Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 24, 1995 TAG: 9511240056
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
At least one of the reasons for Virginia's impatience with the bowl-selection process was an eagerness to start selling tickets.
``We do have a statement to make, and I think we'll make a very strong statement,'' said Terry Holland, Virginia's athletic director, after the announcement Wednesday night that UVa's football team would be invited to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
The identity of the Cavaliers' opponent remains undecided, although Arkansas appears to be the best bet, unless the Razorbacks (8-3) upset Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec.2.
Alabama (8-3) is another possibility, although the Crimson Tide is on NCAA probation. Robert Dale Morgan, the Peach Bowl's executive director, said Alabama, which is in the appeal process, hopes to learn Monday whether it will be allowed to play in a bowl this season.
Holland said Virginia is obligated to purchase tickets equaling one-sixth of the capacity at the Georgia Dome, which seats 71,542. However, he expects to have a much larger contingent at the Peach Bowl, which will be played at 8 p.m. Dec.30
``One thing I'd like to put to rest at the Peach Bowl is [the notion] that Virginia does not travel well,'' Holland said. ``I'd be very disappointed if we did not bring 20,000.''
Virginia took fewer than 5,000 fans on each of its past two bowl trips, to the Carquest Bowl in 1993 and the Independence Bowl in 1994, but the Cavaliers did not have a bad reputation for ticket sales before those games.
``I don't know if it's a crossroads thing,'' said UVa coach George Welsh, who pledged his support to the sales effort, ``but it's very important that we show up in big numbers.''
Clearly, Clemson's superior record for ticket sales was one reason the Tigers (8-3) received a bid to the Gator Bowl, which has the second choice of ACC teams. Clemson finished third, behind co-champions Florida State and Virginia, in the conference standings.
``I wouldn't say I was nervous,'' said UVa tight end Walt Derey, a junior from Northside High School, ``but I was a little bit concerned. It seemed like it took awhile for the third bowl [the Peach Bowl] to make up its mind.''
The Cavaliers (8-4) finished as ACC co-champions with Florida State, but, as late as the early part of the week, Morgan was talking about the tough decision his committee might have between Virginia and Georgia Tech.
Peach Bowl officials had changed their tune by Wednesday night, insisting in a hastily called news conference that Georgia Tech never was a serious threat to Virginia.
``As close as we are and as good as our relations are with Georgia Tech, very frankly, they're [the Yellow Jackets] not the conference champions,'' said Albert Tarica, chairman of the Peach Bowl.
The announcement allowed the Cavaliers to pull for their conference. Had they still been in bowl limbo, they would have been obliged to root for Georgia at Georgia TechThe Bulldogs defeated Georgia Tech 18-17, and now ACC attention shifts to Raleigh, N.C., where North Carolina visits N.C. State.
The Tar Heels (5-5) would be a leading candidate for the Carquest Bowl if they win. If N.C. State wins, Maryland (6-5) would go to the Carquest, which has the fourth choice of ACC teams
Indeed, ACC commissioner Gene Corrigan had been quoted in the past week as saying he would resign if Virginia fell to the Carquest Bowl.
Whether the comments were made in jest or not, Corrigan couldn't have been upset by the Peach Bowl's decision.
by CNB