ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 30, 1996 TAG: 9612020092
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: ON THE AIR
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
One week after his son helped ruin the prospect of one meeting between Nos.1 and 2 in the college football polls, Bob Griese will be looking down at another such game.
``Yes,'' said Griese's ABC Sports partner in the booth, Keith Jackson, ``this is the Game of the Century - this week.''
Actually, today's kickoff (noon, WSET Channel 13) for Florida-Florida State - Nos.1-2, respectively - isn't a numerical rivalry played that often. This is only the third regular-season meeting of the top two teams in the polls in the '90s.
The Seminoles lost the first two. Their goal at home today in a battle of 10-0 state rivals is to wrest the top spot from the Gators. For Florida, it's tougher than that.
``The challenge for Florida State is less than for Florida, if you're talking about No.1,'' Jackson said in a telephone conference call earlier this week. ``If Florida expends a lot of energy today, and get pummeled around, as both teams must, well, Florida has to go to Atlanta next week to play Alabama'' in the Southeastern Conference championship game.
``If the Gators bury the Seminoles, and it's going to be hard in Tallahassee, then they're going to see an Alabama team that has a coach leaving. It will be an emotional team. They'll be foaming at the mouth.
``That portent alone makes this pretty exciting.''
A Florida State victory would put the ACC champion Seminoles into the Sugar Bowl as the top pick of the Bowl Alliance. Florida needs two victories to reach the same destination.
``All the headlines in this game usually go to the offense,'' said analyst Griese. ``The thing that jumps out at me this time is Florida State's defense.
``Florida State has made great strides, huge strides, there. They're first in the nation in total defense and run defense. The Seminoles can give Florida a run for that reason, and the fact Florida is playing without two offensive line starters, too. If Florida State can pressure [Gators quarterback] Danny Wuerffel, it will be interesting.''
Florida lost last year's 1-2 matchup to Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl 62-24. The Gators have astounding offensive numbers in the first halves of their games this season, but Griese said, ``I don't think for either team, the offenses are where they've been in the past.''
This also is likely to be the only Nos.1-2 meeting this year, after Ohio State's loss to Michigan left Arizona State as the one unbeaten team in the Rose Bowl.
Jackson and Griese called last weekend's Big Ten rivalry game, and Griese remained very calm and professional when his son was leading the Wolverines to victory.
Asked if he struggled with his emotions as Brian Griese ruined the Buckeyes' season, the father was jokingly uncomplimentary.
``The next time I see that kid, I'm going to kick him in the'' butt, Griese said. ``He ruined our Rose Bowl game. We'd have had two undefeated teams. He probably cost ABC millions [of dollars] in advertising.''
Jackson said he doesn't believe Arizona State can win the national championship unless FSU and Florida lose. The veteran broadcaster added an opinion that Big Ten and Pacific 10 teams are penalized by voters because they aren't part of the Bowl Alliance.
Griese said the Sun Devils shouldn't get a shot at No.1 if they win the Rose Bowl, just because they would finish 12-0.
``I don't necessarily buy the theory that just because a team is unbeaten, that doesn't mean it deserves to be voted No.1,'' said the former NFL star quarterback for Miami. ``However, Arizona State would deserve it.
``That team beat Nebraska, the defending champ, and also beat a good Washington team early in the year. If they can beat Ohio State, they should get a shot.''
Since the famous 10-10 tie between Notre Dame and Michigan State in their 1-2 meeting in 1966, today's game at Doak Campbell Stadium is the 12th regular-season meeting of the top two teams in the polls. This is the first of those involving an SEC team.
``It's not like these two teams just jumped up there,'' Griese said. ``They're both undefeated; they've been great teams in recent years. They're a legitimate 1-2.''
IT'S TIME: The Florida-FSU game is a national telecast on ABC, but the noon time slot isn't good for a game of this magnitude.
There were discussions about moving the game into prime time, which is occupied tonight by Notre Dame-Southern Cal (8 p.m., WSET Channel 13) on ABC. No switch was made, and the biggest game of the year will be kicking off for breakfast on the West Coast.
``One thing I think we have to do is make sure games like Florida-Florida State get into time slots where you can maximize'' viewership, said ACC assistant commissioner Rick Chryst, who handles the league's TV scheduling. ``I'm not just talking about us, as the ACC, but all of the conferences and networks.''
Chryst is enthusiastic about the ACC's telecast potential next season, for which preliminary talks have been held with networks. While FSU-Florida moves to CBS, which has the SEC ``home'' package, the Miami-FSU game moves to ABC, which has a $50 million, five-year deal with the ACC.
In non-conference games next year, the ACC opportunities on various networks include Auburn-Virginia, North Carolina-Stanford, Georgia Tech-Notre Dame, Virginia Tech-UVa, and FSU's games with its two state rivals.
Chryst said that it doesn't appear the Virginia Tech-Virginia game will be moved from a Saturday for TV (CBS) as it was this year, and it will remain the last game of the season on their schedules.
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Jackson, Griese.by CNB