Brigham Young Is a 38-35 Winner

Owen Pochman’s 27-yard field goal in overtime capped a Brigham Young rally, and Bret Engemann completed 34 of 41 passes for 447 yards to lead the Cougars to a 38-35 victory over Virginia on Saturday at Charlottesville, Va.

Virginia, in its season opener and first game in renovated Scott Stadium, led, 21-0, at halftime but Brigham Young--a 29-3 loser to Florida State last Saturday--scored five second-half touchdowns, three on runs by Brian McDonald.

Virginia failed to score in overtime, with Tyson Smith intercepting Dan Ellis’ pass.

Brigham Young tied the game at 35 with 50 seconds left in regulation on a six-yard pass play from Engemann to Margin Hooks. That play capped a 49-yard drive that began when Virginia failed to convert a fourth-and-one play.

“I probably shouldn’t have done it,” Virginia Coach George Welsh said. “But if we make it, we probably win the game.”

Virginia managed to drive to the Brigham Young 31 as time was running out, but David Greene’s 48-yard field-goal attempt with five seconds left was wide left.

Virginia’s running back trio of Arlen Harris, Antwoine Womack and Tyree Foreman filled in nicely for the departed Thomas Jones--the Atlantic Coast Conference’s leading rusher last season and No. 1 draft choice of the Arizona Cardinals. They each scored a touchdown and combined for 262 yards in 37 carries.

Virginia, just as it did in last year’s 45-40 victory over Brigham Young at Provo, Utah, took a 21-0 first-half lead. Engemann, however, threw for 215 yards in the third quarter and had two second-half touchdown passes to lead Brigham Young’s comeback.

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In other games involving Atlantic Coast Conference schools:

Woodrow Dantzler completed 16 of 17 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 17-ranked Clemson to a 38-0 victory over The Citadel at Clemson, S.C. Clemson scored on five of its first six possessions and recorded its first shutout since Oct. 10, 1998, when it beat Maryland 23-0. . . . Ray Robinson rushed for 139 yards and scored a touchdown in the second overtime to lift North Carolina State to a 38-31 victory over Arkansas State at Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack sealed the victory when linebacker Edrick Smith recovered a fumble by running back Jacqis Walker on third down. It was the first game for North Carolina State Coach Chuck Amato, who had been an assistant for 18 years at Florida State, and 6-foot-5 quarterback Philip Rivers, who completed 29 of 57 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns. . . . Quarterback Ronald Curry had 261 total yards in his first game since rupturing an Achilles’ tendon as North Carolina rolled past Tulsa, 30-9, at Chapel Hill, N.C. Curry, who was injured in the fifth game last season, completed 12 of 22 passes for 192 yards and rushed for 69 more as the Tar Heels spoiled the debut of Tulsa Coach Keith Burns, a former Arkansas assistant. . . . Kelly Hardy returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown on the game’s third play and East Carolina recorded only its second shutout since 1982 in a 38-0 victory over Duke at Durham, N.C.--the season opener for both schools. East Carolina quarterback David Garrard warmed up for his showdown Thursday night with No. 11 Virginia Tech and Michael Vick, going 22 for 29 for 264 yards and a touchdown. . . . George Godsey had two touchdowns passes in the final 3:48 to lift Georgia Tech to a 21-17 victory over Central Florida at Atlanta in the season opener for both schools. Georgia Tech had its scheduled opener with Virginia Tech last Sunday canceled because of a thunderstorm.

EAST

Avon Cobourne ran for 132 yards in 29 carries in a lackluster duel between the Big East’s top two running backs and West Virginia returned two fourth-quarter interceptions for touchdowns in a 34-14 victory over Boston College at Morgantown, W.Va.--the season opener for both schools. Boston Colege’s Cedric Washington was held to 31 yards in 13 carries after getting 181 against West Virginia last year. . . . Temple smothered Navy’s option attack and Tanardo Sharps ran for a career-high 180 yards and a touchdown in the Owls’ 17-6 victory. It was Temple’s first season-opening victory since 1996. Navy led the nation in rushing offense last year, averaging 292.2 yards, but had only 29 before quarterback Brian Broadwater scored on a 50-yard run with 8:44 left. . . . Chris Davis scored three touchdowns and Dee Brown gained a career-high 157 yards in 18 carries to lead Syracuse to a 63-7 victory over Buffalo at Syracuse, N.Y., in the season opener and first game in 101 years for both schools. . . . Mike McMahon completed 27 of 44 passes for 323 yards and a school record-tying five touchdown passes in Rutgers’ 34-21 victory over Villanova at Piscataway, N.J. The 13-point margin was Rutgers’ largest since Terry Shea became coach in 1996. . . . Pittsburgh overcame the suspension of six players in a 30-7 victory over Kent at Pittsburgh in a game that was delayed twice by lightning. Andrew Slade and R.J. English, replacing suspended top receivers Antonio Bryant and Letif Grim, combined for six receptions for 178 yards and three touchdowns.

SOUTHWEST

Freshman Robbie Beck scored two touchdowns, the last a one-yard dive in overtime, to lift Rice to a 30-27 victory over Houston in the season opener for both schools in Houston in temperatures as high as 102 degrees. Former Wyoming Coach Dana Dimel made his debut at Houston. Rice quarterback Jeremy Hurd broke a finger on his right hand in the third quarter and will be sidelined six weeks. Dana Dimel made his debut as Houston coach. . . . Quarterback Bart Hendricks threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the first half as defending Big West champion Boise State was a 31-14 victory over New Mexico (0-2) at Albuquerque, N.M., in its season opener.

WEST

Air Force had 698 total yards--two short of a school record--in a season opening 55-6 victory over Cal State Northridge at Air Force Academy, Colo. Air Force, which averaged 285.5 yards rushing last year, ran for 583 yards and had seven players score touchdowns.