ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 1, 1996 TAG: 9601020002
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
THE CAVALIERS go down to the wire - again - before winning the Peach Bowl.
With a last-minute kickoff return that was as spectacular as it was dramatic, Pete Allen may have changed the perception of Virginia's football season.
The Cavaliers went from a team that couldn't hold onto a lead to one that will be remembered for playing a series of close games and even winning a few of them.
UVa coach George Welsh was almost speechless when asked after the game if he had ever seen a fourth quarter to rival the finish of the Cavaliers' 34-27 Peach Bowl victory over Georgia.
``Only about six times,'' said Welsh, referring only to this season, not his 23-year Division I head-coaching career.
Matter of fact, 18th-ranked Virginia (9-4) played eight games that were not decided until the final possession and won four of them, although the Cavaliers squandered a few leads along the way.
Unranked Georgia (6-6) trailed by 18 points, 24-6, before tying the game 27-27 on a fumble recovery and 10-yard return for a touchdown by Jason Ferguson with 1:09 remaining.
Moments earlier, Virginia had stopped the Bulldogs on downs and appeared headed for victory until UVa tight end Walt Derey fumbled after a big hit by Georgia safety Armin Love.
``I definitely feel for Walt,'' said Virginia tailback Tiki Barber, who, like Derey, is from Roanoke, Va. ``I told him after the game that he needed to buy Petey [Allen] a steak dinner.''
Barber was chosen most valuable offensive player for the Cavaliers after accumulating 166 yards, including 103 rushing, but he seemed eager to give the award away.
``How did I get this?'' asked Barber, who scored UVa's first touchdown on a 1-yard run. ``It should have gone to Petey Allen.''
Allen already had caught five passes for 111 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown reception, when he dropped back to await Kanon Parkman's kickoff following Georgia's final touchdown.
``I was thinking before the game that this might be the night I finally broke one,'' said Allen, a 5-foot-10, 148-pound senior. ``But, I can honestly say I wasn't thinking about it there at the end.''
Allen knew that a decent return would give the Cavaliers good field position and improve the chances of a go-ahead field goal. Parkman had to kick off from his 20-yard line after the Bulldogs received a celebration penalty.
It was Parkman who had the best chance to tackle Allen, who went up the middle of the field, cut to the left sideline and hit full stride in front of the UVa bench.
Allen was nearly out of bounds after avoiding Parkman, but he regained his balance and easily beat the pursuit into the end zone.
The Cavaliers were charged with an excessive celebration penalty, but Rafael Garcia boomed his kickoff more than 70 yards in the air. Kirby Smart's return got the Bulldogs only as far as their 35.
Georgia got off five plays; however, the Bulldogs had only one timeout at their disposal and time nearly expired after quarterback Hines Ward scrambled 5 yards to the Cavaliers' 45.
Ward, perhaps weary from nearly 60 passing attempts, was well short of the end zone on a desperation fling as time expired. Percy Ellsworth knocked the ball to the turf and UVa's celebration began.
``We were dead out there,'' said linebacker Skeet Jones, named defensive MVP for the Cavaliers, ``but I think [Ward] was tired, too. He never came out of the game, but I think I heard something about cramping.''
The Bulldogs had 53 offensive plays in the second half, compared to 28 for the Cavaliers, but could manage only a pair of field goals until the defense provided the touchdown that made it 27-27.
Welsh frequently stresses the importance of ``hidden yardage,'' and it was a major factor Saturday night. The Cavaliers had a 303-134 advantage in return yards, and that didn't count an apparent 52-yard Barber punt return that was nullified by a penalty
UVa had a season-low 265 yards in total offense, but managed to win its second consecutive bowl game and post back-to-back seasons with nine or more wins for the first time in the program's 107-year history.
``I'm sure we would have heard about it [from skeptics] if we'd lost,'' Barber, a junior, said. ``This was definitely a momentum-builder going into next season.''
LENGTH: Medium: 83 linesby CNB