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Virginia Tech beats Virginia to win ACC Coastal

Nov 25, 2007 - 12:52 AM CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia (Ticker) -- Virginia Tech will get another crack at Boston College.

Freshman Tyrod Taylor rushed for two touchdowns, including a five-yard run with 11:50 remaining, as the eighth-ranked Hokies clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game with a 33-21 victory over No. 16 Virginia on Saturday.

Saturday's win gave Virginia Tech the ACC's Coastal Division crown and set up a rematch with Boston College - the winner of the Atlantic Division - next week in Atlanta.

The Hokies (10-2, 7-1 ACC Coastal) have an opportunity to avenge a crushing loss to the Eagles on October 25, when they squandered a 10-point lead in the final 2:11 and suffered a 14-10 defeat.

Since then, however, Virginia Tech has reeled off four straight victories to earn a spot in its second ACC championship game in three years.

In 2005, the Hokies lost to Florida State in the inaugural ACC title game.

"Now that we've got (Boston College), we've got to figure out a way to beat them," Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. "That's a big ballgame for us, but it's the one we worked so hard to get to."

Against Virginia (9-3, 6-2 ACC Coastal), the Hokies rode their two-headed quarterback platoon of Taylor and Sean Glennon.

While Taylor scored twice, Glennon completed 13-of-19 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown.

"There was a crucial point in the last game against Boston College," Taylor said. "We're going to put that on our shirts. On the back of the shirts, it's going to say, 'A minor setback for a major comeback.'"

Glennon tossed a 39-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Royal with 12 seconds left in the first half, giving the Hokies a 20-14 lead they never relinquished.

Brandon Ore paced Virginia Tech's effective ground game, rushing for a career-high 147 yards on 31 carries as the Hokies defeated Virginia for the eighth time in nine meetings.

Still, Virginia Tech had to settle for field goals on three straight trips inside the red zone and was nursing a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

But on 3rd-and-goal from the 5, Taylor was able to get outside and dove into the end zone, giving Virginia Tech a 30-21 cushion with 11:50 remaining.

"The season is not over," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "I'm looking forward to playing another game. The only problem is that it doesn't come soon enough."

"We just have to make sure we move forward," Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell added. "Everyone says you have to learn from your mistakes, and that applies here as well."

Jud Dunlevy's 26-yard field goal - his fourth of the game - made it 33-21 with just under five minutes left.

"He's been a big part of our football team," Beamer said of Dunlevy, who has made 21 field goals this season, one shy of the school record. "He's been solid as a rock."

Still, the lack of red-zone success hurt the Hokies early, as Virginia rallied from an early 10-0 deficit to grab a 14-13 lead on Sewell's eight-yard TD run with 6:35 left in the first half.

The Cavaliers seemed headed to halftime with a lead, but Sewell made a critical mistake in the final minute as his pass on first down from Virginia Tech's 41 was intercepted by cornerback Brandon Flowers.

Glennon needed just three plays to convert the turnover into a touchdown, as his TD pass to Royal put the Hokies back ahead.

"The ball almost knocked me down, it was such a good throw," Royal said. "That play was all Sean Glennon."

Royal caught six passes for 147 yards. His 56-yard reception set up Dunlevy's 37-yard field goal that staked the Hokies to a 13-7 lead with five seconds left in the first period.

"We saw a matchup that we liked and we kept going at it," Royal said. "That's why I came to Virginia Tech - to make big plays."

A blocked punt set up Dunlevy's 29-yard field goal that made it 23-14 with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter.

Defensive end Chris Long - son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long - provided a spark for the Cavaliers as his sack of Glennon forced a fumble at Virginia Tech's 28-yard line.

Seven plays later, Sewell's two-yard keeper pulled the Cavaliers within 23-21 with 2:51 left in the third period.

But the Hokies took control in the fourth quarter to improve to 15-1 on the road since joining the ACC in 2004.

"We need to give our seniors a lot of credit," Beamer added. "They are the first group to get 10 wins in all four years, and to beat Virginia in all four years is an accomplishment, too."