Virginia Tech rebounds with 16-3 win

Freshman Ryan Williams ran for a season-high 179 yards and No. 22 Virginia Tech avoided its first three-game losing streak in six years, holding off East Carolina, 16-3, on Thursday night at Greenville, N.C.

Tyrod Taylor had a 13-yard touchdown run, Matt Waldron kicked three field goals and Williams atoned for a crucial miscue last week against North Carolina by cracking the 1,000-yard mark for the Hokies (6-3).

Taylor finished 17 for 30 passing for 137 yards with 61 more yards on the ground for the Hokies.

Patrick Pinkney was 16 for 33 passing for 167 yards with a late interception for East Carolina (5-4), which was playing its first Thursday night home game since 2001 and hosted the Hokies for the first time since 2000.

Northern Illinois, Temple win in MAC

Tommy Davis returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown, and Chad Spann ran for a career-high 174 yards and two scores to help Northern Illinois rout winless Eastern Michigan, 50-6, at DeKalb, Ill.

The Huskies (6-3, 4-1 Mid-American) won their third straight game, scoring on five straight possessions to take a 37-6 halftime lead.

Eastern Michigan (0-9, 0-5) twice drove inside the Northern Illinois five in the first quarter but reached Huskies territory only once the rest of the way.

In another MAC game, Bernard Pierce ran for 172 yards and three touchdowns, and Brandon McManus kicked an 18-yard field goal with three seconds left to give Temple a 34-32 victory over Miami of Ohio at Philadelphia.

The Owls (7-2, 5-0) won their seventh straight game and are on their longest winning streak since they won the final eight games in 1973. The RedHawks are 1-9, 1-5.

Etc.

The NCAA rejected a final appeal to reinstate Dez Bryant, and Oklahoma State has probably seen the last of its All-American receiver. An attorney for Bryant said a one-year penalty handed down amounted to a “death penalty” for his client’s college career, considering that he’s likely to make himself available for next year’s NFL draft. . . . The Western Athletic Conference suspended a replay official for one game after he failed to overturn a call in a game last weekend between San Jose State and Boise State. Official Michael Goshima’s suspension will occur this weekend.