THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 13, 1994 TAG: 9410130612
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
Before last weekend, Big East football didn't have much to brag about this season.
The league was 0-8 against nationally ranked nonconference opponents and just .500 overall against Division I-A nonleague foes. The majority of those wins came against the likes of Akron, Ball State, Kent and Arkansas State.
Saturday, the Big East got a boost with Miami's victory over No. 3 Florida State and Boston College's upset of No. 8 Notre Dame. Suddenly, the Big East had a national title contender again in Miami and a much-needed measure of respectability.
``It does wonders for the league as far as how it's thought about and the competition within,'' Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said.
Still, the Big East is sixth out of 10 leagues in Division I-A with a .560 nonconference winning percentage against I-A competition. The Southeastern Conference is first (.737), followed by the Big Ten (.682), ACC (.667), Big Eight (.655) and Western Athletic (.600).
``There were some people kind of down on the Big East last week, and maybe they shouldn't be so down,'' BC coach Dan Henning said. ``I think it's a conference as good as there is in the country. When the conference beats major outside opponents, it makes us all look good.''
Saturday, Miami and BC prevented a bad-looking 0-10 Big East mark against ranked foes.
HORSING AROUND: When Rutgers scored the go-ahead touchdown against Army on Saturday with 8:59 remaining, the Scarlet Knights' horse and rider, an unofficial mascot, sprinted up the Rutgers sideline after the ball had already been whistled ready for play on the extra point attempt.
The Scarlet Knights were penalized 15 yards. The 35-yard extra-point kick hit the upright and bounced out, giving Rutgers a tenuous 16-14 lead. Army couldn't capitalize on the gaffe, missing a 50-yard field goal on the ensuing drive.
In New Jersey, they're calling the penalty that nearly cost Rutgers a victory unhorsemanlike conduct.
ERICKSON VINDICATED: After the Florida State win, Miami coach Dennis Erickson looked as if he had won a national title at the Orange Bowl. Actually, he has won two national titles in his career, which makes the following Erickson comment about Saturday's game curious: ``It's probably the biggest win I've had in my coaching career.''
The Hurricanes and Erickson had felt the heat after their NCAA record 58-game home winning streak was snapped by Washington two weeks ago. The sniping was rampant about Erickson and how he had allowed the Miami mystique to lapse. The Hurricanes were in danger of checking out of the national title race by midseason for the first time since 1984 if they lost to Florida State and dropped to 3-2.
``Winning that game, and winning it as convincingly as we did, was very satisfying,'' Erickson said.
NO SAPP: Senior defensive tackle Warren Sapp was everywhere for the Hurricanes on Saturday. He had seven tackles, two sacks, two more tackles-for-loss, two passes broken up and three quarterback hurries. ``I don't know that I've ever had a defensive player control a game the way Warren Sapp controlled that game,'' Erickson said.
NOT AS OFFENSIVE: Offensive production in the league has dropped off dramatically.
In 1993, the Big East boasted four of the nation's top 20 rushers, three of the top 20 quarterbacks in passing efficiency and two of the top 20 in total offense. At the midway point of 1994, only Pittsburgh's Billy West ranks among the nation's top rushers (14th, 123 yards per game), Syracuse's Kevin Mason is the only quarterback in the top 20 passing efficiency (13th, 144.86 rating) and Miami's Frank Costa is the lone representative in total offense (16th, 229).
QUICK HITS: Virginia Tech defensive end Cornell Brown leads the Big East in sacks with seven for minus-55 yards. . . . Pitt tailback Curtis Martin remains out indefinitely with an ankle problem, and coach Johnny Majors said this week coaches are beginning to talk about redshirting the senior. . . . Saturday's ``Backyard Brawl'' between West Virginia and Pitt could be dubbed the ``Basement Brawl,'' because that's where the loser may end up along with Temple this year in the Big East. . . . Rutgers quarterback Ray Lucas is expected to return Saturday from a dislocated shoulder suffered two weeks ago. by CNB