Virginia Tech Makes Itself at Home in Miami for 21-7 Win

MIAMI — With a dramatic dash from one end of the field to the other, safety Keion Carpenter clinched an historic victory in the Orange Bowl for No. 21 Virginia Tech.

Carpenter’s 100-yard interception return with 1:54 left ended a bid by No. 18 Miami to tie the game, and the Hokies won, 21-7.

Virginia Tech, 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big East, became the first Big East team to beat Miami in the Orange Bowl.

“We’re in a pretty elite group,” Hokie Coach Frank Beamer said. The group is growing, though. Miami (6-3, 4-1) has lost three consecutive home games in one season for the first time since 1977.

With the Hokies leading, 14-7, and less than four minutes to go, reserve quarterback Scott Covington drove Miami 65 yards, converting two third-and-long situations. “I was getting ready to say, ‘Which end of the field are we going to for overtime?’ ” Beamer said.

But Tony Gaiter dropped a potential touchdown pass on second down, and on fourth and four from the eight, Carpenter intercepted Covington’s pass and ran untouched along the left sideline to score.