Reed picks on Hokies as Hurricanes escape 26-24.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

BLACKSBURG, Va. _ With 4:18 left in the game and Virginia Tech on the verge of stunning the college football world once more with another big upset, Miami safety Edward Reed watched the opposing quarterback.

Reed's Miami team was clinging to a 26-24 lead, but Virginia Tech had the ball at the Miami 49. It was third-and-10. Reed backpedaled while he eyed Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Noel, hoping Noel would give him a chance to win the game.

Noel did. Misfiring again on a nightmarish afternoon, Noel threw the ball nowhere close to a Hokie receiver.

"I guess you could say it was a gift," said Reed, whose No.1 Hurricanes clinched a Rose Bowl berth with the win. "He threw the ball up, there was no wide receiver there and I had no choice but to catch it."

Noel also threw three other interceptions and lost a fumble. In all, Noel made five turnovers and only completed four of 16 passes for 81 yards. Afterward, Noel took the blame for the Virginia Tech loss.

"I put too much pressure on myself," said Noel, who had the difficult job this season of replacing No.1 NFL draft pick Michael Vick. "Things didn't go well early, I lost my confidence and it went from there."

But to lay the game at Noel's feet is too simplistic. No.1 Miami edged No.14 Virginia Tech for a variety of other reasons, including the Hurricanes' ability to grind out two first downs after Reed's interception.