Pick this: MVP Talib paces Jayhawks to 24-21 win in Miami over Virginia Tech

Final, KU wins 24-21

It took sixty years and three tries, but Kansas, behind an MVP-earning performance from junior cornerback Aqib Talib, has its Orange Bowl title, knocking off Virginia Tech 24-21 Thursday night in Miami.

Talib had easily the game’s most memorable play, picking off a Tyrod Taylor pass in the first quarter and running it down the sideline 60 yards for the first score. The KU defense had an incredible night afterwards, too, picking off three VT passes total and sacking the two-headed Hokie quarterback unit five times.

The Jayhawks nearly lost all momentum in the third quarter, leading 17-14, when after having first and goal from the VT one-yard line, penalties put the Jayhawks back at the VT 29-yard line. Todd Reesing then threw his one and only interception of the night.

But KU’s defense stepped up yet again. The third and final pick was registered by Justin Thornton, taking a Sean Glennon pass from the VT 30 down to the two. Todd Reesing sealed it from there with a touchdown plunge in front of a jubilant KU student section.

Reesing was KU’s offensive sparkplug as always, finishing with 219 yards and one TD pass on 21 completions. His favorite target on this night was Dexton Fields, who caught seven passes for 100 yards. Senior Marcus Henry had two grabs for 20 yards, ending his KU career with a 1,000-yard season (1,014, 9 TDs).

VT’s offense couldn’t get much going through the air until late, with Taylor and Glennon combining to go 15-of-32 through the air with the aforementioned three interceptions. Branden Ore rushed for 114 yards on 23 carries for VT, but missed the pivotal first quarter due to suspension.

The Jayhawks now have their signature win, and are the first Division-I football team in the state of Kansas to ever win 12 games in a season. Log back onto KUSports.com later tonight and tomorrow for full postgame coverage.

3:00, fourth quarter, KU leads 24-21

KU got the ball back with the chance to nail the door shut on VT, starting from its own 28 with under 10 minutes to play. Brandon McAnderson ripped off 28 yards through the middle to start the drive and immediately move the sticks into VT territory. Then, Reesing took an eight-yard run up the right side to put the ball at the VT 36. Jake Sharp picked up another first down to the VT 30.

KU ultimately faced a fourth down decision and opted to go for it, but Todd Reesing’s lofted pass to Derek Fine in the front of the end zone was knocked away by Kam Chancellor, setting VT up near its own 30-yard line.

VT moved the ball up to midfield, and on third-and-six, a Sean Glennon pass was dropped in the open by Justin Harper, setting up a pivotal fourth-and-six right at the 50 with 4:35 to go. Glennon hit Greg Boone for a seven-yard gain and a fresh set of downs.

Branden Ore continued to work the ball down the field, and on first down from the 20-yard line, Sean Glennon went high over the tip for Justin Harper, who hauled in the pass just over the goal line, pulling VT within three points with three minutes to go.

10:57, fourth quarter, KU leads 24-14

Backed up in front of its own goal line to start the fourth quarter, Virginia Tech quickly found itself facing a third-and-eight from inside its own 10. Sean Glennon was hurried, and his pass over the middle floated, only to be picked off by Justin Thornton. The safety rumbled back to the VT two before being chased down from behind.

Todd Reesing’s touchdown run a snap later set off pandemonium in the KU student section behind the end zone as Reesing flailed his arms through the air. The score put KU up 24-14 with 10:57 to play.

:33, third quarter, KU leads 17-14

KU again went three-and-out, this time with D.J. Parker nearly picking off a Reesing offering on second down. Kyle Tucker’s punt this time was aided by a block in the back call against Virginia Tech’s Matt Reidy.

VT, starting from its own 25, gained 16 yards to start the drive on a pair of Branden Ore runs. But their drive stalled, too, with Aqib Talib fair-catching a punt at his own 12. On first down, Todd Reesing rolled and struck Dexton Fields, picking up 39 yards to the KU 49 with just over two minutes to play in the second quarter.

In a similar story, KU’s drive seemed to stall after an early spark, with a floted pass to Brandon McAnderson dropping incomplete on third-and-10 near midfield. It came on the heels of a dropped pass by Dezmon Briscoe along the sideline.

The Jayhawks decided to fake the punt, with the up-man – Brandon McAnderson – throwing a pass to gunner Micah Brown. Brown picked up first down yardage, and Reesing then moved the ball inside the five-yard line with a long pass to Dexton Fields.

