09/13/97 - 11:18PM ET - Click reload often for latest version
NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- SYRACUSE 0 0 0 3 3 VIRGINIA TECH (19) 0 7 7 17 31 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QTR: NONE 2ND QTR: VTCH - TD, SHAWN SCALES 22 YD PASS FROM AL CLARK (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 0:34 3RD QTR: VTCH - TD, KEN OXENDINE 4 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 8:35 4TH QTR: SYR - FG, NATHAN TROUT 32 YD, 0:08 VTCH - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 38 YD, 5:20 VTCH - TD, KEN OXENDINE 5 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 9:46 VTCH - TD, LAMONT PEGUES 5 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 12:08
NCAAF 1 2 3 4 F - - - - -- Syracuse 0 0 0 3 3 Virginia Tech (19) 0 7 7 17 31 FINAL
Virginia Tech-Scales 22 pass from Clark (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Oxendine 4 run (Graham kick) Syracuse-FG Trout 32 Virginia Tech-FG Graham 38 Virginia Tech-Oxendine 5 run (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Pegues 5 run (Graham kick)
Syracuse Virginia Tech First downs 15 13 Rushed-yards 31-35 51-227 Passing yards 280 103 Sacked-yards lost 6-46 1-5 Return yards 5 117 Passes 17-33-2 5-11-0 Punts 8-42.0 6-42.7 Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0 Penalties-yards 6-45 5-38 Time of possession 29:25 30:35
Individual Statistics RUSHING: Syracuse-K Mcintosh 14-37, Mcnabb 13-14, Brown 2-5, Downing 2-minus 21. Virginia Tech-Oxendine 28-104, Clark 5-31, Hawkins 2-27, Pegues 7-23, Parker 6-23, Scales 1-20, Kendrick 1-1, Sorensen 1-minus 2.
PASSING: Syracuse-Mcnabb 13-22-1-198, Downing 4-11-1-82. Virginia Tech-Clark 5-11-0-103.
RECEIVING: Syracuse-Ke Johnson 5-84, Spotwood 3-96, Turner 3-41, Daniel 2-23, Lowe 2-19, K Mcintosh 1-10, Brown 1-7. Virginia Tech-Scales 2-73, Oxendine 2-17, Parker 1-13.
Att: 50,137
GAME RECAPKen Oxendine ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns as 19th-ranked Virginia Tech handed Syracuse its third straight loss, a 31-3 romp in a Big East matchup.
Virginia Tech (2-0, 2-0 Big East) has won 14 of its last 15 Big East games, with the only loss being a 52-21 setback at Syracuse last season. The Hokies have won 11 straight home games and three of four meetings against the Orangemen in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech limited Syracuse to 35 yards rushing and had six sacks for 46 yards.
"This is the kind of night I dreamed about when I took the Virginia Tech job," said coach Frank Beamer, who in his 11th season has the tenure of any Hokies coach. "The crowd was unbelieveable in supporting our team. And the Virginia Tech team played a great game against a very strong opponent. That may have been the best Tech defensive performance ever."
Syracuse (1-3, 0-1) has lost three straight games for the first time since opening the 1986 season with four consecutive defeats. The Orangemen finished with a 5-6 record in 1986, their only losing campaign in the last 14 years.
"It is very frustrating to be 1-3 because we have worked hard," said Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni. "It does not not seem like things are going are way thus far. Virginia Tech played their game tonight. They played a field position game. They played defense well, they punted well, they kicked well. They just made things happen."
Donovan McNabb was 13-of-22 for 198 yards and an interception before he was removed for Keith Downing. Downing was 4-of-11 for 82 yards and an interception.
Al Clark tossed a 22-yard scoring pass to Shawn Scales, capping a 13-play 69-yard drive and giving the Hokies a 7-0 lead 34 seconds into the second quarter. Clark was 5-of-11 for 103 yards and ran five times for 31 yards.
"Al Clark played without any turnovers and did a great overall job at quarterback," Beamer said. "He is legit and proved it tonight. Shawn Scales had a teriffic game. That guy is a player. He is not only a good receiver but he is an excellent runner after he catches the ball."
Virginia Tech took a 14-0 lead on a four-yard TD run by Oxendine with 6:25 to go in the third quarter.
Nathan Trout kicked a 32-yard field goal to cut Virginia Tech's lead to 14-3 just eight seconds into the fourth. The Hokies regained a 14-point lead when Shayne Graham kicked a 38-yard field goal 5:12 later.
Oxendine and Lamonto Pegues each had five-yard touchdown runs for Virginia Tech's final two scores.