Virginia Tech Rallies Past Syracuse, 22-14
10/21/2000 6:18:59 PM | Football
Freeney tallied six tackles on the evening and increased his season sack total to 13, which is good for fourth place on the school's single-season sack chart. His 16.5 career sacks are tied for eighth place at Syracuse.
Defensive end Duke Pettijohn posted one and one-half sacks and tied linebacker Clifton Smith with a team-high nine tackles. Pettijohn vaulted into a fourth-place tie on SU's all-time sack list with 20.5. The Hokies gained only 240 yards of total offense, a season-best for SU's defense. Virginia Tech's 75 yards passing is the lowest total Syracuse has allowed in 2000. The defense's eight sacks was the second-highest total in school history, tying SU's performances against Rutgers in 1998 and Boston College in 1981.
Syracuse's David Tyree (81) blocks a punt by Virginia Tech's Robert Peaslee (89)
as Syracuse's Pat Woodcock (16) moves around Virginia Tech's Brian Welch (34).
(AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli) |
The SU offense struck twice in the first quarter. Senior running back Dee Brown crossed the goal line first on a six-yard run with 7:11 remaining. The run capped a 93-yard scoring drive, tying SU's longest drive of the season. Syracuse also went 93 yards for a touchdown against Brigham Young. Maurice Jackson caught his second long pass of the night for Syracuse's second score, a 78-yard strike from quarterback Troy Nunes at the 2:21 mark. Jackson hauled in a 54-yard catch during SU's first scoring drive.
Virginia Tech held Syracuse scoreless for the rest of the evening. Hokies' kicker Carter Warley hit a 47-yard field goal with 7:17 left in the second quarter, making the score 14-3. Virginia Tech running back Lee Suggs scored twice in the third quarter. He ran five yards for a touchdown at the 6:24 mark, and scored with 2:49 remaining in the quarter from the one-yard line. On both occasions Michael Vick's two-point conversion passes failed, but the Hokies took the lead 15-14.
Vick's 55-yard touchdown run with 1:34 left in the game sealed the Virginia Tech victory.
Nunes passed the ball 25 times, completing 13, for 217 yards and four interceptions. Brown led SU's rushing attack with 71 yards on 19 carries. Nunes followed with 15 rushes for 33 yards.
Jackson finished the game with four receptions for 155 yards. Tight end Graham Manley tied a career-high with three receptions and gained 25 yards. Malik Campbell and Pat Woodcock each caught two passes for 17 yards.
