Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 18, 1995 TAG: 9501180063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
The Wolverines earlier were selected to play host to the game, which had been held for the past five years in Anaheim, Calif.
``When we were selected to host the game, we requested an opponent of a high quality in both academics and athletics, and Virginia more than meets that criteria,'' said Joe Roberson, Michigan's athletic director
The teams have met twice previously, most recently when the Wolverines romped past UVa 38-0 in 1971 at Michigan Stadium, which seats 102,501.
``Michigan Stadium is one of the outstanding venues for college football,'' said UVa coach George Welsh, whose Navy teams lost four games at Michigan in the mid-1970s. ``The game presents a real challenge and opportunity for our football team.''
The Wolverines went 8-4 and were ranked 12th in the final Associated Press poll UVa was ranked 15th in the AP poll after a 9-3 finish.
Talks with Michigan began before Jim Copeland resigned as Virginia`s athletic director to take a similar position at Southern Methodist. Copeland, whose last day at UVa was Friday, is the new president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, which took over sponsorship of the Pigskin Classic this year.
The payout will be at least $650,000 per team and perhaps as much as $1 million, depending on the gate. The game has been televised in recent years by Raycom Sports, which is also the syndicator for ACC and Big Ten basketball.
by CNB