Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 28, 1995 TAG: 9510300068
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
When the Hokies fly back home tonight, they hope to be lugging some extra carry-on baggage - a veritable lock on a third consecutive bowl bid.
If Tech (5-2) can beat West Virginia (3-4) today at Mountaineer Field (noon, WSLS Channel 10), the Hokies virtually will be guaranteed of a program-first third straight trip to a bowl.
A victory would give Tech the required six victories over Division I-A competition to qualify for a bowl, not to mention keeping the Hokies in serious contention for their first Big East Conference title.
"There's a lot riding on this one,'' said Tech coach Frank Beamer, whose Hokies are three-point favorites.
"I know it won't be easy. It's never easy going to Morgantown. That place is going to [be] sold out (63,500), and it's going to be wild and crazy. I know West Virginia will be ready to play. I hope we are.''
Tech, attempting to win six straight games for the first time since 1967, is second behind Syracuse in the Big East with a 3-1 record. The Orangemen (6-1 overall, 3-0 Big East), who are idle today, come to Blacksburg next Saturday.
"We have to take care of business in West Virginia, then we'll worry about Syracuse,'' Beamer said.
For WVU, 2-1 in the Big East after losing 22-0 at Syracuse last week, today's stakes are much more desperate. If the Mountaineers lose, they will have to sweep their final three games, including a Nov.18 trip to Miami, to qualify for a bowl trip.
"No question,'' said WVU coach Don Nehlen, "if we want to do something postseason-wise this is very big for us. You don't have to be very smart to know that.''
Last year, WVU closed the regular season with four straight victories to finish 7-5 and earn a bid to the Carquest Bowl, where it lost 24-21 to South Carolina.
But this Mountaineer team has shown little sign it can produce such a closing roll. After being upset in its Sept.2 home opener by Purdue 26-24, WVU has alternated wins and losses.
The Mountaineers hit rock bottom at Syracuse, posting season-lows in passing yards (82) and total yards (178).
Nehlen's club has been hampered by injuries all season.
WVU junior quarterback Chad Johnston, who played his sophomore year of high school ball at Craig County, sprained his knee in a 23-20 loss at East Carolina on Sept.30 and has struggled to find the consistency he exhibited in 1994.
Star defensive end John Browning (knee) has missed four games, while defensive back Mike Logan returned two weeks ago after missing three games due to a broken arm. Browning has a ``30-percent chance'' of playing today, Nehlen said.
Nevertheless, the Mountaineers' defense has performed admirably. Despite yielding a season-high 460 yards to Syracuse, WVU ranks first - ahead of No.2 Tech - in the Big East in total defense, permitting 279.4 yards a game.
``They probably have the biggest, toughest secondary we'll see,'' Beamer said. ``They've had some guys hurt, but they've still got plenty of players, believe me.''
Nehlen said Tech poses a multitude of problems.
"Tech is on a roll, and their defense is probably playing better than anybody in the league,'' Nehlen said. "And their offense is doing a lot of different things than in the past. Their offense gives you five million different problems.''
Beamer chuckled when hearing that one.
``That old boy doesn't count very well,'' he said. ``Our old coaches are not smart enough to put that many [plays] together.''
Both coaches expect a close, low-scoring game. Before Tech's 34-6 win last year in Blacksburg, the previous five games in the series had been decided by a total of 23 points.
Tech won't be the only area team playing in the mountains today. At 1 p.m. in Cullowhee, N.C., VMI (3-4 overall, 2-2 Southern Conference) will gun for its first victory ever at league foe Western Carolina (2-5, 1-4).
If VMI wins, the Keydets will have earned their most victories in SC play in a season since 1981. History is against VMI, winless in six previous trips to Western Carolina.
In Lexington, Washington and Lee entertains winless Bridgewater at 1:30 p.m. in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference matchup.
The Generals (3-2-1, 1-2) will be without tailback Seth McKinley, who reinjured his shoulder at Sewanee last week. The Eagles (0-7, 0-3), coached by former VMI and Tech assistant Mike Clark, will attempt to keep W&L from clinching its first back-to-back winning seasons since 1989-90.
Ferrum will be favored to run its record to 7-2 when it travels to Frostburg State (4-2) for a 1:30 p.m. game. The Panthers are expected to have senior quarterback Millard Vining back in the lineup as they shoot for their sixth win in seven games. Ferrum has won its previous four meetings with Frostburg.
by CNB