On first down, KU tried to run it in with Brandon McAnderson, but the ball was punched loose. Ryan Cantrell recovered it for KU, but he was flagged for a personal foul in the pile-up, giving KU seocnd-and-goal at the 19-yard line.

The mistakes compounded, as a hold against Adrian Mayes moved it back another 10 yards to the VT 29. Reesing was then picked off by D.J. Parker. A personal foul against VT gave the Hokies the ball at their own seven-yard line.

6:31, third quarter, KU leads 17-14

KU’s next drive was quick and silent. Todd Reesing was thrown down hard by Carlton Powell on second down, and the Jayhawks suffered a quick three-and-out. A booming 62-yard punt by Kyle Tucker set Virginia Tech up at its own 18.

The field position didn’t hurt VT, as the Hokies immediately went deep. First, a pass interference call on Chris Harris gave VT an automatic first down. Then, a jump ball thrown for Eddie Royal was broken up by Aqib Talib and Justin Thornton, but while the ball rested on Royal’s leg, tight end Greg Boone dove in and grabbed it, capping a 37-yard gain. to the KU 17.

The drive stalled out when KU stopped Branden Ore on third-and-five. That was followed by Joe Mortensen’s torso swallowing a Jud Dunlevy field goal try, keeping KU up 17-14.

11:35, third quarter, KU leads 17-14

KU’s first possession of the second half started well, picking up a first down when Todd Reesing hit Dexton Fields in the flat on third-and-three. After that, though, KU went backwards, with a six-yard loss on a pass to Aqib Talib and then a two-yard loss by Reesing, setting up third-and-18 for KU from its own 35. A pass for Talib just passed the markers.

Virginia Tech’s vaunted special teams then struck on a huge punt return by Justin Harper. Eddie Royal fielded the ball at his own 20 and reversed it to Harper, who shot down the left sideline for an 84-yard score despite a flag against KU. The tally pulled the Hokies within three points at 17-14.

Halftime, KU leads 17-7

Virginia Tech ployed to get the ball back late in the first half, stopping the clock with timeouts after a pair of KU running plays, setting up a third-and-five for KU at its own 28. The Jayhawks picked up 15 yards on the pivotal play, but opted to sit on the ball late in the half, keeping KU up 17-7 at the break.

Todd Reesing was 13-of-20 in the first half for 123 yards and a score to Marcus Henry. Both VT quarterbacks threw picks in the first half, one of which Aqib Talib returned for the game’s first score from 60 yards out. Branden Ore helped chip back for VT late in the half, finishing the second quarter with 12 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown.

KU will receive to start the second half.

1:24, second quarter, KU leads 17-7

Virginia Tech came back with a heavy dose of Branden Ore, given their struggles through the air so far. Ore took the ball to the KU 45, setting up a second-and-six with just over five minutes to play in the half.

Ore took the ball time after time, racking up six straight totes, and a facemask penalty on Todd Haselhorst on a Glennon run gave VT a first down at the KU 15.

Ore continued to motor, taking the ball for an eighth and ninth time on the drive, pusing the ball to a first-and-goal situation at the KU 2.

Ore capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run on his 10th tote of the drive, striking first blood for VT. Ore had 49 yards on 10 carries on the drive, pulling VT within 10 points at 17-7 with 1:24 to go until the break.

7:03, second quarter, KU leads 17-0

Branden Ore made his Orange Bowl debut to start VT’s next drive. The short gain was followed by Tyrod Taylor now back at quarterback picking up a few yards before Mike Rivera planted him in between the hashmarks. An incomplete pass along the sideline on third down brought upon the VT punting team for the second time. Aqib Talib got his first real chance to run one back, registering a 17-yard return to the Virginia Tech 41.

Jake Sharp started the drive with a nine-yard gain, and Brandon McAnderson chugged for the rest of the first down yardage on second down. A sack on Todd Reesing and a short pass to Sharp set up third-and-19, and a slip pass from Reesing to Sharp set up fourth-and-one at the VT 39-yard line. Reesing again went short, this time finding Marcus Henry for seven yards, putting Henry over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Reesing inserted some theatrics on first down, swatting down a high snap, bouncing it to himself and ultimately collecting his thoughts to throw a 14-yard completion to Dezmon Briscoe.

