Taylor sews up championship trip for Tech

BLACKSBURG — Maybe it was a gesture of relief. Maybe it was one of pure joy. With a huge grin on his face and his arms stretched wide, Virginia Tech sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor walked toward Sean Glennon and wrapped him in a firm embrace.

The clock had just run out on the Hokies’ 17-14 ACC Coastal Division championship-clinching win over in-state rival Virginia, and Taylor celebrated by seeking out the man he replaced not once, but twice, as the team’s starting quarterback in the last two seasons.

No hard feelings, at least not on this day. Taylor had what might have been his best game as a collegiate player Saturday at Lane Stadium, and Tech (8-4, 5-3 ACC) dispatched UVa (5-7, 3-5) for the fifth straight year in clinching a spot in the ACC championship game against No. 21 Boston College (9-3, 5-3) next week at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

“I’ve said this a million times, and I’m sure he has too. The media can build up the controversy between the two and the competition, but we never took it personally,” said Glennon, who received a loud ovation from the Tech crowd when he entered the game in the second quarter.

“If I was ever disappointed or frustrated or angry, it’s been towards the coaches, not towards Tyrod. We’ve always been very cool with each other, very close. We always talk to each other. It was not surprising to see (Tyrod waiting for me with a hug), because we’ve always been in each other’s corner.”

The Hokies will make their third overall and second straight trip to the conference title game. They beat BC in Jacksonville last year to secure their second ACC championship since joining the league in 2004. Their other title game appearance resulted in a loss to Florida State in 2005.

Taylor, who was pulled last week against Duke after turning the ball over four times in the game’s first five possessions (two interceptions, two fumbles), completed 12 of 18 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a career-high 137 yards.

His 73-yard darting run early in the second half set up the Hokies’ tying touchdown, and he orchestrated a 10-play, 40-yard drive that resulted in senior Dustin Keys’ 28-yard game-winning touchdown.

“I wished we would have played this game last Sunday. That’s how bad I wanted to play (after last week’s poor performance),” said Taylor, who improved to 11-2 in his career as a starter.

For the second straight season, Virginia Tech’s win over the Cavaliers clinched the division title.

The road to the championship game seemed much more difficult this season. Because of inexperience, injury and a brutal road schedule, Tech coach Frank Beamer said this year’s championship game appearance was more special.

“Some years mean more than others, but this one I think is about as special as it gets,” Beamer said. “To be in this position, our coaches and players deserve a lot of credit. We hung in there and battled. We found a way and never gave up. I am as proud as I can be of this football team.”

Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster echoed Beamer’s sentiments. Foster was faced with replacing seven starters from last year’s superlative defense, and despite some growing pains early this season, this year’s group is playing at a high level.

After giving up some plays in the first half to an unfamiliar Virginia offense that featured starting cornerback Vic Hall at quarterback, the Hokies rebounded by holding the Cavaliers to no points and only 108 yards in the final two quarters.

UVa ended up with 249 yards. Tech has held its last six opponents to fewer than 250.

“This is a special year. … I told our defensive kids that I think the last few weeks we’ve really played the type of defense we’re used to seeing around here in some big games,” Foster said.

The Hokies gained 392 total yards and ran almost twice as many plays (80) as the Cavaliers (46).

The score remained close, though, because Tech couldn’t capitalize on its red-zone opportunities. It failed to score points on three time-consuming drives that ended deep inside Virginia territory.

One of the drives stalled at the UVa 5 and resulted in a missed 22-yard field goal by Keys. Another one ended at the Cavs’ 18 when Glennon was intercepted by Byron Glaspy late in the first half. And another died at the 1 when tight end Greg Boone was dropped for a four-yard loss on fourth down.

“I would do that again. I think you do all those again. You just hope that you make the field goal, you don’t throw the interception and you get a touchdown,” Beamer said.

It wasn’t all bad, though. Tech embarked on the winning drive with 11:54 left in the game. Taylor completed a 13-yard pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Danny Coale and had another completion to freshman Jarrett Boykin that gained 10 yards.

Keys booted his 20th field goal of the season to put the Hokies up for good with 6:37 left.

Tech trailed 14-7 at the half, but Taylor jump-started the offensive attack with a huge play early in the third quarter. He darted to the left, broke up field and followed his blockers 73 yards down the sideline before being dragged down by Hall at the Virginia 9.

Boone scored shortly thereafter on a 4-yard run to make it 14-14.

Hall, who set the Virginia High School League’s career passing mark at Gretna, took most of the snaps at quarterback for the Cavaliers. He had touchdown runs of 40 and 16 yards in the first half and finished with 109 yards rushing.

His 39-yard fourth quarter run put the Cavaliers in position to at least tie the game with a field goal, but sophomore Marc Verica was intercepted in the end zone by Hokies rover Dorian Porch to end the drive.

Verica said after the game that he should have never attempted the pass.

“He didn’t see me coming. I was kind of baiting him into it, but when he threw it up in the air, it was like gold falling out of the sky,” Porch said. “I just ran over, got it at a high point and tried to take it to the house.”

Virginia got the ball back one last time with 1:38 remaining in the game. Verica was sacked by Tech linebacker Purnell Sturdivant on fourth down to put the game away for good.

A charged up Foster ran onto the field, his play chart dangling by his belt, and he pumped his arms in celebration.