Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 22, 1994 TAG: 9411160072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Through six games, neither has beaten a Division I-A team with a winning record.
``Our schedule gets knocked every year,'' UVa linebacker Randy Neal said, ``but look at the other teams' schedules, too. We may play William and Mary, but who do [the Tar Heels] play? They go out to the middle of Texas and just pick a team.''
The 15th-ranked Tar Heels (5-1 overall, 2-1 ACC ) have disposed of Texas Christian, Southern Methodist and Tulane. Their most impressive outing may have been a 31-18 loss to then-unbeaten Florida State.
The Seminoles were the only team to beat No. 25 Virginia, whose biggest wins have been over a pair of once-proud teams, Clemson and Georgia Tech, having down years. The Cavaliers (5-1, 3-1) have beaten one team with a winning record, Division I-AA William and Mary.
The Virginia-North Carolina game will be televised by ABC starting at 3:30 p.m. That will follow a 1 p.m. kickoff between 17th-ranked Virginia Tech (6-1 overall, 3-1 Big East) and Pittsburgh (1-6, 0-3) at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg.
Nobody can accuse Pittsburgh of playing a weak schedule. Four of its losses have been to teams now in the Top 25: Texas, Syracuse, Boston College and Ohio State.
``Pitt is a very dangerous football team,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ``They're really a victim of their schedule.''
It was little more than a year ago that Pitt was favored to beat the Hokies, but the teams have since gone in opposite directions. The Panthers last year finished 3-8, including a 63-21 drubbing by Tech, and this year has had its worst start since 1972.
The Hokies last season rushed for a Big East-record 500 yards against Pitt, including a career-high 170 yards by Dwayne Thomas, who will return to the lineup and start today after missing three games with a sprained ankle.
``I think their defense is a lot better than it was last year,'' Thomas said. ``I think they're going to be up the whole game. You saw them against West Virginia. I feel, regardless of what the score is, they're going to play hard every play.''
The Panthers, who fell last week to the Mountaineers 47-41, trailed 31-6 in the second quarter but rallied to take the lead behind back-up quarterback John Ryan. Ryan, who passed for 433 yards and set a school record for total offense, will start in place of junior-college transfer Sean Fitzgerald.
``Sean's ankle is still tender,'' Pitt coach Johnny Majors said, ``but I think John has earned it.''
A similar situation exists at Virginia, where No. 1 quarterback Symmion Willis continues to nurse a hamstring injury. Mike Groh, who leads the ACC in passing efficiency, will get his third start of the season.
Groh has thrown eight touchdown passes, including three each against Navy and Wake Forest. The Cavaliers' schedule should get increasingly tougher, with four of the last five games against teams that are a combined 22-3.
``When I first saw our schedule, I thought it was pretty balanced,'' UVa defensive tackle Ryan Kuehl said. ``Who knew that [upcoming opponent] Duke would be 6-0 and that Georgia Tech couldn't tie its shoes? All of a sudden it's pretty lopsided.''
In other local games today, VMI (0-6) plays at home for only the second time since Sept. 3 when it meets Furman (1-5) at 1:30 p.m. Across town, Washington and Lee (1-4) plays host to Sewanee (1-4) at the same time. Ferrum (2-5) visits Montclair State (3-3).
by CNB