THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996 TAG: 9609290203
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: 85 lines
Tiki Barber refueled his Heisman Trophy bid with a high-octane performance Saturday night as he led No. 19 Virginia to a stunning 37-13 victory over No. 13 Texas.
Barber ripped off three first-quarter touchdowns in front of a noisy, rain-drenched homecoming crowd of 45,200 in Scott Stadium to give the Cavaliers (4-0) an early start on avenging last year's last-play, one-point loss in Austin.
``We knew we had to get off to a good start, and we wanted to put it out of their reach so there would not be any last-second field goal this time,'' Barber said.
The Longhorns (2-2) eventually devoted enough attention to Barber to contain him, but they never could emerge from the hole he put them in.
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Barber finished with 121 rushing yards, marking the fourth straight game in which he has gone over 100 yards.
He also caught five passes for another 52 yards.
Barber said he hoped the decisive victory would silence critics who have suggested the Cavaliers do not belong among the national powers.
``This should put us on the board and get rid of the doubters out there,'' Barber said.
``I think the way we came out typified how we felt about this game.''
While Barber was powering an offense directed masterfully by senior quarterback Tim Sherman, the Cavaliers defense was at its usual brilliance.
The Longhorns were forced into six turnovers while Virginia had only one, a meaningless fumble on the game's final play.
But it was Barber, showing flash and smash on his touchdown runs, who had the crowd on its feet, especially in the electrifying first period.
Both Barber's performance and the festive atmosphere were reminiscent of last year's victory under the lights over Florida State.
In that game, Barber introduced himself to a national television audience as a potential Heisman candidate by rushing for 193 yards and gaining 311 yards overall.
``It is in the big games that you have to be at your best if you want to be taken seriously as a Heisman candidate,'' Barber had said earlier in the week.
Barber's touchdowns came on runs of 16, 26, and 12 yards as he bounced off some would-be tacklers and ran away from others.
``His second touchdown was really spectacular,'' Virginia coach George Welsh said.
Sherman, who had been inconsistent in Virginia's first three wins, helped to relieve the defensive pressure on Barber with accurate passing.
Sherman opened the game with a 31-yard strike to Germane Crowell, completed three passes during the first touchdown drive.
He also had key completions in each of the other first-half scoring drives.
A 17-yard toss to tight end Walt Derey set kicker Rafael Garcia up for a 30-yard field goal and a 24-0 lead early in the second period.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers' defense had Texas quarterback James Brown singing the blues.
Safety Anthony Poindexter got the Cavaliers started on their first touchdown drive by intercepting Brown's second pass of the game.
Linebacker James Farrior's pick led to Garcia's second-period field goal.
Brown was so ineffective that Longhorns coach John Mackovic replaced him with sophomore Richard Walton early in the second period.
Walton immediately shifted the Longhorns offense into gear. He took them to the Virginia 22, but kicker Phil Dawson, whose 50-yard boot beat the Cavaliers last year, missed from 39 out.
Dawson was good a couple of minutes later on a 37-yarder to end a drive that began after Tony Holmes blocked a punt by Virginia's Will Brice.
Walton stayed in the game for the second half and immediately led the Longhorns on a 71-yard scoring drive that required only 93 seconds.
The Longhorns, though, could get only one more field goal while the Cavaliers padded their lead with Sherman's 24-yard touchdown run and two more field goals by Garcia. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Virginia's Tiki Barber celebrates his third touchdown of the first
quarter in the Cavaliers' 37-13 victory over Texas on Saturday.
Barber finished with 121 yards rushing and caught five passes for 52
yards as the Cavaliers raised their record to 4-0.
Photo
HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Texas' Michael Adams couldn't come up with this pass, which was then
intercepted by Ronde Barber of Virginia, left. by CNB