Vick Has All the Right Moves for Virginia Tech

Marcus Vick threw for one touchdown and made several key second-half runs Sunday in his first collegiate start, leading No. 8-ranked Virginia Tech over North Carolina State, 20-16.

The Hokies avenged their only Atlantic Coast Conference loss last season and handed the Wolfpack another disappointing result against a top-10 team.

Jay Davis passed for 311 yards for the Wolfpack, which had won eight consecutive openers. The Wolfpack is 1-7 against top-10 teams under sixth-year Coach Chuck Amato.

The Hokies came in looking to avenge last season’s 17-16 home loss to the Wolfpack, their only league setback in their inaugural ACC campaign.

In that game, North Carolina State had 10 sacks and held Virginia Tech to 36 yards rushing, and got the win after a missed 43-yard field-goal try by Brandon Pace.

This time, Pace made two field goals. And the offense -- outgained 438 yards to 232 -- kept plugging away at the Wolfpack, which led Division I-A in fewest yards given up in 2004.

Vick, a junior who was suspended last season because of several legal issues, made his biggest impact in the second half. In all, he completed 10 of 21 passes for 108 yards and rushed for 31.

Tailback Mike Imoh rushed for 56 yards, including a five-yard first-quarter touchdown run for the Hokies.

With Virginia Tech trailing, 13-10, Vick made two big plays on the Hokies’ first drive of the third quarter, including a dazzling run in which he sidestepped two defenders in a collapsing pocket and broke free for a 24-yard gain on third down. That set up Pace’s tying 28-yard field goal with 2 minutes 19 seconds left.

Then, after the Hokies got a 19-yard punt return from Eddie Royal to give them the ball at the 20, Vick scrambled left and connected with David Clowney for a 19-yard touchdown and a 20-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.

North Carolina State committed 12 penalties for 105 yards, including a five-yard infraction for running into Pace on a missed 46-yard field-goal try that gave the Hokies a first down with about two minutes left.

That allowed the Hokies to run more time off the clock. And once the Wolfpack burned its timeouts trying to stop the clock, it was left with virtually no time remaining for a game-winning drive.