JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --Jimmy Williams is out of here, man. Nobody knew he was leaving Monday afternoon's Gator Bowl early.

Virginia Tech's consensus All-America cornerback was ejected late in the first quarter and wound up watching the rest of the Hokies' 35-24 come-from-behind victory over Louisville on a small television set deep in the bowels of Alltel Stadium. He said he plans to take things easy in Florida for a while and has no plans to return to classes in Blacksburg for the second semester.

"I'm done ... it's a wrap for me," said Williams, who is being projected as a top-10 pick in April's NFL draft. "I'm going to stay down here and party until the 10th, at least, then go to Arizona and get ready to workout [for pro scouts]."

Williams was kicked out of the game with 2:53 left in the first quarter. He got the heave-ho following the Cards' extra-point kick that made it 14-3.

According to Williams, following the conversion, he was tripped by one Louisville player and then pushed by another Cardinal. Williams said he then was grabbed by an official. Thinking it was another Louisville player, Williams said he spun out of the official's grasp.

"The ref jacks me up, then when I spin out of his hands, they go to my sideline and he throws me out," Williams said. "I guess the ref just felt disrespected by me spinning out of his arms. I didn't know I was kicked out of the game until after all the commotion on the sideline. Nothing I can do about it, man.

"All I can do is move on. I'm just glad we won, man. I think it means everything to win the bowl game right now. We haven't won a bowl game since my freshman year."

Williams, who has been far but a choir boy in his Tech career, said he wasn't worried if being ejected from the bowl game might cast him in a bad light with an NFL team.

"Shoot, man, if I worry about the black marks, man, I won't make no money," he said. "I just want people to understand me. I'm no big, bad guy. I've just got a passion for the game, and I love to win."

Frye plays large

With senior Jimmy Martin sidelined with a sprained right MCL, junior Brandon Frye made his first college start at left offensive tackle. Frye passed the test with flying colors, spending the majority of the game on Cardinals' end Elvis Dumervil. The nation's sack leader recorded nary a sack and was limited to two tackles.

"I think I did a pretty good job considering the circumstances I was in," said Frye, who was thrown into the starting equation when Martin was injured last Thursday in practice.

Tech offensive line coach Bryan Stinespring said Frye was one of the first players he found to hug after the game.

"Sometimes you're given opportunities to step into the limelight and you've got two things you can do with it: You can make the best of it, or just hang on and survive it.

"I don't think he tried to survive it. I think he went out there and tried to help us win a game."

Finishing strong

Pulaski's Jeff King was one of 17 seniors participating in the final game of their Tech careers. King finished up right, catching three passes for 27 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass that helped put the Hokies ahead 28-24 with 6:09 left.

"I started with [catching a TD pass] and I ended it with a touchdown," said King, whose 12 career TD catches is a school record for tight ends. "That was big for me today. I'm just glad it helped this team get a win."

Gator bites

Tech tailback Branden Ore, who ran for 56 yards to boost his season's rushing total to 647 yards, said he will undergo surgery today on his damaged right shoulder. "I first hurt it in high school, but it wasn't bothering me until the UNC game [Nov. 26]," Ore said. ... Tech place-kicker Brandon Pace's nine points Monday gave him 108 points, enabling him to break Shayne Graham's single-season record for kickers by one. ... Sophomore Justin Harper's 33-yard TD reception in the second quarter was his first of the season and second of his Tech career. ... This year's Tech team joins the Michael Vick-led clubs of 1999 and 2000 as the only teams in school history to win 11 games in a season. ...Next up: The 2006 spring game Saturday, April 15 in Lane Stadium.