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NCAA Football Recap (Virginia Tech-Alabama)
Posted: Tues December 29, 1998 at 10:26 p.m. EST NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Virginia Tech's awesome special teams generated 14 points and cornerback Anthony Midget returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown as the 24th-ranked Hokies routed Alabama, 38-7, in the inaugural Music City Bowl. Known for its ability to block kicks, Virginia Tech got to Alabama punter Daniel Pope on two occassions and also took advantage of cornerback Owen Winston's muff of a punt to hand Alabama the second-worst bowl defeat in its illustrious history. "Turnovers were a big part of this game," said Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer. "If you get turnovers and block kicks, things are usually going to go your way." The Hokies' two blocks gave them 12 for the season and 61 during the 1990s, the most of any Division I program. Virginia Tech has blocked 73 kicks in 138 games under coach Frank Beamer. Linebacker Phillip Summers also set up a touchdown with an interception for the Hokies, whose defense has picked off 24 passes this season, the second-highest total in the country. Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 41,600 at Vanderbilt Stadium, the Hokies recorded their first victory over Alabama in 11 tries. "I'm proud to beat a class program with the tradition and the players that Alabama has had," added Beamer. "They've beaten us 10 straight times. I would like to think that this is the start of a new day at Virginia Tech." Quarterback Al Clark ran for a 43-yard touchdown, Lamont Pegues added a pair of one-yard scores and Shyrone Stith added a four-yard TD for Virginia Tech (9-3), which snapped a two-game bowl losing streak. The Hokies were appearing in the postseason for the sixth straight season. Freshman Andrew Zow and Michael Vaughn hooked up on a five-yard second-quarter touchdown to account for Alabama's only scoring in a game that began with a tempatures hovering around 40 degrees. The conditions worsened as the contest progressed, with freezing rain falling for most of the final three quarters. "They're a team that's at a level that we're trying to get to," said Alabama coach Mike DuBose. "Virginia Tech is good enough to compete for the national championship and right now we're not." Alabama's 31-point setback only was surpassed by a 38-6 loss to Nebraska in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day 1972. Alabama (7-5), which was appearing in its 49th bowl game -- the most of any program -- had its five-game bowl winning streak snapped. "It's a very disappointing loss but I'm proud of the year we had and the progress we made," DuBose added. "We're making strides as a program. Now the challenge is for next year's team to take it to a higher level from this season." Alabama, which did not play in a bowl last season, has 28 bowl victories, an NCAA record. Virginia Tech led 10-7 at halftime, but the Crimson Tide self-destructed in one of their worst second halves of the season. On Alabama's second possession of the third quarter, Zow's ill-advised pass over the middle was picked off by Summers at the Tide 3-yard line and Virginia Tech entered the end zone three plays later on Pegues' first one-yard plunge. Alabama's next drive was quickly halted and defensive end Corey Moore broke through the line to block Pope's kick, giving Virginia Tech possession at the Alabama 29. It took the Hokies four plays to score this time, with Stith's four-yard scamper making it 24-7. Moore was voted the game's most valuable player. "Corey is a lot like the rest of our team in that he doesn't want individual recognition," Beamer said. "He's a very unselfish player who doesn't get rattled. He's a guy who can win for us." Winston's muff late in the third period was recovered by safety Cory Bird at the Alabama 19 and Pegues' one-yard TD 1:29 into the fourth quarter ended any hopes of an Alabama comeback. For emphasis, Midget picked off Zow and sprinted into the right corner of the end zone with 7:33 remaining. "We didn't secure the ball offensively and we didn't make any plays on offense or on special teams," DuBose said. "The one positive was that we did make some improvements defensively." Clark completed 7-of-14 passes for 71 yards and was intercepted once while carrying nine times for 55 yards. Stith added 71 yards on 10 attempts for the Hokies, who needed just 278 total yards to record the blowout. Zow was 19-of-35 for 224 yards but was picked off three times for Alabama, which was held to 274 yards, including just 50 on the ground. Shaun Alexander carried 21 times for 55 yards and caught eight passes for 87 yards. Virginia Tech began the onslaught on its first possession when Clark faked to Pegues, burst up the middle and outran the secondary for a 43-yard touchdown just 2:35 into the contest. Safety Keion Carpenter blocked Pope's kick on the ensuing possession, but the Hokies could not capitalize because Clark was picked off in the end zone by Tide cornerback Fernando Bryant. Zow immediately was intercepted by defensive end Ryan Smith, but Shayne Graham pushed a 42-yard field goal attempt wide right. Alabama tied the game just under six minutes into the second period when Zow found Vaughn in the back of the end zone. But Graham connected from 44 yards moments later to give the Hokies a three-point halftime advantage.© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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