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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer told the
media early last week that freshman cornerback Eric Green was the
best man for the starting job.
Green, who made his first start for the No. 3 Hokies on
Saturday, proved his coach right. Green intercepted two passes --
one in the end zone -- to help Virginia Tech beat Temple 35-13.
"I knew I had to come out and play my `A' game," Green said.
"I'm feeling pretty good right now. I came out and did what I
needed to do in my first big game."
Green was backed up by the rest of Virginia Tech's defense,
which held Temple to just 116 total yards. The Hokies had six
sacks.
"They played extremely well on defense, but I think we played
pretty poorly on offense," Temple coach Bobby Wallace said.
Linebacker Jake Houseright tipped a pass from Mike Frost in the
third quarter and Green intercepted it and returned it 41 yards.
That play set up a touchdown that gave the Hokies (5-0, 3-0 Big
East) a 28-13 lead. Green intercepted another pass in the end zone
with nine minutes left to play.
"I told you guys that Eric Green is a freshman that doesn't
play like a freshman," Beamer said. "I thought he made a heck of
a catch on that tipped ball at a critical point of the ball game."
Temple (3-3, 0-2) cut the Hokies' 21-7 halftime lead when
quarterback Michael Vick fumbled on the first play of the third
quarter and linebacker Taylor Suman recovered for the Owls to set
up Mike Frost's 26-yard TD pass to Charles Cobb.
Vick turned the ball over three times, was sacked four times,
and rushed for just 55 yards. He had averaged 107.3 yards.
"Sometimes things just weren't coming together," Vick said.
"The first interception was a bad read. The second one, I was
trying to make too much happen. The fumbles, I don't know what to
say about that."
Vick was 14-of-28 passing for 162 yards.
"Michael needs to be himself and not make anything more than
what it is and not make anything less than what it is," Beamer
said. "He just needs to go and play and that's probably going to
be good enough."
Virginia Tech came out strong, taking a 21-0 lead early in the
second quarter, but then linebacker Chonn Lacey intercepted a pass
by Vick and ran 65 yards for a touchdown with about a minute left
in the half.
"I think Temple is a much improved football team," Beamer
said. "They play good defense, they fly around and they have some
good athletes."
Virginia Tech took the lead after Wayne Ward blocked a punt two
minutes into the game. Linebacker Ben Taylor recovered and ran for
9 yards. On the ensuing possession, tailback Lee Suggs ran 7 yards
for the touchdown.
"I think we played well, for the most part, and were able to
get some points out of our special teams," Beamer said. "We've
got some good potential out here, but we've got to get some things
ironed out. We've got to make sure we're not turning the ball
over."
Green moved into the starting lineup after Larry Austin injured
his knee last week against Boston College.
Virginia Tech holds an 11-3 lead in its meetings with Temple.
The Hokies won last year's game 62-7 in Philadelphia.
Saturday's game was the first time the Owls returned to Lane
Stadium since they upset the Hokies 28-24 in 1998. They went in as
35-point underdogs, but scored 21 second-half points to send the
Hokies to their first loss in six games.
Even Beamer acknowledged having flashbacks to that game when
Temple cut the lead to eight points in the third quarter.
"I thought, 'Geez, is this is going to be a replay?" he said
with a grin. "But the outcome wasn't the same. We got it done."
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Temple Clubhouse
Virginia Tech Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Michael Vick's first completiton is a 41-yard TD toss to Cullen Hawkins.
avi: 1193 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Michael Vick flies in for the touchdown on this 5-yard run.
avi: 1043 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Lee Suggs scores the easy 7-yard TD against Temple.
avi: 810 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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