THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509100226
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
Saturday, North Carolina State blinked.
And Virginia roared back in the final 75 seconds to defeat the Wolfpack by an eyelash, 29-24, and by the look in quarterback Mike Groh's eyes.
For a while, the second half seemed a repeat of last year's game in Charlottesville when the Wolfpack rebounded from a 19-7 halftime deficit for a 30-27 victory.
And some nervous Virginia fans in the northeast corner of sweaty Carter-Finley Stadium no doubt were thinking back to a couple of weeks ago, when the Cavaliers blew a 17-point lead in a loss to Michigan.
Even some Cavaliers players admitted to a sinking feeling - until they looked into Groh's eyes before the final drive.
``I didn't know if we could do it or not until I looked into his eyes,'' Tiki Barber said. ``I knew then he wasn't going to let us lose.''
The game was the ACC opener for both schools and left 16th-ranked Virginia 2-1 overall; 23rd-ranked State is 1-1.
The wild finish had fans on both sides squirming, but it was just what Groh wanted.
``That is what I live for,'' Groh said of the dramatic 69-yard march, in which he completed five straight passes before handing off to tailback Barber twice to cap the winning drive.
The Wolfpack, which trailed 20-7 at intermission, took the lead for the second time in the final quarter on a 31-yard field goal by kicker Mark Primanti with 75 seconds remaining.
Speedy Pete Allen, who had given Virginia good starting positions most of the day with his kickoff returns, brought the ball out to the 31.
Groh missed his first pass to Pat Jeffers and had his second pass to Allen deflected.
It was third and 10, still 69 yards away, and time was running down.
But Groh didn't blink. He kept that look of confidence and hit Germane Crowell for 12 yards and a first down.
The winning drive was under way: Groh to Jeffers for 15 over the middle, Groh to Jeffers for 7 on the sidelines, Groh to Jeffers again for 8, and Groh to Jeffers for 9 more and a first down at the 18.
With 23 seconds left, the day-glow green goal posts were within easy range of field-goal kicker Raphael Garcia's left foot.
But Virginia, with two timeouts remaining, had other plans.
Offensive coordinator Tom O'Brien called a tailback draw that surprised the reeling Wolfback. Barber sped within a half-foot of the end zone before being pulled down.
``The offensive line did a tremendous job, and State never knew what was coming,'' Barber said. ``It was just a great call.''
On the next play Groh went to Barber again for the final 6 inches and the victory.
``It has been a long time since I have jumped up and down on the sidelines like that,'' a smiling and sweat-soaked coach George Welsh said. ``We've won some games but it's been a while since we have won one like this.''
The Cavaliers got off to a quick start, scoring on their first four possessions for a 20-7 lead with 7:09 left in the second period. They had the opportunity to score again when cornerback Joe Crocker recovered a State fumble at the Wolfpack 40.
In a move that he would later regret, Welsh sent reserve Tim Sherman in at quarterback to rest Groh. But Sherman couldn't get anything going and was sacked on the 36 on third down to leave the Cavaliers out of field-goal range.
After that, North Carolina State was a different team.
The Wolfpack revised its offense at half time, stressing a running game.
State went 94 yards late in the third period for one touchdown, and came back on its next possession for an 84-yard drive to take a 21-20 lead.
Garcia returned the lead to Virginia with his third field goal, a 42-yarder, with 5:29 remaining, but State came back to lead again on Primanti's field goal.
``I was just glad that we had the chance to get the ball back one final time,'' Groh said. ``I am the kind of guy who wants the ball at the end with enough time to win it.''
What did Groh tell his teammates when they huddled briefly before beginning the last drive?
``I just said that we were going to win this game, and everything was OK,'' he recalled.
Groh said the real heroes of the drive were his offensive linemen.
``They gave me that extra half-second that I needed and the receivers needed to get open,'' he said. ``Please make sure you say something nice about them.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
LAWRENCE JACKSON/Staff
Tiki Barber of Virginia had 24 carries for 130 yards Saturday in the
Cavaliers' 29-24 win over N.C. State.
by CNB