THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 17, 1994 TAG: 9409170463
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
On Sept. 8, 1990, the University of Virginia football team made history.
After 29 years of domination, the Cavaliers defeated Clemson, 20-7, ending the longest winless streak any ACC team had endured against another conference opponent.
Normally reserved Virginia fans danced onto the field and tore down the goalposts.
It was the most wildly celebrated U.Va. victory ever, and a giant relief for coach George Welsh.
``I was happy to win that game,'' Welsh recalled this week. ``I really was happy because I didn't have to hear about the streak anymore.''
Bryan Heath, a Cavaliers recruit who was redshirted that season, witnessed the historic moment from the Scott Stadium stands, along with his parents.
``I remember thinking that I definitely had made the right choice in picking Virginia,'' Heath said. ``We finally had beaten Clemson, and there was no reason to believe we wouldn't keep on beating them.''
Four years later, though, Heath, a 286-pound senior center from Kernersville, N.C., goes onto the Scott Stadium AstroTurf at noon today, still waiting for that glorious moment of history to repeat itself.
In the last three years, Virginia has blown a 10-point lead at Clemson to tie, 20-20; it has blown a 28-point lead at home to lose, 29-28; and it was crushed a year ago, 23-14.
``I don't know what has happened the last three years,'' Welsh said. ``Until 1990, Clemson was just better than we were, except maybe for the 1985 game, which we screwed up. Since 1990, I don't know. I can't explain those games.
``It seems Clemson never plays badly against us. They don't make the same mistakes against us as they do against other teams in the league.''
Defensive end Mike Frederick agreed that the last few games in the lopsided series have been strange ones.
``Two years ago we were up, 28-7, at intermission and came out an entirely different team in the second half,'' he recalled. ``Last year, they moved a defensive back (Dexter McCleon) to quarterback, and he beat us. Who knows what it will be this time?''
The loss two years ago remains etched in the record book as Clemson's greatest comeback and Virginia's greatest collapse.
The Cavaliers, entering the game with a 5-0 record, never recovered from the devastating loss. They finished up 7-4 and failed to get a bowl bid.
``Our team was not the same after that loss,'' Welsh said.
He described today's game as ``crucial,'' but quickly added, ``We can't go into the tank again if we lose.''
Virginia, which clubbed Navy last Saturday while Clemson was pounded by North Carolina State, is an 8 1/2-point favorite today.
But Heath doesn't believe the Tigers ever think of themselves as underdogs against Virginia.
``We have got a strong program, but it seems the way those guys look at us is if they lose to us, it is embarrassing to them,'' he said. ``It is because of their overall record against us. Traditionally, they have beaten the crap out of us. But it is not like it used to be, where we couldn't play with them.
``We have shot ourselves in the foot the last few years against them. We can play with them, and we are better than they are in a lot of spots.''
Clemson coach Tommy West said he can see considerable improvement in the Virginia program since the mid-1980s, when he was an assistant under Danny Ford.
West returned to Clemson as head coach last December.
``When I was here before, we were far the better of the two.'' West said. ``But the Virginia program under coach Welsh has come as far as any in the country.''
West said he has spent this week trying to mold his players into a ``tough, hard-nosed team.''
The Cavaliers would be surprised to find any other kind of team in Clemson uniforms.
``It isn't going to be touch football,'' Heath said. ``We've got to go out and smash them in the mouth, because that is what they are going to try to do to us.'' MEMO: About 250 tickets returned by Clemson Friday will go on sale at 8 a.m.
this morning at the west entrance to University Hall. Any tickets not
sold by 9:00 will go on sale at the east gate of Scott Stadium at 10.
They are $22 apiece.
by CNB