THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412290539
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN
DATELINE: SHREVEPORT, LA. LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
Texas Christian coach Pat Sullivan went to bed Tuesday night praying for rain, believing it would help his Horned Frogs in their Independence Bowl game against Virginia.
``We're the underdog, and anything might help,'' Sullivan explained.
Sullivan got the rain he wanted, but Virginia still got the victory it wanted to establish itself as one of the most successful teams in school history.
The Cavaliers sloshed through the mud in Independence Stadium for a 20-10 victory Wednesday night to end a four-game bowl losing streak and complete the season with a 9-3 record.
Only the 1989 Virginia team, with 10 victories, won more games in a season, but it lost to Illinois in the Citrus Bowl.
Heavy rains soaked the field during the day and more showers fell during the game as TCU of the Southwest Conference finished with a 7-5 record.
Bowl officials said 36,000 tickets were sold but only 27,242 fans braved the wet and windy night to watch the event.
The Cavaliers, the highest-ranked (18th) team to play in the Independence Bowl, ignored the swampy field conditions to take a 10-0 lead in the second period.
They never trailed in winning their first posteason game since the 1986 All-American Bowl, which no longer is played.
A defense that was the backbone of Virginia's success this season made life miserable for TCU junior quarterback Max Knake, who already owns most of the school's passing records.
Although the Cavaliers were without All-ACC freshman defensive back Ronde Barber, who missed the game with a foot injury, Knake completed only 8 of 24 passes for 65 yards.
Virginia senior defensive end Mike Frederick was named by the media as the game most valuable defensive player.
Offensively, Virginia got steady direction from quarterback Mike Groh and a 114-yard performance from tailback Kevin Brooks.
Groh, who took over the starting job from Symmion Willis in midseason, was named the most valuable offensive player in the game.
The redshirt junior put the game out of TCU's reach when he connected on a 37-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Tyrone Davis for a 17-3 lead early in the third period.
Groh completed 14 of 23 attempts for 199 yards.
Brooks, a former Great Bridge High School player, broke a 52-yard run late in the second quarter to set up the Cavaliers' only touchdown in the first half.
Brooks, a junior, was pulled down at the TCU 28 at the end of the longest run of his collegiate career.
It also was the longest nonscoring run in the Independence Bowl's 19-year history.
Fullback Charles Way took over for the next four carries and scored the touchdown on a 6-yard run.
The touchdown, following a 20-yard field by Rafael Garcia earlier in the period, gave Virginia a 10-0 lead.
Knake completed only two passes in the first half against the Cavaliers' patched-up secondary.
After missing on his first eight attempts, Knake completed his first pass, a 13-yarder to Brian Collins, with 2:33 remaining in the second period.
His other completion, for 9 yards, to Davis came as the Horned Frogs drove for their only score in the first half, a 43-yard field goal by Michael Reeder.
The field goal came with the help of a holding penalty against Virginia after TCU forced the Cavaliers to punt from their own end zone with 47 seconds remaining in the half.
On third down, Virginia's Sam McKiver was called for holding TCU receiver Chris Brasfield.
The Frogs used the 10-yard penalty to advance to Virginia's 25, from which Reeder made his successful kick as the first half ended.
Knake, who averaged 2.2 touchdowns per game in the season, avoided being shutout with a 1-yard pass to Collins in the fourth period.
That gave him a school-record 43 for his career. ILLUSTRATION: Color AP photo
Texas Christian's Mike Moulton stops Virginia's Kevin Brooks, a
Great Bridge High standout.
by CNB