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Roth Report
Pete Dye River Course Cam
Television & Radio
Travel Center
MISSISSIPPI 34, VIRGINIA TECH 17
December 14, 1968 - Memphis, Tenn.
Memphis Memorial Stadium - Att: 46,206
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Virginia Tech's
second visit to the Liberty Bowl played out
much like its first - the Hokies built an
early lead, then saw the game turn on a
play in the kicking game. This time it was
the University of Mississippi and
sophomore quarterback Archie Manning
who tamed the Hokies, 34-17, before
46,206 fans, the largest crowd in the 10-year history of the bowl.
For 13 minutes and 11 seconds, it
appeared that Tech would blow Ole Miss
out of cold, blustery Memorial Stadium.
Scoring on a 58-yard run by Ken Edwards
on a quick-snap, trick play on the game's
second offensive play, Tech shocked the
Rebels with its ground attack. The Hokies
recovered a fumble on Mississippi's first
offensive play and got their second
touchdown just three plays later on a 7-yard run by Terry Smoot. Before the
quarter was over, Jack Simcsak added a
29-yard field goal for a 17-0 Tech lead.
Eager to capitalize on their
momentum, the Hokies
attempted an on-side kick
following Simcsak's field goal.
The ploy took Ole Miss by
surprise, but the ball failed to travel
the required 10 yards and the Rebels
took over at the Tech 49. Manning
quickly turned Mississippi's good
fortune into a touchdown with a 21-yard
scoring pass to end Hank Shows.
Just like that, the momentum of the
game turned, and when it did, it turned
completely.
What followed was a rash of Tech
penalties, fumbles and interceptions that
Ole Miss was all too happy to take
advantage of.
Eventually, a 79-yard touchdown run
by tailback Steve Hindman on the first
play of the second half and a 70-yard
interception return for a TD by
monster man Bob Bailey gave
Mississippi the victory.
Hindman finished the game
with 121 yards on 15 carries and
was named the MVP.
Tech continued to battle, making two
goal-line stands in the second half. But
the Hokies could not overcome their
three fumbles, two interceptions and 120
yards in penalties.
Virginia Tech 17 0 0 0 - 17
Mississippi 0 14 7 13 - 34
VT (14:23 re 1st) - Edwards 58 run (Simcsak kick)
VT (12:43 re 1st) - Smoot 7 run (Simcsak kick)
VT (1:49 re 1st) - FG Simcsak 29
UM (14:30 re 2nd) - Shows 21 pass from Manning
(Brown kick)
UM (4:28 re 2nd) - Felts 23 pass from Manning
(Brown kick)
UM (14:41 re 3rd) - Hindman 79 run (Brown kick)
UM (11:54 re 4th) - Bailey 70 interception return
(Brown kick)
UM (9:09 re 4th) - FG Brown 46
UM (0:00 re 4th) - FG Brown 26
Team Statistics UM VT First Downs 7 14 Rushes-yds. 46-185 60-330 Passing yds. 141 2 Passes 12-28-1 1-7-2 Punts-avg. 5-37.4 7-40.8 Fumbles-lost 3-2 5-3 Penalties-yds. 4-30 12-120
Individual Leaders
Rushing - VT, Edwards 12-119, Smoot 21-91,
Kincaid 15-55, Constantinides 4-45, Humphries 5-8,
Tiberio 2-5, Longerbeam 1-7; UM, Hindman 15-121,
Bowen 19-65, Felts 1-0, Manning 11-(-1).
Passing - VT, Kincaid 0-4-1-0, Humphries 1-3-1-2;
UM, Manning 12-28-1-141.
Receiving - VT, Crigger 1-2; UM, Shows 6-70,
Hindman 3-32, Felts 1-23, Bowen 1-8, Franks 1-8.
