10/25/98 - 0:32AM ET - Click reload often for latest version

Virginia Tech vs. Alabama-Birm.

Extended Box  Game Story 
Oct 24, 1998

NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- VIRGINIA TECH (21) 10 14 3 14 41 ALA BIRMINGHAM 0 0 0 0 0 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QTR: VTCH - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 43 YD, 5:32 VTCH - TD, JARRETT FERGUSON 23 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 14:42 2ND QTR: VTCH - TD, JARRETT FERGUSON 6 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 3:38 VTCH - TD, MARCUS GILDERSLEEVE RECOVERED BLOCKED PUNT IN END ZONE (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 12:58 3RD QTR: VTCH - FG, SHAYNE GRAHAM 21 YD, 13:20 4TH QTR: VTCH - TD, RICKY HALL 54 YD PASS FROM DAVE MEYER (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 2:41 VTCH - TD, LAMONT PEGUES 1 YD RUN (SHAYNE GRAHAM KICK), 7:13


Extended Box

NCAAF 1 2 3 4 F - - - - -- Virginia Tech (21) 10 14 3 14 41 Ala Birmingham 0 0 0 0 0 FINAL

Virginia Tech-FG Graham 43 Virginia Tech-J Ferguson 23 run (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-J Ferguson 6 run (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Gildersleeve recovered blocked punt in end zone (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-FG Graham 21 Virginia Tech-Hall 54 pass from Meyer (Graham kick) Virginia Tech-Pegues 1 run (Graham kick)

Virginia Tech Ala Birmingham First downs 22 8 Rushed-yards 58-261 29-19 Passing yards 114 75 Sacked-yards lost 1-13 3-22 Return yards 103 0 Passes 8-18-1 7-21-1 Punts 3-35.0 10-30.9 Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-0 Penalties-yards 7-72 10-86 Time of possession 35:39 24:21

Individual Statistics RUSHING: Virginia Tech-Pegues 20-127, Stith 12-47, J Ferguson 6-40, Sorensen 6-16, Ward 4-16, Kendrick 4-12, Houseright 2-6, Piniella 1-0, Harrison 1-minus 1, Meyer 2-minus 2. Ala Birmingham-Conley 8-40, Thatch 2-18, Dugger 2-3, Coleman 1-1, Anderson 1-1, Jolly 2-minus 17, Dixon 13-minus 27.

PASSING: Virginia Tech-Sorensen 6-14-1-48, Meyer 2-4-0-66. Ala Birmingham-Dixon 5-14-1-43, Jolly 2-7-0-32.

RECEIVING: Virginia Tech-Hall 2-71, Harrison 2-21, Jenkins 1-12, J Ferguson 1-9, Gildersleeve 1-5, Samuel 1-minus 4. Ala Birmingham-Troupe 2-21, Thatch 2-4, Coleman 1-19, Dugger 1-18, T Johnson 1-13.

Att: 31,897


Game Story

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Ticker) -- Alabama-Birmingham had to see this coming.

Facing a 21st-ranked Virginia Tech team that was coming off one of the most embarrassing losses in its history, the Blazers were completely manhandled, managing just 94 yards of total offense in a 41-0 loss.

"You don't ever want to say you expect anything," UAB coach Watson Brown said. "You always think you have a ray of hope. It was just a total mismatch. Say what you want to say. You can't call a pass, you can't call a run. It was a total mismatch up front.

"We couldn't hand them in any shape, form or fashion," Brown added. "They're a whole lot better than us right now. That's all I can say."

Lamont Pegues ran for 127 yards and a touchdown for Virginia Tech (6-1), which left no doubt that it had regrouped after last weekend's 28-24 homecoming loss to previously winless and lightly regarded Temple. The Hokies were off to their best start in 31 years and allowing just six points per game prior to that loss.

"I thought we played hard," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "We needed to feel better about ourselves. It's been a tough week and a disappointing week and now we are in the heat of things."

Jarrett Ferguson added a pair of touchdown runs for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech scored on its first possession, moving 44 yards in 11 plays to set up Shayne Graham's 43-yard field goal. Each team had to punt following its next two possessions before the Hokies turned it up defensively.

On their fourth possession, the Blazers lost six yards and were forced to punt. The Hokies took over at the UAB 46 and needed just over two minutes to score. Ferguson's 23-yard run made it 10-0 with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.

UAB (2-5) went backwards again on its next series, losing 11 yards all the way back to its 7. A poor punt gave Virginia Tech the ball at the UAB 28 and the Hokies capitalized again, with Ferguson running in from six yards for a 17-0 advantage with 11:22 remaining in the half.

The Blazers were forced to punt on all seven of their first-half possessions. The final punt was a disaster, as Larry Austin blocked it and Marcus Gildersleeve recovered in the end zone for a 24-0 cushion with 2:02 to go before intermission.

We refocused and we played four quarters tonight," Virginia Tech defensive end Corey Moore said. "We came out with the mind frame to not let them score."

The Hokies did not let up in the second half. They held the ball for over 10 minutes in both the third and fourth quarters and increased their lead to 27-0 on Graham's 21-yard field goal late in the third. They added fourth-quarter scores on a 54-yard pass from Dave Meyer to Ricky Hall and a one-yard run by Pegues.

Virginia Tech limited UAB to eight first downs. The Blazers were 0-for-12 on third-down conversions and failed on their lone fourth-down try. UAB quarterbacks Daniel Dixon and Lee Jolly were a combined 7-of-21 for 75 yards. Dixon was sacked three times and intercepted once.

"It's pretty obvious that they came out and laid it to us," Dixon said. "It was frustrating because we weren't able to get things going. They just laid it to us, but you have to keep going."