Hokies stand behind Ryan Williams, after 4th quarter fumble against UNC

BLACKSBURG — Ryan Williams sat dejected on Virginia Tech’s bench as North Carolina’s players celebrated wildly on the Lane Stadium field.

Williams, the 14th-ranked Hokies’ star tailback, lost a fumble deep in Tech territory with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, and Casey Barth kicked a 21-yard field goal as time expired to give the Tar Heels a 20-17 upset win Thursday night.

It was Williams’ second lost fumble of the season, but it came at the worst possible time. Tailback Darren Evans, who knows something about disappointment after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, hovered over his teammate after the game with his arms wrapped around his neck.

Williams walked to the locker room after the game with a towel over the face and quarterback Tyrod Taylor by his side.

“Everybody is behind Ryan,” Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “You go through that game, and all of us didn’t do something right.”

Barth kicked two field goals in the final three minutes to give the Heels (5-3, 1-3) the comeback victory. His first field goal tied the game 17-17 with 2:52 left, and the second gave his team its first ACC win of the season and first win over Tech since the 1998 Gator Bowl.

Meanwhile, the Hokies (5-3, 3-2), who had visions of winning the ACC conference and making a third straight BCS bowl appearance this season, have lost two straight ACC games, all but killing their chances of achieving either of those goals.

It appears the best Tech can hope for now is a trip to either the Gator Bowl or Chick-fil-A Bowl.

“We can still win 10 games,” Beamer said. “I firmly believe we can be a good football team. If you look at that game in parts — in parts our offense was good, in parts our defense was good and in parts our special teams was good, but the problem is being consistently good.”

Said linebacker Cody Grimm: “I think the motivation is to come out here so we don’t feel like this again. It (stinks) to lose.”

Williams, who had a 20-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter negated by a holding call against right tackle Blake DeChristopher, finished with 96 yards on 23 carries. He was held out of the end zone for the first time since Oct. 3 against Duke.

To his credit, Williams didn’t dodge reporters after the game.

“There probably isn’t anything you can do to lift me up,” he said. “Personally, I feel like I took the game away today. The game was on the line, and I fumbled, but I’ve got to move on. After today, there is no reason to dwell on it. I can’t go back. Next Thursday (at East Carolina), I will be the same old guy trying to get down the field.”

The Williams’ scoring run that was called back would have tied the game 14-14, but Tech instead had to settle for a 36-yard Matt Waldron field goal with 13:27 left in the game.

The Hokies struck again shortly thereafter, following an interception by cornerback Rashad Carmichael that gave them the ball deep in UNC territory.

On that play, Tech defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson slammed into quarterback T.J. Yates as he released the ball, and Carmichael plucked the errant pass out of the air and returned it to the Heels’ five.

Taylor scored three plays later on a 1-yard run to give the Hokies their only lead of the game.

Both of Taylor’s 1-yard scoring runs were too close to overturn. He appeared to fumble as he crossed the goal line in the third quarter, but officials gave him the score and replay upheld the call.

Taylor’s second scoring run was just as close, but review upheld the on-field touchdown ruling.

Taylor, who was sacked three times by UNC’s fierce defensive line, completed 11 of 23 passes for 161 yards.

Williams’ fumble was one of two lost by the Hokies. Wide receiver Jarrett Boykin was stripped by cornerback Charles Brown after a 20-yard gain during Tech’s first possession, and cornerback Kendric Burney recovered at the Tar Heels’ 27.

“Bad execution,” Taylor said. “We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities given to us. That is something we have to work on.”