Virginia Tech runs all over No. 14 LSU


BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Arkansas State or Louisiana State, Virginia Tech still dominated.

The No. 16 Hokies followed a season-opening laugher against Arkansas State with an impressive 26-8 victory against No. 14 Louisiana State on Sunday, using a stingy, opportunistic defense to make it happen.

On a day when Kevin Jones honored Michael Vick's historic No. 7 jersey with a dazzling 34-yard run, most of the other highlights came from the defense and special teams, which set up three short touchdown drives.

''If you can play defense and get a few points off your kicking game and let your offense keep getting better, that's a good plan,'' coach Frank Beamer said after just his fourth victory against a top-15 team in 25 tries. ''We've won a lot of ballgames like that around here.''

The Hokies (2-0) managed only 231 yards, but allowed just 214 and scored when a 17-yard punt return by DeAngelo Hall set up a 27-yard touchdown drive, and a blocked punt set up a 29-yard touchdown march. Their third touchdown, after a 58-yard drive, was set up by an unusual interception.

''It was a real big win,'' safety Willie Pile said. ''The whole nation thought we were going to lose except for the people in our locker room.''

All three touchdowns came on the ground, with Lee Suggs scoring from 6 and 2 yards and Jones scoring from 2 as the Hokies loaded the line against the Tigers and challenged them to try to stop the tailbacks.

''That's what we're going to try to do every game. That's our strength and we're not going to change it for anybody,'' said Suggs, who had 89 yards on 23 carries.

Jones added 70 yards on 14 carries, including a 34-yard burst that made him look a lot like Vick, the player whose number he wears.

On the play, Jones swept right, was met by about five Tigers and backed up, sprinted left and gained 34 yards to the LSU 2. Suggs took it in on the next play, giving the Hokies a 24-0 lead with 14:02 remaining.

The defending Southeastern Conference champions responded with their lone scoring drive, covering 82 yards in 10 plays. But when they stalled on their next possession, the crowd of 65,049 began chanting ''overrated.''

''I'm not taking anything away from them. They beat us,'' said Tigers quarterback Matt Mauck, who struggled in his first start. ''But the team we had out there today isn't a great representation of what LSU is.''

Mauck played minor league baseball for three years and was the most valuable player of the SEC championship game last year against Tennessee, but said he never found his rhythm against the Hokies' stout defense.

''He was scrambling and missing open people because he had to duck two or three hands to get the ball off,'' Pile said.

Mauck finished 15-for-35 for 134 yards and the interception, which happened when he hit Shyrone Carey in the chest with a pass and the ball slipped through his arms and bounced off his foot to Vegas Ferguson.

''Mental errors, penalties and mistakes killed us,'' Tigers coach Nick Saban said. ''I'm anxious to count (the dropped passes) on the film.''

Before the game, Vick was given a framed replica of his jersey, and he spent much of the game standing with his brother, freshman Marcus Vick.

In the first quarter, the Hokies pinned LSU to its own 5 with a fourth-and-21, and Hall's 17-yard punt return set up Jones' 2-yard run.

When Tech forced LSU to punt again, Justin Hamilton blocked it and Chris Clifton recovered. Bryan Randall's 17-yard pass to Cedric Humes and three rushes by Suggs, the last a 6-yarder, made it 14-0 before halftime.

Another blocked punt, this one by Jason Lassis with five seconds left, was the Hokies' 48th in the 176 games that Beamer has been coach.

Randall, who replaced starter Grant Noel after two series and played the rest of the way, was 5-for-9 for 47 yards for the Hokies. Beamer said he will address the quarterback situation Monday.