Seminoles hold off Hurricanes

By Associated Press  |  October 5, 2008

Antone Smith rushed for a career-best four touchdowns, including a game-clinching 20-yarder with 3:57 remaining, and visiting Florida State wasted most of an early 24-point lead before hanging on to beat Miami, 41-39, yesterday.

Smith - who scored three TDs last week - finished with 92 yards on 27 carries for the Seminoles (4-1, 1-1 ACC), who handed Miami its second straight home loss. Christian Ponder ran for 144 yards, becoming the first FSU quarterback since Charlie Ward in 1992 to run for triple figures, and Tony Carter picked off two passes for the Seminoles.

Travis Benjamin had an 18-yard touchdown run on an end-around, caught a 51-yard TD pass from running back Graig Cooper, and finished with 274 all-purpose yards for Miami (2-3, 0-2), which has lost 12 of its last 15 conference games.

The Hurricanes closed to 34-32 with eight minutes remaining. Two botched snaps on Florida State punts led to Miami points, Sean Spence ran an interception in for a touchdown, and the Hurricanes seemed poised for what would have been an enormous rally. But Smith sealed the win with a third-down run up the middle.

Virginia Tech 27, Western Kentucky 13 - At Blacksburg, Va., Darren Evans ran for two TDs, quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw for another, and the 20th-ranked Hokies defeated the Hilltoppers.

David Wolke was just 7 of 19 for 49 yards for Western Kentucky (2-4). Dexter Taylor and Bobby Rainey combined to carry 22 times for 150 yards.

Dustin Keys had field goals of 22 and 27 yards for Virginia Tech (5-1), which lost starting tailback Kenny Lewis Jr. to a ruptured Achilles' tendon in the third quarter.

Virginia 31, Maryland 0 - Marc Verica threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Cavaliers (2-3, 1-1), who had been outscored, 128-20, in three previous games against Bowl Subdivision teams, stunned the visiting Terrapins (4-2, 1-1).

Georgia Tech 27, Duke 0 - Jaybo Shaw had 230 yards passing on nine completions, all to Demaryius Thomas, and Jonathan Dwyer ran for a career-best 159 yards as the host Yellow Jackets (4-1, 2-1) beat the Blue Devils (3-2, 1-1).