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Charlottesville, VA — For the second straight game, Virginia Tech Hokies freshman running back Ryan Williams scored four touchdowns as the Hokies mauled their in-state rivals, the Virginia Cavaliers, 42-13 in the regular season finale for both ACC teams.

The game was likely the last for embattled Virginia head coach Al Groh, whose team finished a disappointing 3-9. The Cavaliers started the season 0-3, but rebounded with a three-game winning streak that gave the program and its fans hope. But then came a miserable six-game slide to end the season and likely the nine-year Al Groh era.

Tech Williams rushed for a career-high 183 yards and his four TDs mark the second straight week that the ACC’s leading rusher scored four TDs in a game. The record-setting freshman from Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Va., now has 1,538 yards rushing this season, the second most in a season by a Hokie and needs 110 yards in the bowl game to break Kevin Jones’ single-season record of 1,647 set during the 2003 season.

Williams also tied the Tech record for most 100-yard games in a season, nine, also set by Jones. A 100-yard performance in a bowl game will break that record as well.

Two weeks ago, Williams had 12 TDs, but scored four against N.C. State and then four more today against the Cavaliers to give him 20. If he can have a 3-TD game in the bowl game, add another school record to his resume. With today’s performance, Williams broke the ACC’s freshman scoring record of 18 set by T.A. McLendon of N.C. State in 2002.

“Yards, awards, … none of that matters to me,” Williams said after the game. “You can be the best person on the field, but if your team isn’t winning, then it doesn’t mean anything. I’m a team player. The offensive line blocked great all year and the wide receivers blocked down the field. It feels good to have guys like that willing to block and do their part so we can execute the plays.”

Wide receiver Danny Coale also had a career game, catching six passes for a career-high 135 yards. It marked the first 100-yard receiving game of the sophomore’s career. The Hokies were struggling with the running game in the first half, but Coale caught three passes for 41, 36 and 16 yards to keep Tech’s only two scoring drives of the first half alive.

The 41-yard catch was the first offensive play for the Hokies and quieted the UVA fans who had just celebrated the Hoos opening drive for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead over the 14th-ranked Hokies.

The Hokies led the Hoos 14-13 at the half, but Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster and his defense shut the Hoos down in the second half while the Tech offensive went to work, scoring four unanswered touchdowns, including three in the fourth quarter.

Virginia Tech (6-2, 9-3) must now wait to find out what bowl game they will play in. Clemson and Georgia Tech will play for the ACC championship, but the No. 15 Tigers lost today to unranked South Carolina and No. 7 Georgia Tech lost to unranked in-state rival Georgia.

Clemson, should it lose to Georgia Tech in next Saturday’s ACC championship, would have five losses to Virginia Tech’s three, so it would stand to reason that the Hokies would get the No. 2 bowl bid after Georgia Tech. If that’s the case, Tech can probably expect and invitation to the Chic Fil A Bowl in Atlanta against the No. 3 SEC team.

If the Yellow Jackets lose to Clemson, then the Hokies would likely get the No. 3 ACC bowl bid and probably a Gator Bowl invite. Bowl selection Sunday is Dec. 6, so once the BCS bids go out, the other bowls will begin issuing invites.

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