• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Thomas' late score helps Hokies slip past Hurricanes

Oct 9, 2011 - 12:42 AM Blacksburg, VA (Sports Network) - Logan Thomas' 19-yard touchdown run with 56 seconds remaining allowed the 21st-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies to edge the Miami Hurricanes, 38-35, in a back-and-forth ACC affair.

Thomas completed 23-of-25 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two scores for the Hokies (5-1, 1-1 ACC), who failed to score a touchdown in last Saturday's conference-opening loss to Clemson.

David Wilson added 128 yards on 23 carries, Jarrett Boykin caught seven passes for 120 yards and a touchdown and Danny Coale added 91 yards and a score on five catches.

The Hurricanes (2-3, 0-2) took their first lead of the game on Lamar Miller's 30-yard touchdown run with under three minutes remaining.

Miller finished with 166 rushing yards on 18 carries, while Jacory Harris completed 13-of-21 passes for 267 yards and three scores.

Early in the fourth quarter, Virginia Tech went up 31-21 on Thomas' 60-yard touchdown pass to Boykin.

Miami's next drive appeared to stall when Harris was sacked by J.R. Collins on 3rd-and-12. But Collins was called for unsportsmanlike conduct following the play, resulting in a new set of downs. Three plays later, Phillip Dorsett completed a flea flicker with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Miller to make it a 31-28 game.

The Hokies were then forced to punt when Thomas was called for an illegal forward pass on a third-down completion, and Miami reeled off a 42-yard touchdown drive to take a 35-31 lead.

The Hurricanes quickly moved the ball to the Virginia Tech six-yard line, but consecutive penalties forced them into a 2nd-and-goal from the 30. Miller solved the dilemma with a touchdown run, breaking through the line of scrimmage and sprinting untouched into the end zone for the Miami lead.

Then it was Thomas' turn to respond. He moved the Hokies to the Miami 28 before a series of short runs set up a 4th-and-1 from the 19. He then took a draw between the tackles and scampered into the end zone for the game-winning score.

The ensuing Miami drive stalled when Miller was tackled near midfield as time expired.

Virginia Tech was also in control early. Thomas capped an 84-yard drive with a seven-yard waltz into the end zone for a 7-0 lead after one quarter.

Early in the second, Thomas connected with Coale for a 40-yard scoring strike and a 14-0 Hokies lead.

Midway through the quarter, Virginia Tech was again threatening, but Thomas was unable to handle a low snap and Miami's Ray-Ray Armstrong jumped on the ball at his own 27-yard line.

Harris capitalized. On 3rd-and-18 he lofted a high-arcing pass to a streaking Allen Hurns, who narrowly hauled in the 41-yard completion before falling out of bounds. On the ensuing play, Harris again found Hurns -- this time on the corner of the end zone -- for a 15-yard touchdown.

Still, the Hokies were in control at the half, as Wilson's three-yard touchdown reception in the waning seconds of the second quarter put them on top, 21-7.

Undaunted, the Hurricanes forced a punt on the opening possession of the second half, then made it a 21-14 game with a quick 77-yard touchdown strike. They were facing a 3rd-and-4 from their own 23, but Harris rifled a pass to Travis Benjamin in front of a closing cornerback. With no back-end coverage present, Benjamin sprinted untouched to the end zone.

Cody Journell's 28-yard field goal put the Hokies on top, 24-14, toward the end of the third. But Harris found Tommy Streeter for a four-yard touchdown early in the fourth, making it a 24-21 game and setting up the frenetic finish.

Game Notes

Miller has rushed for more than 100 yards in all five games this season. The last Miami player to do so in five consecutive games was Willis McGahee in 2002...The Hurricanes have dropped three straight and seven of nine against Virginia Tech. Miami leads the all-time series 17-12.