Upset 'meant to be'

MIAMI - For the Georgia Tech football program, Saturday's upset of then-No. 3 Miami was vindicating.

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For players Gerris Wilkinson, Philip Wheeler and Dennis Davis, it meant much more.

The three defensive starters lost family members last week. Wilkinson's mother, Denise Bowers, died of cancer, while Wheeler lost an uncle and Davis a cousin in the days leading up to the 14-10 defeat of the Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl.

Those tragedies, not the tumultuous events on campus involving head coach Chan Gailey, suspended player Reuben Houston and the NCAA, were what the team rallied around Saturday.

"I came out here and had (Wilkinson) in the back of my head the whole game," quarterback Reggie Ball said. "I played lights out for everybody, but I had him in the back of my head the whole time, because to lose your mom, it's something very devastating. For him to come out here and lead our defense on the field and off the field, it's unexplainable."

Wilkinson could. He said the victory was "meant to be."

"I feel like my mom would want me to finish out my senior season," said Wilkinson, who last visited with his mother in late October.

"The only thing I really worried about was being there for my little brother."

Wheeler and Davis played for family members Saturday as well. Wheeler had a team-high eight tackles, three for loss and two sacks. Davis had two pass breakups and the game-clinching interception with less than two minutes to go.

Davis heard about the death of his cousin on Monday. Ray Mendoza was a Marine captain serving in Iraq when he died.

"I knew he was there with me. I knew I couldn't do too wrong," Davis said. "He was looking out for me. I had an angel watching over me."

"To overcome that and to come back to do what they did and to play, we've got the best kids in the world," Gailey said.

Reach Adam Van Brimmer at (404) 589-8424 or adam.vanbrimmer@morris.com.