College football

Hokies in title game on second-half surge

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Cedric Humes ran for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns and No.5 Virginia Tech advanced to the conference championship game with a 30-3 victory against North Carolina on Saturday night.

The Hokies led only 6-3 at halftime, but Humes scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards and Branden Ore added a TD run, all in the third quarter, as Virginia Tech made certain it didn't squander a second chance to win the Coastal Division.

The Hokies feared they had blown their chance three weeks ago when they lost 27-7 to Miami, but the Hurricanes lost at home last weekend against Georgia Tech.

While the Hokies moved to the inaugural championship game Saturday in Jacksonville against Florida State, the Tar Heels failed to become the ninth conference team to have the six wins needed for a bowl berth.

Virginia Tech will seek its second ACC title in as many years since joining the league.

The Hokies that came out after halftime would be a formidable foe for anyone, even though Marcus Vick was hardly a factor, finishing 8-of-15 for 61 yards.

Humes carried on six plays the first time the Hokies got the ball after the half. He had runs of 11, 9 and 13 yards to start the drive and finished with a 1-yard dive.

After the Tar Heels went three and out, Ore took over at tailback, carrying seven times for 42 yards, including a 20-yard burst, before scoring from 4 yards.

No. 13 Georgia 14,

No. 20 Ga. Tech 7

ATLANTA - D.J. Shockley threw a 19-yard touchdown to Bryan McClendon with 3:18 left and Tim Jennings clinched the victory with an interception at the goal line for the Bulldogs.

Georgia defeated its state rival for the fifth year in a row.

Both teams scored in the first quarter, then slogged it out much of the night in a field-position battle. Finally, Georgia Tech cracked.

Thomas Flowers, who had two big punt returns in the second half, broke off a 33-yarder that gave the Bulldogs possession on the Georgia Tech 39. Shockley converted a key third down with an 8-yard pass to Mario Raley.

On second and 5 from the 19, Shockley laid the ball out perfectly for McClendon.

N.C. STATE 20, MARYLAND 14: Toney Baker had the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard leap over the pile, Marcus Hudson returned one of his two interceptions 28 yards for a clinching score and the host Wolfpack won its sixth game to become bowl eligible.

Mario Williams tied his school record with four sacks for North Carolina State, which allowed minus-6 yards in the third quarter. Despite losing four of its first six, it likely will return to a bowl for the fifth time in six seasons under coach Chuck Amato after missing out in 2004.

[Last modified November 27, 2005, 01:18:21]