Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412290132
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SHREVEPORT, LA. LENGTH: Long
The Cavaliers, 20-10 winners over Texas Christian in the Independence Bowl, will learn Tuesday if they receive their highest season-ending ranking ever.
``We had a sense of urgency going into this game, especially because of the fact we had lost our final regular-season game,'' said George Welsh, Virginia's coach. ``This was a good win against a good team. Maybe it will get us into the top 15.''
UVa finished the season with as many as nine victories for only the third time in school history and should improve on its No.18 position in the final regular-season poll. UVa's highest previous finish was 18th after the 1989 season.
The Cavaliers (9-3) held the Southwest Conference's leading offense to 198 yards in handing the Horned Frogs (7-5) only the second loss in their past seven games.
``I've been to a lot of bowls in my career and this ranks at the top of my list,'' said Ryan Kuehl, one of several Cavaliers who originally felt snubbed by the Independence Bowl bid. ``Why? Because we won it.''
The victory ended a string of four bowl losses for UVa, which led by as many as 17 points - 20-3 - after Rafael Garcia's field goal with 3 minutes, 56 seconds left in the third quarter.
``It could have been a blowout,'' said UVa center Bryan Heath, referring to three trips inside the TCU 5-yard line that resulted in two field goals, ``but all we were looking for was the win.''
The Cavaliers, up 10-3 at the half, had taken a two-touchdown lead in the third period on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Mike Groh to Tyrone Davis - the 30th touchdown reception of Davis' career - and Garcia's conversion kick.
``I was intense, maybe as intense as I've ever been,'' Groh said. ``It wasn't for the national championship, but it meant a lot to us.''
Groh was named the offensive player of the game after completing 14 of 23 passes for 198 yards. Mike Frederick of UVa was named the defensive player of the game, but it was a team effort by the Cavaliers, who held TCU tailback Andre Davis to fewer than 100 yards for the first time in his past six games.
``We didn't feel they could go the length of the field on us,'' Frederick said. ``The only way they could hurt hurt us was with big plays.''
A heavy rain let up just before kickoff, then resumed to varying degrees throughout the night. The footing was surprisingly good, but a swirling wind was a factor from the start.
The Cavaliers dominated the early play before a crowd of 27,242, but needed a 20-yard field goal by Garcia to break a scoreless tie with 10:20 remaining before halftime.
Garcia had missed a 36-yard attempt, but the Cavaliers quickly went on the move again, reaching the Horned Frogs' 6 on a leaping grab and 17-yard gain by Patrick Jeffers.
An illegal-procedure call pushed Virginia back to the 11, but a Charles Way burst gave the Cavaliers second-and-goal at the 3. UVa stalled at that point and had to kick the field goal.
A stout defense kept the Cavaliers in control until the offense got going. TCU had four first downs in the first half, punted seven times and had two completions.
Horned Frogs quarterback Max Knake, seventh in NCAA Division I-A in passing efficiency, was 0-for-7 before he completed his first pass with 2:26 left in the half.
Virginia had scored moments earlier on a 6-yard run by Way that capped a five-play, 80-yard drive. The key play was a career-long 52-yard run by tailback Kevin Brooks, credited with the longest non-scoring run in Independence Bowl history.
TCU gained some momentum before the half, when freshman Michael Reeder kicked a 43-yard field goal as time ran out. The Horned Frogs had gotten into scoring position when UVa defensive back Sam McKiver was penalized for holding.
McKiver, a sophomore, was making the first start of his career as part of a patchwork UVa pass defense. The Cavaliers did not start any of the players who ranked 1-2-3 in the ACC in interceptions: Ronde Barber, Joe Crocker and James Farrior.
Farrior entered the game on TCU's third offensive series, and Crocker made his first appearance on the Horned Frogs' next series. Barber was not in uniform as the result of a sprained foot suffered Saturday in practice.
Seldom-used Joe Williams, a redshirt freshman, started in Barber's place and had an uneventful first half. Knake was 2-of-13 for 22 yards as Virginia outgained the Horned Frogs 234 yards to 87.
A seven-point margin did not reflect a first half in which UVa had the ball for nearly 18 minutes and ran 39 plays to the Horned Frogs' 28. Brooks and Way had a combined 160 yards at the break.
A major factor was the punting of TCU junior Beau Stephens, who averaged only 34.9 yards on his seven punts, but saw three kicks roll dead inside the 20-yard line - two inside the 10.
``This was important for the staff,''Welsh said. ``It's one thing to keep going to bowls, but once in a while you'd like to win one.''
see microfilm for box score
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB