updated 1:35 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2005

NEW ORLEANS - The missed chances came early, the big plays too late.

Virginia Tech squandered two gimme scoring opportunities, including a chip-shot field goal, and lost 16-13 to No. 3 Auburn in the Sugar Bowl on Monday night.

“It’s very disappointing to know we missed those opportunities,” cornerback Eric Green said. “We know in our hearts we beat ourselves.”

Bryan Randall finally connected with Josh Morgan on two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including an 80-yarder with 2:01 left. But the ninth-ranked Hokies failed to recover the onside kick and could only watch helplessly as Auburn ran out the clock and poured onto the field to celebrate.

“That was when the disappointment hit the most,” said fullback Jesse Allen, who dropped a pass in the end zone. “We got that run at the end and things were looking up. It just didn’t work out.”

And the Hokies (10-3) know they are largely to blame. If they could have gotten their offense in gear earlier, they would have given Auburn a heck of a game — and quieted any talk of the Tigers (13-0) deserving a share of the national title.

Sugar Bowl Auburn 16, VT 13 Auburn goes 13-0 Celizic: Auburn simply got the shaft Maybe Tigers' defense is No. 1 Red zone failures cost Hokies Vote: Share of title for Auburn?

Auburn’s defense was impressive, picking Randall off twice — double his total in the previous seven games. But Virginia Tech ran eight plays inside the 10-yard line and came away with nothing.

Trailing 6-0, the Hokies squandered their chance to take the lead when Allen dropped a short pass in the second quarter.

Randall had connected with Josh Hyman on a 31-yard completion to give the Hokies first-and-goal at the Auburn 2. Two plays later, Randall got the Hokies inside the 1 and they decided to go for the touchdown rather than settle for a field goal.

Virginia Tech called the right play — Randall faked a handoff to Mike Imoh and flipped a pass to Allen, who was open in the end zone. But Allen couldn’t control the ball, bobbling it for what seemed like several seconds before it fell to the ground.

“I wasn’t quite sure if it was tipped or not,” Allen said. “But it did touch my hands. When that happens, you’re supposed to catch it.”

Randall had what appeared to be a clear path to the end zone from the 10-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter. But as he crossed the 6, Auburn defensive back Carlos Rogers closed in fast, sending Randall on an end-over-end tumble.

When Randall came to rest — practically on his head — he was still well short of the goal line. Two plays later, Brandon Pace missed what should have been a 23-yard field goal, shanking the ball wide left.

“We were a little too hyped, a little too pumped before the game,” Green said. “We had to come in at halftime and just tell everybody to relax.”

Even when the Hokies found their groove, it wasn’t enough. Mikal Baaquee recovered Carnell Williams’ fumble to set up Virginia Tech’s first score of the night, Randall’s 29-yard pass to Morgan with 6:58 left that pulled the Hokies to 16-6.

The Hokies went for a 2-point conversion, but Randall’s pass was incomplete.

The Tigers intercepted Randall on Virginia Tech’s next series, but the Hokies defense held firm, forcing Auburn to go three-and-out. On Virginia Tech’s next play, Randall found Morgan on an 80-yard strike to pull to 16-13.

But Auburn recovered the onside kick, one last missed opportunity for Virginia Tech.

“They gave the same kind of effort they gave all year,” coach Frank Beamer said. “We just didn’t have quite the timing or the sharpness we needed to have against a team like Auburn.”

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

Get ready for mass exodus Trash Talk: SEC not all it’s cracked up to be Predictions 101: Ohio State to roll, N.D. to win squeaker Opinion: 10 bowl matchups that would be a treat Bowl Projections: Big Ten blows BCS spot   CFT: ‘Worst of the Weak’ — Michigan back at No. 1 CFT: ‘By the numbers’ — McCoy goes for record From Big 12 snub to possible BCS for TCU Idaho AD refuses to board Boise St.-themed plane SEC's season one of contenders and complaints College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: