<
        >

          Vick totals three TDs in series finale

          Oct 1, 2005

            MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- Marcus Vick threw for two touchdowns
            and ran for another and No. 3 Virginia Tech converted two West
            Virginia turnovers into scores to beat the Mountaineers 34-17 on
            Saturday in the finale of a 33-year series between the former Big
            East rivals.

            Vick, facing the Mountaineers for the first time, ran for a
            season-high 74 yards and was 15-of-17 passing for 177 yards.

            The Hokies avoided the many turnovers and penalties they had in
            2003 when they also were ranked third and were beaten 28-7, the
            highest-ranked opponent West Virginia had ever defeated. The
            celebration of the win was marred when more than 100 fires were set
            after that midweek game in Morgantown.

            The schools have met every year since 1973 but Tech's move to
            the Atlantic Coast Conference last year and the subsequent addition
            of other teams to the Big East made it more difficult for the two
            schools to schedule each other.

            This time, Virginia Tech (5-0) gave the sellout crowd little
            reason to celebrate. The Hokies never trailed and kept the
            Mountaineers offense off the field for most of the second half.

            Vick efficiently guided long scoring drives on Virginia Tech's
            first two possessions after halftime. His 23-yard scramble set up
            Cedric Humes' 4-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter for the
            final margin.

            West Virginia (4-1) failed to score a second-half touchdown for
            the second straight game and the third time this season.

            West Virginia managed just seven yards on its first three
            offensive series. Vick, who went 9-of-10 for 115 yards in the first
            half, ran for a 10-yard score after Pernell Williams fumbled deep
            in Mountaineer territory on West Virginia's second possession.

            West Virginia quarterback Adam Bednarik was knocked out of the
            game in the second quarter when he was hit going out of bounds and
            hurt his left shoulder.

            The Mountaineers came back behind backup Pat White. Virginia
            Tech's defense had allowed just two touchdowns all season, but West
            Virginia matched that in the second quarter.

            Two Mountaineer receivers made their first career catches -- both
            touchdowns -- to temporarily keep the score close. Michael
            Villagrana caught a 2-yard TD pass and Dorrell Jalloh split two
            defenders and went 46 yards to cut the deficit to 17-14.

            But West Virginia's Antonio Lewis let a punt go off his chest
            and D.J. Parker recovered for the Hokies at the Mountaineers' 30.
            Vick needed just four plays to make West Virginia pay, hitting
            Eddie Royal with a 16-yard TD reception for a 24-14 halftime lead.

            Freshman Steve Slaton, part of a five-back rotation, provided
            much of West Virginia's second-half offense on one play -- a 44-yard
            run in which he broke three tackles. But the Mountaineers managed
            only a short field goal on the series, their only points of the
            second half.

            Slaton led all rushers with 90 yards on 11 carries. Humes led
            Virginia Tech with 79 yards on 22 carries.