THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 3, 1995 TAG: 9511030657
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
The ACC isn't Florida State and the eight dwarfs any more.
Virginia (7-3, 6-1) upset the No. 2-ranked Seminoles 33-28 Thursday night. It was the Seminoles' first conference loss after 29 consecutive victories.
The victory, one of the most wildly celebrated in Scott Stadium, left the No. 24 Cavaliers within one game of clinching at least a tie in the ACC and may have cost the Seminoles (7-1, 5-1) a chance for their second national title in three years.
Virginia, which had prepped for its giant-killing role in last-play losses to Michigan and Texas, averted a similar heartbreak by stopping Florida State's Warrick Dunn inches from the goal line on the final play.
Freshman defense back Adrian Burnim slammed into Dunn just as he was about to cross the goal line.
Virginia had led since taking a 17-14 lead with 11:16 left in the second quarter on the first of three field goals by Rafael Garcia.
Garcia's final field goal with 6:57 remaining gave Virginia a 33-21 lead.
Then, Florida State quarterback Danny Kanell broke out of a second-half slump and hustled the explosive Seminoles 80 yards in only 44 seconds, with Dunn scoring on a 7-yard run.
That cut Virginia's lead to 33-28, which seemed enough when free safety Percy Ellsworth intercepted a Kanell pass with 2:36 left.
But Virginia ran only 52 seconds off the clock before having to punt.
The Seminoles began a final effort to salvage the victory from their 20 with 1:37 left.
Kanell completed five passes to move the Seminoles to the Virginia 12 with nine seconds left.
Virginia took a penalty for having too many players on the field, giving the Seminoles a first down on the 6.
Kanell threw out of the end zone to stop the clock with four seconds left and Virginia fans had to be chased off the field so the final play could be run.
The snap went directly to Dunn, who was hit just short of the end zone.
Some Seminoles contended that Dunn had crossed the line before being knocked back, but television replays indicated he failed to do so.
Virginia linebacker Skeet Jones said he knew Florida State was going to run a draw on the final play.
``I just went in and made a pile and my teammates came,'' Jones said. ``I knew that he wasn't in for the touchdown.''
The second-half was a defensive struggle, with Virginia getting only two field goals and Florida State a lone touchdown. That after the opening half was dominated by the offenses.
Kanell threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, but he connected on only 4 of 14 passes for 14 yards until the Seminoles' fourth-quarter scoring drive.
The workhorse for the Virginia offense was tailback Tiki Barber, who rushed for 193 yards on 31 carries. He also caught three passes for 45 yards and returned six punts for 73 yards.
``It is just a feeling of ecstacy in our dressing room,'' he said.
``It is probably the best feeling I've ever had in my life.''
Virginia quarterback Mike Groh passed for 302 yards and two touchdowns. But, like Kanell, he had three passes intercepted.
``The crowd was amazing. That is a college football crowd,'' he said. ``I know the team appreciates it, and I appreciate it.''
Ellsworth, who had two interceptions, said, ``I knew if we kept playing hard things were going to fall our way sooner or later. Tonight it happened.''
Coming into the game, Virginia coach George Welsh had predicted that the Cavaliers would need help from the Seminoles to win the game.
But it was Florida State that needed help to stay in the game.
The Seminoles scored their first two touchdowns after Virginia turnovers, and the Cavaliers spoiled another scoring opportunity in the final seconds of the first half with an interception.
Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said he thought his team would wear down the Cavaliers in the second half.
But Virginia dominated most of the final half, finally getting to Kanell for a couple of sacks and pressuring him on other occasions.
``(Virginia) is a good football team,'' Bowden said. ``They could easily be 10-0.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS color photo
Virginia's Ronde Barber breaks up a pass intended for Florida
State's Damian Harrell in the first half. The Cavaliers' defense
came up with three turnovers to help fuel the upset and likely end
the Seminoles' national championship hopes.
ASSOCIATED PRESS photos
Florida State's Philip Riley steps through the tackle of Virginia's
Ronde Barber for a first-half gain.
Virginia's Tiki Barber rushed for 193 yards on 31 carries and added
45 yards in catches and 79 in punt returns.
by CNB