Noel, Defense Team Up for Hokies; Quarterback Leads the Way for Sixth- Ranked Va. Tech in Rout of Boston College
Boston College 20Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Noel thrust both arms over his head with unprecedented enthusiasm after completing a touchdown pass to Andre Davis just more than five minutes into tonight's game. Noel wasn't just celebrating the lead, which No. 6 Virginia Tech promptly turned into a 34-20 win over Boston College. Rather, his jubilance came in response to months of questions -- despite the Hokies' undefeated record -- not only about his productivity but, more pointedly, his ability to throw the deep ball.</br></br>The 37-yard strike to Davis in the right corner of the end zone on the Hokies' opening drive quieted those concerns and ignited the sold- out crowd of 53,662 at Lane Stadium. It also sent Noel and the rest of the players on the sideline into a frenzy and prompted smiles from the three Rose Bowl representatives who were in attendance at a Virginia Tech game for the first time in school history.</br></br>"That's about as good as it gets," Noel said. "It was a great feeling. It was exactly what we needed to set the tempo for the game."</br></br>Noel added two more throws of 29 and 19 yards on the ensuing drive to move the Hokies (6-0, 3-0 Big East) into scoring position, and then ran it in himself from one yard to extend their lead to 14-0 with 7 minutes 56 seconds to play in the opening quarter.</br></br>That's when Virginia Tech's defense -- which was irritated this week by comments made by several Boston College offensive lineman who all but guaranteed a 100-yard performance by junior tailback William Green -- took over.