LANDOVER, Md. - Josh Hyman wasn't looking for a flag Saturday night when he bounced to his feet after a catch that might have set the tone for the second half of Virginia Tech's meeting with top-ranked Southern California.

"I didn't see the flag," said Hyman, a redshirt freshman who already had scored a touchdown on the first reception of his college football career. "That's why I was celebrating. When I did see it, I thought it was probably going to be on them because [the defender] was behind me. I had to adjust to the ball." If the call had gone against defender Ronald Nunn, or if there had been no call at all, Virginia Tech would have had a first down at the USC 12-yard line. Instead, Tech was saddled with a second-and-25 from its 41-yard line.

When the Hokies were forced to punt, the Trojans needed only two plays and 32 seconds to take a 14-10 lead in a game they eventually would win 24-13.

"That's the kind of play that changes a game," said Tech senior quarterback Bryan Randall of his nullified 32-yard completion. "You just hope the referee made the right call."

Randall took a peek at the replay and "it was a tough call," he said. "In the heat of the moment, it looks a little different, but they're human just like everyone else. It definitely changed the momentum."

The play took place along the boundary to the left of the Virginia Tech bench and Tech coach Frank Beamer thought he had a good look at it.

"I thought it was a great play," Beamer said. "I never saw the push. I just thought that it was a receiver that stopped and went up and got the ball."

The game was called by an officiating crew from the Southeastern Conference. When Beamer inquired, he was told that Hyman had pushed off.

"I didn't think it was a good call, but officials make mistakes," Beamer said. "He said he was right. I'll leave it up to you guys [in the media] and the TV people.

"I thought it was big, uh, I mean I thought it was huge."

Hyman said he did not seek an explanation from the official and did not receive one.

"I'm not going to talk bad [about the defender], but I beat him," said Hyman, a 5-foot-11, 188-pounder from Chesapeake, Va. "I think the referee just got me on that one. Bad call.

"If the referee said I did something wrong, I'm going to go back and look at the film and see where I can make a better adjustment next time, but it's not going to change my thoughts about it because I didn't feel I pushed the guy at all."

Hyman did not have another reception on a night when more than half of Randall's 14 completions went to tight ends Jeff King and Jared Mazzetta (five), tailbacks Cedric Humes and Justin Hamilton (three) and fullback John Kinzer (one).

Hyman had one more reception than the other starting wideout, junior Chris Clifton, who had two drops.

"We're going to go to them as the situation calls for it," Randall said. "We're definitely not shying away from them. We think they're capable. They wouldn't be out there if they weren't."

In Hyman's case, confidence doesn't seem to be a problem.

"By the next game, that's when I think we'll be more successful with the wide receivers," he said.