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Virginia Tech 16, ECU 3
Submitted by jpg on 11/05/2009 - 21:55
Robert Willett - rmillett@newsobserver.com
GREENVILLE -- East Carolina still has its Conference USA title to defend.
The big splash against name-brand opponent from a major conference will have to wait for another year after Thursday night's lackluster 16-3 loss to No. 22 Virginia Tech.
The Pirates (5-4) had three chances against ACC and Big East opponents this season and lost them all, a year after surprising the same Hokies in the opener and soundly beating West Virginia in Greenville.
The Hokies (6-3), coming off consecutive losses, avenged last year's 27-22 loss in Charlotte with a power running game, the usual assortment of defensive stops and a pair of ECU fumbles in Virginia Tech territory.
Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, above, whose late fourth-quarter fumble against North Carolina last Thursday set up the game-deciding field goal, bounced back with a season-best 180-yard effort against the Pirates.
ECU fans, out in force for the first home Thursday night game since 2001, had hoped for one last shot at a signature win. The Pirates wore an alternate logo, a skull and cross bones, on their helmets and painted midfield with same logo in the outline of the state of North Carolina.
The aesthetic differences, and big-game energy, didn't add up to a new offense, which was held to a field goal in the three quarters and was handcuffed by penalties. ECU committed six penalties, for 60 yards, in the first half, none more costly than a holding call on guard Terence Campbell that negated a 20-yard touchdown run by Dominique Lindsay.
The Pirates, 4-1 in C-USA, can still win the East Division, likely with two wins in their final three games. They travel to Tulsa next Sunday before closing with home games with UAB and Southern Miss. Losses at West Virginia (35-20) and at North Carolina (31-17) in September complete the trifecta of missed opportunities against BCS conference opponents.
The Hokies were far from perfect, quarterback Tyrod Taylor fumbled through the back of the end zone in the second quarter, which cost them a touchdown, but Williams and the defense did enough for their seventh win in eight games against ECU.
Two field goals by kicker Matt Waldron and a 13-yard touchdown scramble by Taylor pushed Virginia Tech out to a 13-0 lead in the second quarter.
ECU put together its best drive, going 73 yards down to Virginia Tech's 7, with two big catches by receiver Alex Taylor (five catches, 60 yards), but ran out of time at the end of the first half.
A first-down throw to receiver Reyn Willis, with 9 seconds left, was knocked away in the end zone and the Pirates had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Ben Hartman.
The Pirates had almost as many injuries as points in the first half, losing backup safety Dekota Marshall (ankle) and tight end Rob Kass (knee).
ECU's best scoring chance of the second half, and to get back in the game, ended when running back Giavanni Ruffin fumbled a handoff at the Virginia Tech 18-yard line at 9:21 in the third quarter.
Virginia Tech didn't score again until Rashad Carmichael's interception set up a third field goal by Waldron, a 31-yarder, with 1:18 left in the game.
About the blogger
J.P. Giglio covers the ACC for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1997. Want to post a comment?
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Comments
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also
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 23:50 — gvillegatrthe "forward pass" that got called instead of an ECU fumble recovery! well, if it was a "forward pass," then he also passed the line of scrimmage. nope.
I also thought Pinkney made some horrible passses. yes, it is true. I lay a very small part of the loss on ECU. but not much!
wow
Thu, 11/05/2009 - 23:47 — gvillegatrcomplete and utted hose job by the (presumably) ACC refs. VT held and held and held on offense and it didnt get called till it was too late. ditto on blocks in the back on punt returns.
the hold on ECU when they scored the "touchdown" was an atrocious call. Two personal fouls called on the ECU defense were horse crap, too.
Just embarassing.
Things could have been way different had this been played on a level pitch.
Not that it matters
Fri, 11/06/2009 - 09:19 — YAR8packbut thanks. I'm a fan of the Pirates, so obviously I'm biased. Glad someone else saw all the BS thrown on ECU.
I wonder if someone from the NCAA or ACC called those refs and told them that they better not let VT lose 3 in a row, it'll look too bad for the ACC. Those craptacular BS calls sure made it look that way.
indeed
Fri, 11/06/2009 - 15:08 — gvillegatrECU had some "mo" going early but every time they made a big play, it was getting called back for a penalty.