MIAMI GARDENS - Virginia Tech brought two quarterbacks to the FedEx Orange Bowl, but neither Sean Glennon nor Tyrod Taylor was effective enough to help the Hokies avoid a 24-21 loss to Kansas.
Since the Hokies instituted the two-quarterback system against Florida State in the 10th game of the season, it was the first game where neither one could ignite the offense.
Between them, their turnovers were converted into 17 Kansas points.
Branden Ore gained 48 yards and scored a touchdown before the half to close the gap to 17-7, and Harper’s 84-yard punt return pulled the Hokies within 17-14.
Glennon gave the Jayhawks the opportunity to seal the game when Justin Thornton intercepted his pass intended for Harper and returned it 30.
Todd Reesing ran 2 yards for a 24-14 with 10:57 to play.
The deficit was too big for the Hokies to overcome.
Miller Says Goodbye
James Miller, a graduate of Fort Lauderdale High, ended his playing and coaching career at Virginia Tech at a familiar place.
An offensive lineman (2002-2004), Miller has been a graduate assistant for the Hokies the past two seasons.
“I’m ecstatic that it ended before my family and friends,” Miller said.
“What happened to me at Virginia Tech was a dream come true. It’s sad to leave, but I’ll take away some great memories.”
Miller, who begins a job as an assistant at UNC-Pembroke in a couple of days, played and in the school’s first BCS bowl as ACC champs, a 16-13 loss to Auburn, in the 2005 Nokia Sugar Bowl.
Rare mistake
The 60-yard interception touchdown was the first allowed by the Hokies in a bowl game since the 1968 Liberty Bowl when Miami’s Bob Bailey returned one 70 yards. …
The Hokies were the home team but chose to wear white jerseys. They were 5-0 on the road in white jerseys.
They wore maroon in a 48-7 loss at LSU. …
LB Vince Hall, who tweaked in his left knee on a Jet Ski on Saturday, started.
Hannah, Davis Inducted
Hall of Fame offensive lineman John Hannah of Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback Steve Davis were inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame.
Former Jayhawks Gale Sayers, Bobby Douglass and John Riggins were in attendance. Bruce Smith, DeAngelo Hall, Bryan Randall and David Clowney led a large contingent of former Hokie players. Sayers and Smith were honorary captains.
It was a rough start for the Hokies in the 74th Annual FedEx Orange Bowl starting with an interception return for a touchdown. Virginia Tech made a strong comeback at the beginning of the second half and late in the game, but it was too little too late as Tech fell to Kansas in a heartbreaker 24-21.
Glennon had two interceptions in the loss. Tech’s quarterbacks threw three on the day.
The Hokies opened up the FedEx Orange Bowl receiving the kickoff. The kickoff couldn’t have gone much better for the Hokies as Eddie Royal took the ball 59-yards to the Kansas 41 before being pushed out by the kicker.
Tech moved the ball a bit closer as Sean Glennon hit Justin Harper for 11-yards to get the ball to the Jayhawk 26. That’s when Tyrod Taylor came into the game and got sacked on back to back plays to push the ball out of field goal range.
After the punt, Kansas got their first possession at their own 20 and Todd Reesing came out with six straight passes to move the ball to midfield. Kansas followed that up with three runs and another Reesing pass to get the ball to the Tech 27. That’s where Scott Webb attempted a 44-yard field goal, but it was wide left.
With 6:44 left in the first quarter, Tech started out their second possession with two Kenny Lewis Jr. runs for 12-yards total. Tyrod Taylor then hit Royal for 11-yards. But two plays later the freshman attempted a pass to the right sideline for Justin Harper. Aqib Talib jumped the pass and returned the interception 60-yards for the first score of the game, giving Kansas a 7-0 lead at the 5:42 mark.
After another solid Royal return for 28-yards, Tech started the possession at their own 45. Glennon had a surefire touchdown to Josh Morgan, but the pass was dropped. On the next play, Glennon hit Harper for a 24-yard pickup to get the Hokies within field goal range. Jud Dunlevy attempted the 49-yarder, but was short. Talib was back in the endzone waiting for it and returned the attempt to the Kansas 31.
Tech got the ball back quickly following a Kansas three and out, but the Hokies gave it right back when Chris Harris intercepted Sean Glennon. Harris returned the pick to the Virginia Tech 31.
It didn’t take long for the Jayhawks to take advantage of the field position moving the ball to the Tech 14 before settling for a Webb 32-yard field goal. The kick gave Kansas a 10-0 led with 12:04 remaining in the half.
The Hokies would continue to struggle, going on a three and out on their next possession. Talib returned Brent Bowden’s punt 17-yards to the Kansas 41. Todd Reesing hooked up with Jake Sharp and Dezmon Briscoe for 18-yards and 14-yards on their way to the Virginia Tech 13. On third and five, Reesing hit Marcus Henry for a 13-yard touchdown. The score put Kansas out in front 17-0 with 7:08 left before the break.
Virginia Tech started the next drive from their 33 and following a quick three-yard gain to Morgan from Glennon, the Hokies gave Kansas a heavy dose of Branden Ore. Ore, who returned to the game in the second quarter after a suspension in the first ran it six straight times and 11 of the next 12 plays, ripping up chunks of yards with multiple gains of four, six, eight and 10-yards. With 1:55 left, Ore took a one yard run up the gut to jam in the Hokies first score and cut the the Jayhawk lead to 17-7.
