Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 28, 1993 TAG: 9312010371
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
UVa was down to its last postseason option before Arkansas upset Louisiana State 42-24, opening a spot for the Cavaliers in the Carquest Bowl.
"I'm going to the mall to get a Razorback hat right now," said UVa defensive end Mike Frederick. "As soon as the game ended, my dad handed me $20 and said, `See what you can find.' "
Unranked Virginia (7-4) is likely to meet No. 11 Boston College (8-3) at 1:30 p.m. on New Year's Day at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, in a game that will be televised by WDBJ (Channel 7).
The Carquest Bowl, previously called the Blockbuster Bowl, has fifth choice of Southeastern Conference teams and would have been obligated to take LSU (5-6) if the Tigers had won Saturday.
Five SEC teams have six victories over Division I-A opposition, as required by the NCAA for bowl consideration, but Auburn (11-0) is on NCAA probation and ineligible for postseason play.
Brian Flajole, executive director of the Carquest Bowl, was interviewed during the ESPN broadcast of the Arkansas-LSU game and said his committee would invite Virginia if the Tigers did not overcome a 35-17 deficit.
LSU cut it to 35-24 and was driving when Arkansas defensive back Orlando Watters returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown with less than a minute remaining. On the previous play, the Tigers' Brett Bech had dropped a pass in the end zone.
"It was really tough to watch the last five minutes of that game," Frederick said. "Even at halftime, when we were tied 14-14, I didn't feel all that good about our chances."
We?
"I felt like I was part of the squad," Frederick said. "My new favorite player in college football is [Arkansas defensive tackle] Henry Ford. I can't stop saying his name."
The Carquest Bowl has third choice of Big East Conference teams and almost certainly will pick Boston College, pending approval by the Football Bowl Coalition. Each team will receive $1 million, a payoff Virginia will share with the ACC.
The only previous meeting between the teams, in 1963, was won by the Eagles 30-21 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
"I watched BC play on film [against Virginia Tech]," said George Welsh, UVa's head coach, "and that's a great offensive football team. They got 200 more yards than West Virginia [in a 17-14 loss Friday] and if they don't fumble, they win that game. We've got our work cut out for us."
It will be the Cavaliers' fifth bowl appearance, all under Welsh and all since 1974. UVa did not receive a bowl bid last year at 7-4 and it appeared the Cavaliers might be shut out again.
Virginia finished in a third-place tie with Clemson in the ACC, but the Hall of Fame Bowl, which has fourth choice of ACC teams, passed over the Cavaliers in favor of fifth-place North Carolina State.
"Last year was one thing," Welsh said. "I felt we had a better team this year, but when you get to be my age [60], you accept some of these things. As far as I'm concerned, this is a great bowl for us. It's perfect."
Welsh watched the game in Nantucket, Mass., where he had gone for a short vacation.
"I couldn't watch the end," he said. "I was too nervous. I went for a walk and, by the time I came back, there was one minute left, it was pretty much over.
"At first I didn't think Arkansas [5-5-1] was that good a team, but when I got out their schedule and saw who they had played and some of their results, it looked like they might be pretty good. I coached against [Arkansas coach] Danny Ford for a long time when he was at Clemson and I knew they would go down there and play hard."
A source close to the Carquest Bowl said Virginia athletic director Jim Copeland agreed that the school would buy a guaranteed number of tickets. The UVa ticket office will begin taking orders Monday at 804-924-8821 or 1-800-542-8821, toll-free in Virginia.
UVa, once ranked as high as No. 15 in the country, has lost four of its past six games. The Cavaliers were hit hard by injuries to the receiving corps and were without leading receiver Patrick Jeffers and starting tight end Aaron Mundy for their last two regular-season games.
Welsh said he expects Jeffers and Mundy to be available for the bowl, although All-America guard Mark Dixon was suspended before the Cavaliers' regular-season finale with Virginia Tech and remains academically ineligible.
"I thought our season was done," said Frederick, who had an ACC-high 21 tackles for loss, including 11 sacks. "I was just hoping someone would find it in their hearts to look at us. This was one of the best days I've had in awhile."
\ 1993 VIRGINIA CAVALIERS\ MEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW\ \ COACH: Jeff Jones, 33, 61-35 in three seasons at Virginia, 61-35 in three seasons overall. Only coach in ACC history to win 20 or more games in his first three\ seasons.\ \ LAST SEASON: 21-10, tied for fourth in ACC (9-7), reached Sweet 16 in NCAA Tournament.\ \ RETURNING STARTERS: Cory Alexander, 6-foot-1, Jr. (18.8 ppg, 4.6 apg); Junior Burrough, 6-8, Jr. (14.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg); Cornel Parker, 6-7, Sr. (11.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg); Jason Williford, 6-5, Jr. (6.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg).\ \ TOP NEWCOMERS: Harold Deane Jr., 6-1, Fr. (15.0 ppg, 6.0 apg); Mike Powell, 6-1, Fr. (19.8 ppg, 10.0 apg); Jamal Robinson, 6-7, Fr. (18.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg).\ \ POSSIBLE SURPRISE: Fifth-year senior Shawn Wilson avoided injuries in the preseason and, at 6-11, will be counted on to provide frontcourt depth. Sophomore big man Chris Alexander, who has not played in 12 of the past 15 regular-season games, added muscle with increased weight work.\ \ STRENGTHS: Four starters return, giving the Cavaliers plenty of experience, and UVa should continue to rank near the top of the ACC in field-goal percentage defense.\ \ WEAKNESSES: There is no proven center with the graduation of 6-9, 250-pound Ted Jeffries, called the ACC's best low-post defender by Wake Forest coach Dave Odom.\ \ FAST FACTS: Yuri Barnes had higher scoring and rebounding averages per 40 minutes than the player he is expected to replace, Jeffries.\ \ OUTLOOK: The Cavaliers, coming off a strong postseason showing, are given a chance to contend for third place in the ACC. First, however, they must find a way to beat the favorite for that spot, Georgia Tech.
by CNB