Hokies make it two in row

TAMPA, FLA — . -- Dangle the Atlantic Coast Conference title in front of Virginia Tech and the Hokies will find a way to grab it.

Tyrod Taylor scored two first-half touchdowns and Darren Evans ran for 114 yards and one touchdown in less than a half-full Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, helping Virginia Tech become the first two-time winner of the ACC championship game with a 30-12 victory over No. 18 Boston College.

The Hokies (9-4), who have won three titles since leaving the Big East for the ACC in 2004, also beat the Eagles (9-4) for last year’s crown and earned their second consecutive trip to the Orange Bowl.

Easily playing its most complete game of the season, Tech was dominant on offense and defense in avenging a 28-23 regular-season loss to BC, which won that meeting despite five turnovers.

Evans became the sixth player in league history to rush for over 1,000 yards as a freshman, but he also fumbled twice. His 10-yard touchdown burst, set up by Stephan Virgil’s interception and 36-yard return, put the Hokies up, 24-7, late in the third quarter.

“We came out with a lot of intensity, and we took advantage of our opportunities that they gave us,” Evans said.

Michael Kelly, ACC associate commissioner for football operations, said 53,927 tickets were distributed for the game, played in Tampa for the first time after a three-year run in Jacksonville, Fla.

Dwindling attendance has been a concern ever since the inaugural title game between Virginia Tech and Florida State drew an announced 72,749 in 2005. The figures slipped to 62,850 for Georgia Tech and Wake Forest in 2006 and 53,212 for BC and Tech a year ago.

Although each school was allotted about 10,000 tickets for Saturday’s rematch, the Eagles and Hokies reportedly combined to sell fewer than 5,000. And, with neither Florida State nor Miami in the game, and Florida playing for the SEC championship on television later in the afternoon, there was little interest locally.

BC overcame a 10-point deficit to win the regular-season meeting.

But that was with Chris Crane running the offense -- not Dominique Davis, the redshirt freshman who made his second start since Crane broke his right collarbone two weeks ago.

Davis threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rich Gunnell in the second quarter, but two of his passes were intercepted and he had a fourth-quarter fumble returned for a touchdown.