The Jayhawks got the ball back, but ran out the clock and headed to the locker room.
While they struggled in the first half, Virginia Tech was ready in the second with a big-time defense and the emergence of Beamerball.
Kansas started with the ball at their 23 and Reesing started out with two solid gains of six and 12-yards, but then Macho Harris caught Talib in the backfield for a six yard loss. That was followed up by an Orion Martin sack and a Hokie deflection on a Reesing deep pass.
Reesing accounted for two touchdowns for the Jayhawks.
Kansas punted the ball on fourth and 18. Eddie Royal went back for the return, caught it and headed right, Justin Harper came on the reverse and Royal gave him the pitch. A wall was set up on the left side and Harper slipped a tackle and took the return 84-yards for a touchdown. The score cut Kansas’s lead to three, 17-14 with 11:56 remaining in the third.
Kansas received the ball at the 20 after the kickoff. Reesing had a tough time once again, throwing a dangerous pass that was nearly intercepted by Kam Chancellor and then being swung for a sacked by Carlton Powell. A short gain forced Kansas to punt on fourth and 10 from the 20.
Following the punt, Virginia Tech started the drive from the Tech 33. Branden Ore took the first run 14-yards and then the Hokies got a pass interference call against Harris on the next play. Glennon threw a deep ball on the very next play, first and 10 from the 47 to Eddie Royal in double coverage with Talib and Justin Thornton having position. Thornton appeared to have a sure interception, but the ball was bobbled on Royal and Greg Boone jumped on it for the Hokies to get the 37-yard gain.
Tech struggled from there settling for a field goal on fourth and one from the Kansas seven. Dunlevy’s attempt would be blocked by Joe Mortensen who came unblocked in the middle. The block kept the score 17-14 with 7:05 remaining in the third.
The Tech defense stepped up once again forcing the Jayhawks to a quick three and out.
Virginia Tech received the ball at their 31, but struggled to move the ball past midfield. Tech punted it away six plays later.
Kansas got the ball back at their own 12 and on their first play from scrimmage, Reesing hit Fields in stride for a 37-yard pickup to the Kansas 49. Tech forced Kansas to a fourth and 10 from there, but the Jayhawks pulled out a trick having Brandon McAnderson throw a pass to Micah Brown for a 22-yard pickup.
The play resulted in a first down at the Tech 29. On the very next play, Reesing hooked up with Fields once again for a 28-yarder that went out at the one. That’s where things fell apart for the Jayhawks. First and goal from the one, McAnderson was spun at the goal line, but fumbled it back to the five.
On the play, Kansas committed a personal foul to push them back to the 20. The next play they added a 10-yard penalty to push them back to the thirty. Things only got worse from there as Reesing threw to the left and hit D.J. Parker for an interception at the 12.
The Hokies struggled on the subsequent possession picking up two first downs before being forced to punt from the Tech 34. Kansas went on a quick three and out and then punted the ball. The kick was downed at the Hokie nine.
After an Ore two-yard run, two plays later Glennon was intercepted by Thornton who returned the pass 30-yards down to the Tech two. On the first play from scrimmage, Reesing took the ball himself and dove through two Tech defenders for the touchdown giving Kansas a 24-14 lead with 11:01 remaining in the game.
Tech received started with the ball at the 33, but struggled from there with a five-yard penalty and then a sack on Glennon. Tech was forced to punt on fourth and 15 from the Tech 28.
Kansas started with the ball at their 28 following the punt. On the first play from there McAnderson found a huge hole in the Hokie defense and broke open for 27-yards. That was the first of six consecutive runs that got the Jayhawks to the Tech 22. On fourth and two from the 22, Reesing attempted a pass down the middle but it was tipped away.
The Hokies started with the ball from there with 5:51 left in the game. Glennon passed on 11 of 15 plays in the drive starting with a nine-yard pass to Morgan. Glennon hit three other receivers on the drive including Harper, Ore and Boone. Down 10 with 3:16 remaining, Glennon hit Justin Harper in midfield for a touchdown to close the gap to three, 24-21.
Tech attempted an onside kick, but the ball went straight to the Jayhawks who recovered it at the Hokie 43 with 2:59 left. Kansas closed the deal gaining four first downs to cap the victory.
Talib made plays all over the field for Kansas on Thursday night.
The game was even throughout as both teams had similar yardage numbers, 345 total yards for Kansas to Virginia Tech’s 306. Kansas ran for 104-yards while Tech posted 131. The Jayhawks passed for 241-yards to the Hokies 175. The real difference was turnovers. Kansas had one to Tech’s three, including two that resulted in touchdowns.
Todd Reesing went 21-of-39 for 219-yards, one touchdown and one interception. He added a touchdown on the ground. Sean Glennon led the Hokies going 14-of-29 for 164-yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Tyrod Taylor was just 1-of-3 for 11-yards and one interception.
On the ground, Ore led all rushers with 23 carries for 114-yards and a touchdown. Brandon McAnderson posted 79-yards rushing in the game.
Dezmon Fields led all receivers with seven receptions for 100-yards. Kansas had nine players record receptions in the game. Virginia Tech had eight players haul in receptions. Justin Harper led the way with four for 64-yards and a score.