Virginia Tech sets sight on trip to New Orleans

The Hokies likely are headed to the Sugar Bowl after they beat Miami.
MIAMI (AP) -- Bryan Randall grabbed a set of Mardi Gras beads and waved them aloft, while his teammates exalted in the prospect of a trip to New Orleans.
The Hokies beat Miami for the second straight year -- and a Bowl Championship Series spot, one that Virginia Tech let slip away by collapsing down the stretch a year ago, is the reward.
Randall threw two touchdown passes, including a 39-yard strike to Eddie Royal that put Virginia Tech ahead to stay in its 16-10 victory over the Hurricanes on Saturday.
The Hokies capped their first Atlantic Coast Conference season by winning the league title.
No. 10 Virginia Tech (10-2, 7-1) will learn today which BCS bowl it's headed to; the likely choice is the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3 in New Orleans. Miami -- which was bidding for a fifth straight BCS berth -- will play Florida in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve.
"To come into this great stadium, against a great football team and to be able to hold on and win the ACC outright is a special feeling for us," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. "It was their time. Things bounced our way, but I think we made things bounce our way."
Talk is cheap
The ninth-ranked Hurricanes (8-3, 5-3) talked volumes about avenging last year's humbling 31-7 loss in Blacksburg and making Virginia Tech pay for waving an "ACC Champions" sign on its sideline following last week's win against Virginia that clinched a share of the conference crown.
Miami came up empty on all counts, and lost its home finale for just the second time since 1985.
"We've got the ACC all by ourselves," said Randall, who completed 11-of-18 passes for 148 yards. "There's no question who the champions are, who's the better team or who should have won this game."
Virginia Tech entered the game with the ACC's top scoring defense, and thoroughly frustrated Miami's offense. Miami quarterback Brock Berlin completed 16-of-31 passes for 139 yards -- 98 off his season overage. The Hurricanes managed only 51 yards rushing on 22 attempts.
"We weren't able to run the ball effectively or pass the ball effectively. ... We just didn't do enough things to allow ourselves to win the football game," Miami coach Larry Coker said.
Cedric Humes added 110 rushing yards for the Hokies, who were picked to finish sixth in the ACC before the season and won their final eight games to cap a surprising title run.
They also beat Miami for the seventh time in the teams' last 10 meetings.
Berlin threw to Talib Humphrey for 24 yards on Miami's first play; the Hurricanes wouldn't have another play exceed 17 yards all afternoon. Miami finished with 190 yards, only 110 coming in the final three quarters, plus a season-low seven first downs.
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