SUGAR BOWL\Virginia Tech shuts down Texas\VIRGINIA TECH 28, TEXAS 10.

Byline: David Teel Newport News Daily Press

Turns out the only impostor was on Texas' roster.

Virginia Tech allegedly had the suspect pedigree, but the Hokies made their first-ever major bowl trip a memorable one Sunday by routing No. 9 Texas 28-10 in the Sugar Bowl.

Wide receiver Bryan Still scored on a touchdown pass and a punt return and set up another score with a circus catch to win game Most Valuable Player honors before 70,283 at the Superdome, the smallest Sugar Bowl crowd since 1974. "When I found out we were going to the Sugar Bowl, I had dreams about making big plays," Still said, "and today they came true. All that talk we didn't belong, I think today we showed we belong with the big names in college football."

The 13th-ranked Hokies (10-2) closed the finest season in their 103-year football history with an improbable 10-game winning streak that came on the heels of an ugly 0-2 start. Despite that streak and a co-Big East championship, many questioned whether Tech, 2-8-1 just four years ago, belonged in a major bowl. There should be no questions after Sunday's dominant defensive performance.

"We played a great overall game defensively against a great offense," Tech coach Frank Beamer said.

The Hokies, blitzing at every turn, Beamer-ized Texas' heralded BMW offense of quarterback James Brown and backs Shon Mitchell and Ricky Williams. The Longhorns, rocked by recent revelations that one of their reserves was playing under an assumed name, had just one sustained scoring drive, did not convert a third down until the third quarter and rushed for a mere 78 yards, less than half their 207-yard average.

Fittingly, the defense scored Tech's final touchdown as tackle Jim Baron returned Brown's fumble 20 yards late in the fourth quarter. It was the Hokies' seventh defensive score this season, all in the past six games. The defense gave up only nine touchdowns in that span.

Still, who matched his career-high with six receptions for 119 yards, set up Tech's go-ahead score with a twisting catch of Jim Druckenmiller's underthrown pass, giving the Hokies a first down at Texas' 2. Marcus Parker scored on the next play to cap Tech's first drive inside Texas' 40 and give the Hokies their first lead at 14-10.

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Photo Ricky Williams of Texas is tackled by Virginia Tech's William Yarborough (24) and George Delricco during the Hokies' win over the Longhorns. Associated Press