THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 6, 1996 TAG: 9610060224
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: 83 lines
Georgia Tech was better than Tiki Barber thought. Maybe even better than Barber and his Virginia teammates could have imagined.
Still, after Virginia's dream of a perfect season died on a wind-chilled Saturday at Grant Field in a 13-7 loss, no one suggested that the 12th-ranked Cavaliers had suffered a fatal case of over-confidence.
``We were ready to play,'' Barber said after a longer-than-normal post-game shower.
``Georgia Tech just came out and beat us. It had nothing to do with what I said. They are a good team and more aggressive than I expected.''
The Cavaliers dropped to 4-1, 2-1 ACC. Georgia Tech is 4-1, 4-1.
What Barber had said earlier in the week was that this would be an easy win for Virginia because it had ``the best coaches, best players, and best game plan.''
His comments were spread throughout Georgia Tech's locker room, and the players swarmed onto the field like a bunch of killer bees instead of Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech linebacker Keith Brooking said the motivation came from more than Barber's mouth. The Yellow Jackets had lost four straight to Virginia.
``It was a little payback for a lot of things over the last couple of years,'' Brooking said.
Georgia Tech had a 13-0 lead early in the second period and made it stand up for a victory over its highest ranking opponent since 1990 - the year they beat a No. 1-ranked Virginia team.
Barber said he thought the remarks he made earlier in the week actually had helped his teammates get up for the game.
``They said they were going to back me up. The defense did, too, but offensively we were just not clicking,'' he said.
Other than Barber, who scored Virginia's only touchdown on a l-yard run in the second period, the Cavaliers' offense was pathetic.
Time and again, the defense gave the offense opportunities in the second half to pull victory from the jaws of defeat and it just couldn't do it.
The last time came when Georgia Tech was forced to punt and the Cavs took over on their 41.
They moved to the Yellow Jacket 18 before quarterback Aaron Brooks, subbing for an injured Tim Sherman, ended the drive with two incomplete passes while needing only one yard for a first down.
``We played well enough defensively to win the game,'' Virginia coach George Welsh said.
``But the offense has to dig in and grind it out sometimes. We can't get it all from the defense.''
Except for Barber rushing for 124 yards, the only thing the rest of the offense could do was dig itself in so deep it couldn't get out.
Sherman threw three interceptions before injuring the thumb on his right hand and Brooks threw another to end a fourth-quarter drive on the Georgia Tech 27.
When the quarterbacks were on target, the receivers weren't.
On Brooks' interception, he threw to the inside as receiver Terrence Wilkins cut to the outside.
On the final offensive play, Brooks said he thought the arching pass to receiver Germane Crowell was ``catchable.''
A wide-open Derrick Byrd let a Sherman pass fall threw his hands with nothing but daylight between him and the end zone.
The Cavaliers botched other offensive opportunities with nine penalties that cost them 70 yards.
Georgia Tech's only touchdown came on a short 24-yard drive after Mike Dee intercepted a Sherman pass. The Yellow Jackets' other points were produced on 53- and 18-yard field goals by Dave Frakes.
``We had too many penalties, we didn't block well, and our passing game needs to improve,'' Welsh said.
``We had the chance to win with that last drive. We should have been able to take the ball in for a score, but we couldn't do it.''
The Cavaliers have their first open date next weekend before playing North Carolina State in Charlottesville on Oct. 19. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tiki Barber ran for 124 yards Saturday against Georgia Tech, but the
rest of Virginia's offense was stagnant in a 13-7 loss.
Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Georgia Tech linebacker Ron Rogers runs back his pickoff of Tim
Sherman - one of four thrown by Virginia quarterbacks. by CNB