ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 3, 1996 TAG: 9612030098
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
MIAMI ACCEPTS a bid to play Virginia in the Carquest Bowl on Dec. 27.
Miami, passed over by a more lucrative bowl in its own state, was warming Monday to the idea of playing Virginia in the Carquest Bowl.
``That's an economic situation,'' quarterback Ryan Clement said of the Gator Bowl's decision to pick West Virginia instead of the Hurricanes. ``They're a private entity. They can do what they want.
``I'm surprised, but that's their deal. I think we'll have a better game down here against Virginia. I think more people will watch us than will watch West Virginia-North Carolina.''
The matchups became official when Carquest Bowl chairman Earl Morrall announced the Hurricanes (8-3 overall, 6-1 Big East Conference) had accepted a bid to meet Virginia (7-4 overall, 5-3 ACC) at 7:30 p.m. Dec.27 at Pro Player Stadium.
The Carquest announcement came three hours after the Gator Bowl, with the second choice of Big East teams, held a news conference to say it was picking West Virginia (8-3, 4-3) as the opponent for its game at 12:30 p.m. Jan.1 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
The Mountaineers finished fourth in the Big East race behind co-champions Virginia Tech, Miami and Syracuse. Virginia Tech, as the highest-ranked team, will represent the Big East in the Bowl Alliance.
The Carquest had third choice of Big East teams and the Liberty Bowl, which selected Syracuse, picked fourth.
``Personally, I think a West Virginia Gator Bowl bid would be a tragedy,'' said Miami coach Butch Davis on Sunday, before the bids were announced. ``We beat West Virginia and they weren't even one of the conference co-champions.
``In my opinion, they have no reason to be under consideration. I hope they choose teams on merit and not on who's going to sell the most tickets. Which team will be most appealing for national TV should merit a lot of consideration.''
Davis had cooled off by the time he reached Pro Player Stadium for a news conference Monday afternoon. He pointed out that 65 percent of Miami's players are from Florida and that most of the Hurricanes' recruiting is centered in the South Florida area.
The Hurricanes never have played a game at Pro Player Stadium, which opened in 1987. Miami plays its home games at the Orange Bowl, some 30 miles to the south.
Virginia, on the other hand, will be playing at Pro Player Stadium for the second time in four years, although it was called Joe Robbie Stadium when the Cavaliers lost to Boston College 38-13 in the 1993 Carquest Bowl.
``Miami will probably have a great number of its people there because they can just drive to the game,'' said UVa coach George Welsh, ``but I think that's fine. The bigger the crowd, the better the atmosphere.''
It will be the first time Virginia and Miami have met in football.
``I know Miami is not the Miami of 1989 and 1990, when [the Hurricanes] were winning national championships,'' Welsh said, ``but I think they're awfully close.
``I've seen them on tape twice, before we played Florida State and before we played Virginia Tech. They could have won the Virginia Tech game, and they were in the Florida State game. It's a program with great tradition and great talent.''
Davis met with his players Monday and said there was considerable motivation to become the first Miami team since 1991 to win a bowl game. The Hurricanes rejected a possible bowl bid in 1995, when they elected to serve a one-year NCAA ban from postseason play.
``We talked about winning it for the '95 class,'' linebacker Twan Russell said. ``They made the sacrifice so that we could play this year. A lot of those seniors will be at the game this year.''
Davis said the Hurricanes have 40,000 season-ticket holders, which will give them a large base for Carquest Bowl sales.
``I think our fans do support us,'' Davis said. ``In the market we play in, there's an awful lot of competition from the pro franchises, but I'd be very disappointed if we didn't have a tremendous following for this game.''
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines KEYWORDS: FOOTBALLby CNB