Reesing capped the drive moments later by throwing a 13-yard pass over the middle to Henry, who was hit backwards and across the goal line. The extra point from Scott Webb put KU up 17-0 with 7:03 to go in the first half.

12:00, second quarter, KU leads 10-0

Brandon McAnderson picked up six yards on first down for the Jayhawks, but a pair of Todd Reesing incomplete passes sent the Jayhawk punting unit out to the field for the first time. Kyle Tucker’s initial boot got off without a hitch, and was fair caught by Eddie Royal at the VT 15.

KU’s fourth sack of the game came on the first play of VT’s next possession, with John Larson capping off what was a coverage sack for the Jayhawk defense. A Kenny Lewis run set up third-and-five for Tech, but not before the first quarter clock expired.

The break in action ended with Chris Harris picking off Sean Glennon over the middle, giving KU interceptions now off of both VT quarterbacks.

After a couple of short gains, Todd Reesing faced third-and-seven from the VT 28. The result was a nine-yard completion to Derek Fine, setting up first-and-10 at the 19.

Brandon McAnderson carried the ball twice from there, picking up five yards to the VT 14. The third down went unconverted, but Scott Webb came in to drill a 32-yard field goal, putting KU up 10-0 with 12:00 to go in the first half.

2:18, first quarter, KU leads 7-0

Sean Glennon came back in for VT to start the next possession, and nearly hit a home run right away, but Josh Morgan dropped a bomb in his hands at the goal line on second down. On third-and-long, Glennon hit Justin Harper underneath, and the senior moved the ball to the KU 27 for a fresh set of downs.

James Holt two plays later registered KU’s third sack of the first quarter, setting up third-and-14 for Glennon, and his pass for Justin Harper was knocked loose near the turf by Justin Thornton. It set up a Jud Dunlevy 49-yard field goal attempt. The kick was well short into the wind, and Aqib Talib fielded the ball in the back of the end zone, attempting a return. He ran it back to the KU 39.

5:09, first quarter, KU leads 7-0

Kenny Lewis picked up a first down on two carries to start the next drive. Tyrod Taylor then came in and completed his first pass of the game to Eddie Royal for 11 yards to midfield.

Aqib Talib broke it open right after that, though, making the game’s first huge play, picking off a Tyrod Taylor pass along the right sideline and streaking down the sideline for six points. He high-stepped into the end zone and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, but Talib still got the scoring started, putting KU up 7-0.

6:44, first quarter, 0-0

Eddie Royal took the game’s opening kick back for Virginia Tech to the Kansas 41-yard line. On first down, Kenny Lewis Jr. took the ball to the left on a give for a gain of four. Lewis is starting in place of the suspended Branden Ore, who will miss the game’s first quarter.

After overshooting a receiver on his first pass attempt, Virginia Tech’s Sean Glennon hit Justin Harper for an 11-yard gain and a first down to the Kansas 26. But Kansas’ defense responded a play later, with Russell Brorsen throwing down Tyrod Taylor now in at quarterback for an 11-yard loss. Mortensen made it back-to-back sacks for the Jayhawk defense, storming through the middle of the defense to drop Taylor for a loss of eight.

VT came with four wideouts and Sean Glennon at QB on third-and-29, but a short dump to Kenny Lewis got next to nothing, bringing in Aqib Talib as a punt returner for the first time on fourth-and-22.

Talib let the ball bounce through the end zone.

After the punt, Todd Reesing opened up by finding Dezmon Briscoe for six yards on the left sideline. Reesing then rolled right on second down but ultimately threw it away, forcing a quick third down.

KU picked up the first down, then ripped off a bigger chunk of yardage on an 18-yard pass to Brandon McAnderson. Reesing kept rolling, hitting Dexton Fields and Kerry Meier on back-to-back pass plays to give KU another fresh set of downs at the VT 40.

A couple of short gains by Jake Sharp set up third-and-six for KU at the VT 36. Todd Reesing scrambled once things broke down, but was stopped at the 31, setting up a fourth and one, bringing the stadium to its feet.

But Virginia Tech didn’t make KU work to hard for the yards, with contact on the defense before the snap giving KU five yards and an automatic first down.

KU struggled from there, though, with a holding call on Anthony Collins setting up a second and 20 two plays later with a light rain now falling. Jake Sharp then picked up nine yards on a shovel pass to set up third and 11.

Reesing’s floater for Dexton Fields was out of the junior’s reach in the front of the end zone. Scott Webb’s 44-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.