South Roundup : Clemson Runs By Va. Tech

Clemson ran down the stadium hill on Saturday for the 200th time. As usual, the Tigers didn’t stumble.

The fourth-ranked Tigers used a 24-point second-quarter outburst to beat Virginia Tech, 40-7, at Clemson, S.C., in the season opener. Clemson first ran down the hill in 1942 simply because it was the fastest way to the stadium. Now, it also seems to be the quickest way to run opponents out of the game--the Tigers have won 73% of their games at home.

“What was most pleasing offensively was no fumbles and no turnovers and no penalties,” Clemson Coach Danny Ford said. “We’re tickled to death on that. I would not have imagined that.”

Clemson scored on its final five possessions of the first half and beat Virginia Tech for the 11th time in 12 games. This was the most points the Tigers have scored in the 24-game series with the Hokies.

Joe Henderson ran for two touchdowns for Clemson. The Tigers used four quarterbacks, with starter Rodney Williams going 1 of 5 in the first quarter, prompting Ford to concentrate on the running game.

“We can get better,” said Ford, whose team plays Florida State Sept. 17. “At times, I didn’t think we looked like we had enough intensity on defense.”

Virginia Tech freshman quarterback Will Furrer completed 17 of 36 for 116 yards, but had 2 interceptions and was unable to get the big play.

“I thought Will Furrer did a good job under the circumstances,” Hokie Coach Frank Beamer said. “He played with poise and gave us real hope for the future.

“It was our receiving corps that was disappointing. Those fellows kept dropping the football all day.”

Tulane 33, Tennessee Chattanooga 19--Quarterback Terrence Jones ran for 1 touchdown and threw 2 scoring passes to Jerome McIntosh to spark the Green Wave over the Moccasins at New Orleans.

Jones completed 17 of 26 passes for 295 yards. McIntosh had 7 catches for 129 yards.

Virginia 31, William & Mary 23--Quarterback Shawn Moore completed 13 of 21 passes for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed 13 times for 75 yards and 1 score to lead the Cavaliers at Charlottesville, Va.

Virginia trailed, 17-10, at halftime, but scored twice in the first 7 1/2 minutes of the third quarter on runs by tailback Marcus Wilson to take a lead it would never lose.

South Carolina 31, North Carolina 10--Quarterback Todd Ellis threw for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns and tailback Harold Green rushed for 100 yards and 2 more scores to lead the 19th-ranked Gamecocks to the win at Columbia, S.C.

North Carolina State 45, Western Carolina 6--Quarterback Preston Poag scored three times on 1-yard runs and running back Anthony Barbour, added a pair of touchdown runs to lead the Wolfpack rout at Raleigh, N.C.

North Carolina State piled up 307 yards rushing, while holding the Catamounts to just 55.

Maryland 27, Louisville 16--Junior Neil O’Donnell threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in a 21-0 third-quarter burst that carried the Terrapins to the victory at College Park, Md.

East Carolina 52, Tennessee Tech 13--East Carolina scored on its first three possessions and five Pirates scored touchdowns in the win at Greenville, N.C.