Miami Hurricanes ©	Virginia Tech Hokies
Played December 1, 2001 at Lane Stadium Blacksburg, Virginia

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Miami, FLA ©	2	20	7	0	.741	11	1	0	.917	7	3	0	.700	2	3	0	.400
Virginia Tech	0	0	5	0	.000					0	4	0	.000	0	1	0	.000

 

The top-ranked, 10-0 Miami Hurricanes of coach Larry Coker had only one obstacle left between them & a shot at the BCS Championship, the 14^th ranked, 8-2 Virginia Tech Hokies of coach Frank Beamer.  Miami had been on a mission to show the BCS they made a mistake in 2000 by not inviting them to the championship game & they needed only a win in Blacksburg to assure their spot in this season’s title match-up.  The Hurricanes survived a 4^th quarter rally to secure their spot in the BCS Championship with a 26-24 win to retain The Belt.  The Hokies scored the only points of the 1^st quarter with PK Carter Warley 27-yard field goal.  On the opening play of the 2^nd quarter, Virginia Tech's QB Grant Noel was intercepted by Miami's CB Phillip Buchanon at the Hurricanes' 45-yard line.  It took 6 plays to drive 55 yards with All-Big East QB Ken Dorsey connecting with All-Big East TE Jeremy Shockey on a 14-yard touchdown pass giving Miami a 7-3 lead.  Hurricanes' All-Big East RB Clinton Portis added a 7-yard touchdown run as Miami took a 14-3 lead before Hurricanes' All-Big East PK Todd Sievers added field goals from 34 & 43yards to give Miami a 20-3 halftime edge.  In the 3^rd quarter, the Hokies were driving for a score following a 56-yard run by Virginia Tech's RB Kevin Jones but Noel was intercepted by Hurricanes' DT William Joseph after a tipped pass.  On the next snap, Miami's Portis fumbled as Hokies' LB Ben Taylor recovered, his second fumble recovery of the game, at the Hurricanes' 19-yard line.  The 4-play drive included Virginia Tech's first 3rd down conversion of the game, a 14-yard run by RB Keith Burnell to Miami's 1-yard line before RB Jarrett Ferguson carried the final yard for the score cutting the Miami lead to 20-10.  Sievers kicked a 42-yard field goal & a 39-yard field goal as the Hurricanes' pushed their lead to 26-10 when the Hokies started their rally.  Ferguson scored from 1 yard with 8:33 to play & the 2-point conversion pass to WR Terrell Parnham made the score Miami 26, Virginia Tech 18.  With 6:03 to play, Hokies' CB Eric Green blocked a Hurricanes' punt & LB Brandon Manning returned it 22 yards for a touchdown.  The 2-point conversion failed as WR Ernest Wilford, who was wide open when Buchanon fell on coverage, dropped the pass from Noel leaving Virginia Tech trailing 26-24.  After a short punt gave the ball to the Hokies' at the Miami 49-yard line & still had a chance but with 4:18 to play, Miami's All-American S Ed Reed intercepted a Noel pass at the Hurricanes' 31-yard line & Miami held the ball until 0:20.  The Hokies got the ball back with 96 yards to go & the clock ran out before Virginia Tech could threaten a score giving Miami a 26-24 win.  Dorsey finished with 235 yards passing with a touchdown & Portis finished with 124 yards rushing with a touchdown but 2 fumbles.  For the Hokies, Noel finished with only 4 completions for 81 yards with 4 interceptions, a fumble, & he was sacked 5 times while Jones finished with 160 yards rushing.  Miami finished the season 12-0; Big East & National Champions while the Hokies finished 8-4 & ranked 18^th nationally.  Virginia Tech would play for The Belt again in 2002.