:: 
:: 
Roth Report
Pete Dye River Course Cam
Television & Radio
Travel Center
MIAMI 14, VIRGINIA TECH 7
December 10, 1966 - Memphis, Tenn.
Memphis Memorial Stadium - Att: 25,012
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Miami
Hurricanes, getting second wind from a
third-quarter roughing the kicker penalty,
rebounded for two touchdowns in the
second half to score a come-from-behind
14-7 win over Virginia Tech in the
eighth annual Liberty Bowl.
In a game dominated
primarily by defense, Tech
got the early edge when
Jimmy Richards blocked
Miami's first punt of the
game. The block gave the
Hokies possession at the Miami 21.
It took Tech just five plays to cash in
on the opportunity with a 2-yard
touchdown run by tailback Tommy
Francisco. Jon Utin's extra-point
kick gave Tech a 7-0 lead.
The Hokies got two more golden
opportunities during the first half,
marching inside the Miami 30 on both
occasions. Both times Tech came up
empty handed, seeing one drive stall on
a clipping penalty and the other end on a
dropped pass at the goal line and a
fumbled snap. Although Tech dominated
the first half, the failed chances would
come back to haunt the Hokies.
Tech's relentless defense held
the Hurricanes to just 16 yards of
total offense during the first half.
But Miami, ranked ninth with
wins over Southern Cal, Georgia
and Florida, slowly,
turned the tide in the
second half. First, the
īCanes stopped a
Tech threat with a 42-yard interception return.
The play did not lead to a
touchdown, but it changed the
momentum of the game, as well as the
battle for field position.
On its next possession, Miami got the
spark it needed for its offense. After a
drive stalled at the Hokies' 41, the
Hurricanes got new life when a roughing
the kicker penalty against Tech gave
them a first down at the Tech 26. Five
plays later UM quarterback Bill Miller
found halfback Joe Mira for a 7-yard
touchdown pass and Ray Harris tied the
game with his extra point at
the 4:20 mark of the third
quarter.
By the midway point of the
third quarter, Miami's size and
strength were starting to make
a difference on defense. UM
All-American defensive end
Ted Hendricks and company
kept the Hokies bottled up in
their own territory and allowed
just one second half first
down.
Miami's winning drive
marked the only lengthy
offensive push by either team
all day. The Hurricanes started
at their own 30 and made the
march in 10 plays, including a
key 38-yard pass from Miller
to end Jim Cox that put the
ball at the Tech 5. It took the
īCanes four tries to score, with
fullback Doug McGee diving
over from the one on fourth
down.
A Liberty Bowl record
39,101 tickets were sold for
the game, but only 25,012
braved the 36-degree
weather. The game was
televised nationally by ABC
and was not blacked out in the
Memphis area.
Miami 0 0 7 7 - 14
Virginia Tech 7 0 0 0 - 7
VT (7:34 re 1st) - Francisco 1 run (Utin kick)
UM (4:20 re 3rd) - Mira 7 pass from Miller (Harris kick)
UM (8:05 re 4th) - McGee 1 run (Harris kick)
Team Statistics UM VT First Downs 11 7 Rushing yds. 55 36 Passing yds. 108 75 Total off. 163 111 Passes 10-28-0 6-16-1 Punts-avg. 8-30.1 11.39.3 Fumbles lost 1 2 Penalties-yds. 7-80 6-57
Individual Leaders
Rushing - VT, Francisco 21-55, Garcia 3-15, Piland
4-10, Beamer 1-(-12), Stafford 8-(-16), Barker 3-(-16);
UM, McGee 12-36, Acuff 6-25, Mira 11-9, Cassidy, 2-4,
Domke 1-4, McGuirt 1-1, Miller 11-(-24).
Passing - VT, Stafford 4-13-1-59, Barker 2-3-0-16;
UM, Miller 9-26-0-99, Olivo 1-2-0-9.
Receiving - VT, Cupp 1-35, Barefoot 4-34, Piland
1-6; UM, Cox 5-77, Russo 2-15, Mira 2-14, Smith 1-2.
