SOUTH ROUNDUP : Virginia Snaps 0-29 Streak Against Clemson With 20-7 Victory

No. 14-ranked Virginia, 0-29 against Clemson dating back to 1955, upset the No. 7 Tigers, 20-7, Saturday in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Charlottesville, Va.

Virginia’s losing streak to Clemson was the longest string of futility in Division I-A.

Nine of Virginia’s losses to Clemson were by seven points or less, and Saturday’s game, the ACC opener for both schools, appeared as if it would be another close one.

But Virginia, which trailed, 7-6, at halftime, broke it open with two touchdowns early in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers (2-0) took the second-half kickoff and marched 80 yards in 12 plays, with Terry Kirby going four yards off left tackle to make it 13-7.

After Clemson (1-1) was held to four yards on its next possession, Jason Wallace took Chris Gardocki’s punt and went 79 yards down the left sideline. He was hauled down from behind by Norris Brown at the Clemson seven.

Two plays later, quarterback Shawn Moore lofted a 12-yard scoring pass to 6-foot-5 Herman Moore, a former ACC indoor high jump champion, who easily outjumped Clemson’s 5-11 Jerome Henderson.

Prognosticators had been saying for months this might finally be the year Virginia beat Clemson.

“It’s been a long buildup,” Virginia Coach George Welsh said. “I’m glad it’s over.”

Ken Hatfield faced the unenviable task of becoming the first Clemson coach to lose to Virginia.

“Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I am sure there will be some criticism from the fans,” said Hatfield, whose arrival this season was greeted coolly by a number of Clemson faithful.

Hatfield replaced Danny Ford in the wake of NCAA sanctions against the program.

“Some people will have things to say,” Hatfield said. “But we made a commitment for the entire season. This is just one game. We are going to review what happened and do better, go from here.”

Georgia Tech 21, North Carolina State 13--Shawn Jones threw two touchdown passes to cap long scoring drives as the Yellow Jackets beat the Wolfpack in an ACC game at Atlanta.

The Yellow Jackets, extending their home-field winning streak to seven games, overcame four turnovers to win their season opener.

N.C. State (1-1) scored a touchdown and field goal after Georgia Tech turnovers, but also had four turnovers and had a punt blocked.

Florida State 45, East Carolina 24--Coach Bobby Bowden was glad to win this game at Tallahassee, Fla., but it wasn’t his biggest thrill of the week.

“Meeting the president was more exciting than the game,” said Bowden, who met President Bush Thursday. “We were lucky to win it, but it beats losing.”

Brad Johnson threw three touchdown passes in his debut as a starter, and the victory snapped a two-year opening-game jinx for the Seminoles, who were humiliated in their 1988 opener, 31-0, at Miami and upset last season in the first game by Southern Mississippi.

East Carolina’s John Blake threw two touchdown passes, including a school-record 91-yard scoring play to Luke Fisher that cut Florida State’s lead to 38-24 midway through the third quarter.

Louisville 68, Murray State 0--Reserve quarterback Jeff Brohm passed for touchdowns of 55 and 48 yards and ran two yards for another as the Cardinals overwhelmed the Racers at Louisville.

Louisville (1-0-1) recorded its biggest winning margin since defeating Wayne State, 72-0, on Oct. 1, 1955. It was Murray State’s second-worst defeat, falling short of a 69-0 pounding by Mississippi State on Nov. 2, 1946.

Murray State (0-1), which didn’t get a first down until 6:33 remained in the half, was able to generate only 58 total yards. Louisville amassed 504 total yards.

South Carolina 27, North Carolina 5--Bobby Fuller passed for 248 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns as the Gamecocks beat the Tar Heels at Columbia, S.C.

Fuller hit Robert Brooks with a 20-yard touchdown pass and then hooked up with Charles Steward on a 32-yard scoring play as the Gamecocks (2-0) took a 17-3 halftime lead.

The Tar Heels are 1-1.

Virginia Tech 21, Bowling Green 7--Tailback Vaughn Hebron had touchdown runs of 32 and 50 yards to lead the Hokies at Blacksburg, Va.,

Hebron, a 5-9, 185-pound sophomore, had 165 yards rushing in 26 carries. The Hokies (1-1) had only 71 total yards rushing in their opening loss to Maryland.

Wake Forest 23, Appalachian State 12--Wade Tollison kicked a school-record 53-yard field goal and Wake Forest capitalized on Appalachian State mistakes to defeat the Mountaineers at Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Demon Deacons improved to 1-1 after claiming their first victory over Appalachian State since 1987. The Division I-AA school upset Wake Forest last year and spoiled its bowl chances with a tie in 1988.