Virginia Tech routs UConn.(Daily Press)

BLACKSBURG

Every time Grant Noel played the hypothetical game tape of his first collegiate start in his head, the results were always the same for Virginia Tech.

There was nothing but completed passes, touchdown after touchdown and a general dazzling of the Lane Stadium faithful. Noel's visions did not include having star tailback Lee Suggs go down with a potentially season-ending knee injury in Virginia Tech's 52-10 crushing of Connecticut on Saturday.

Suggs, the Hokies' Heisman Trophy candidate, had an MRI taken on his left knee following the game and, about three hours after the game's conclusion, was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial meniscus.

Midway through the third quarter in what became coach Frank Beamer's 100th victory at Virginia Tech, Suggs limped off the field following a 14-yard run. After receiving treatment and being fitted with a brace on the sidelines, he didn't return to the game.

"I felt like my foot got caught in the turf, and I came straight out (of the game)," Suggs said.

Though Suggs' injury didn't stop him from piling up 99 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, the No. 9 Hokies (1-0) didn't really need his fleet feet. Before Suggs' injury, fears of a post-Michael Vick era collapse were temporarily dashed due to Noel's brilliance. Noel, a junior, carried all the confidence he had displayed in preseason drills and interviews into Saturday's game and converted it into an impressive debut.