Virginia Tech Drills Clemson

Virginia Tech felt disrespected after a two-game losing streak that bounced the Hokies from the national polls.

They probably fixed that Thursday night, getting 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Branden Ore and a magnificent defensive effort that limited No. 10 Clemson to 76 yards in the final three quarters of a 24-7 victory at Blacksburg, Va.

“We knew tonight was our night,” right tackle Duane Brown said after the offensive line made Ore the first back in school history to have consecutive 200-yard games. He had 207 yards five days earlier against Southern Mississippi.

“The setting was there,” Brown said. “Everybody thought we were going to lose. We were the underdogs on our home field. We took that to heart.”

They also took it to the Tigers, who entered with the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense, averaging better than 42 points, and did nothing after a first-quarter touchdown.

Clemson, 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, had only three first downs in the last three quarters, and the third one came in the final minute.

Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-2), beaten soundly in its last two ACC games by Georgia Tech and Boston College, dominated in every phase. The Tigers had 10 series that didn’t yield a first down, including eight three-and-outs.

Clemson arrived with the more vaunted running game -- a tandem of James Davis and C.J. Spiller averaged 185 yards between them. They managed 71 yards in 22 tries.

“They had more people in there than we could block,” Spiller said. “They were strong to the ball.”

*

Miami receiver Ryan Moore is expected to face a felony charge for his role in an August altercation with two women, and will not accompany the Hurricanes to Georgia Tech for their game Saturday.

The felony charge is not why Moore isn’t traveling to Atlanta, Miami Coach Larry Coker said.

“I probably know a lot more about it than you do right now and I won’t go into that,” Coker said. “But I will say that he will not travel.”

Moore, who has not played this season because of an indefinite suspension levied after that incident, is expected to play Nov. 4 against Virginia Tech, Coker said.

*

Louisville receivers Chris Vaughn and Scott Long were suspended for at least one game after being arrested for shooting a woman with a paint ball gun.

Coach Bobby Petrino suspended the players for next Thursday’s game against No. 4 West Virginia while the matter is investigated.