tech-Gildersleeve 11 pass from Sorensen (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Ferguson 84 interception return (kick failed)
Arkansas St Virginia Tech First downs 15 27 Rushed-yards 29-M28 53-296 Passing yards 196 202 Sacked-yards lost 6-42 2-16 Return yards 0 176 Passes 14-35-2 13-18-1 Punts 8-35.6 2-40.0 Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0 Penalties-yards 6-28 13-113 Time of possession 29:42 30:18
Individual Statistics RUSHING: Arkansas St-Johnson 2-16, Phillips 3-1, Pettus 1-1, Tinsley 6-minus 2, Watkins 3-minus 4, Zachery 10-minus 11, Lemon 4-minus 29. Virginia Tech-Pegues 15-94, Kendrick 9-48, Oxendine 10-45, Parker 6-40, Clark 7-33, Sorensen 3-29, C Hawkins 2-4, Ellison 1-3.
PASSING: Arkansas St-Watkins 10-21-1-111, Lemon 2-8-1-65, Pettus 2-5-0-20, Tinsley 0-1-0-0. Virginia Tech-Clark 11-14-0-177, Sorensen 2-4-1-25.
RECEIVING: Arkansas St-Johnson 6-92, Teat 4-60, Tinsley 2-19, Lee 1-19, Cockrell 1-6. Virginia Tech-Harrison 4-19, Scales 2-63, Stuewe 2-30, Parker 1-22, Sullivan 1-22, Oxendine 1-21, Remley 1-14, Gildersleeve 1-11.
Att: 42,178
GAME RECAPFrank Beamer became the winningest coach in school history as 12th-ranked Vriginia Tech took an easy step out of the Big East Conference for its 12th straight home win, a 50-0 thrashing of Arkansas State.
Al Clark threw for two touchdowns and Lamont Pegues ran for two more as the Hokies (4-0) removed their starters in the third quarter and still outclassed the overmatched Indians (1-2), who were outgained 498-168. Virginia Tech racked up 296 yards on the ground while holding Arkansas State to minus-28 yards rushing.
Beamer improved to 65-51-2 in 10-plus seasons at his alma mater, moving past his predecessor, Bill Dooley, who won 64 games from 1978-86. Beamer watched his Hokies -- who opened the season with three straight Big East wins -- score at least 20 points for a school-record 23rd straight game.
"I am very proud of the record," Beamer said. "You guys know how important this school is to me so obviously I'm happy to have the most football victories. I have to put the credit where it belongs, with the Tech assistant coaches. I have had some great staffs and the present one is the best ever."
Virginia Tech posted its fourth shutout in the last two-plus seasons and has outscored foes 163-35 this season. The Hokies are 2-0 all-time against Arkansas State (1-3).
"We played a very, very fine ball team," Arkansas State coach Joe Hollis said. "Offensively and defensively, they have good players. They are well-coached. They keep the pressure on you on both sides of the ball."
Pegues led Virginia Tech with 94 yards on 15 carries, including one-yard TD runs in the second and third quarters. Ken Oxendine had 10 carries for 45 yards and a TD, climbing onto the school's top 10 all-time yardage list. The Hokies did not have a 100-yard rusher for the first time in five games but had six backs with 29 yards or more.
"Lamont Pegues certainly had a big day," Beamer said. "He ran really hard. So did a lot of other guys. Al Clark continues to show poise as quarterback. He made a lot of good decisions today."
Clark completed 11-of-14 passes for 177 yards, including scoring tosses of 47 yards to Shawn Scales midway through the first period and five yards to Angelo Harrison with 23 seconds left in the first half, giving Tech a 28-0 halftime lead.
Shayne Graham kicked a 32-yard field goal 2:21 into the second half and Pegues' second score came with 3:11 left in the third quarter, running the lead to 37-0 and bringing on the second team.
"I am especially pleased that we had the opportunity to use a lot of different players," Beamer said. "Many of our backups got valuable time today, and many of them performed quite well."
In the fourth quarter, backup Nick Sorensen threw an 11-yard TD pass to Marcus Gildersleeve and safety Lorenzo Ferguson returned an interception 84 yards for a score. Sorensen was 2-of-4 for 25 yards.
Jeremie Watkins was 10-of-21 for 111 yards for the Indians, who committed two turnovers and were sacked six times. Freshman backup Cleo Lemon was 2-of-6 for 65 yards as Arkansas State used three quarterbacks.
"I was particularly impressed with Cleo Lemon, the freshman," Hollis said. "He has great size and an outstanding arm. He is a young man who will play more as the weeks go on."