THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 1994 TAG: 9411050925
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DURHAM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
The uniforms say Duke and the stadium is the same, but Virginia might not recognize either today.
The Blue Devils, a team Virginia has owned the last five seasons, will bring a 7-1 record and No. 23 national ranking into the key ACC game for both teams.
The mostly empty seats that welcomed Virginia to Wallace Wade Stadium in recent years will be filled to capacity for the regionally televised contest (noon, WAVY).
``The game is sold out and I am sure the crowd will be crazy like they are in the basketball arena,'' Virginia coach George Welsh said.
``I am looking forward to it. I've worried about my team not getting up because of the small crowds in previous years down there. This (sellout) could be good for us, too.''
The big-game atmosphere should be a final convincing point to what Welsh has been telling the Cavaliers all week.
He has reminded his players that this is not the Duke team they are accustomed to thrashing, and the game is ``very important, crucial'' to both teams.
A victory almost certainly would assure Duke of a bowl invitation while a win by Virginia would position it for a second-place finish in the league and perhaps a major bowl bid.
The Cavaliers have clicked off six straight victories since losing the season-opener to Florida State. They are ranked 10th by the coaches and 13th by the AP.
Virginia is coming off an open date that followed its most impressive victory of the season, 34-10 over North Carolina.
``We had momentum going and were playing very well before the break,'' Welsh said. ``But the time off gave us a chance to get over some bumps and bruises.''
Virginia owns a five-game winning streak over Duke and has outscored the Blue Devils, 232-59, during that period.
But the Duke defense has toughened and the offense is more balanced under new coach Fred Goldsmith, who replaced Barry Wilson.
Once dependent on an air attack, Duke is fourth in the ACC in rushing and fifth in passing.
Tailback Robert Baldwin leads ACC rushers, averaging 127.1 yards per game.
While Goldsmith has heated up his team's performance, he is hoping to cool down bitter feelings that have existed between the Blue Devils and Cavaliers.
Virginia's 35-0 victory last season in Charlottesville was marred by a bench-clearing brawl.
``I don't know much about it,'' Goldsmith said, ``but last spring I noticed my players getting in fights every day in practice, so I have a feeling we were as much of the problem as could be.''
Goldsmith said he immediately stopped the fighting in practice and will not tolerate it in games, either.
``I want our team to play very hard and very well,'' he said , ``but we are going to play with class.
``If one of our young men goes and does something, he will be on the sidelines with me.''
Welsh hasn't issued any ultimatums, but he constantly warns his players that fighting under this year's rules would result in suspension. Virginia quarterback Mike Groh says he is not sure what ignited the bad feelings.
``It was going on when I got here,'' the fourth-year junior said, ``and it is still going on. We don't like each other.''
Groh will be making his third straight start, and fourth of the season, but his first start based on merit.
The other times came when Symmion Willis was nursing hamstring injuries.
Willis, who sat out the last two games against Georgia Tech and North Carolina, participated in this week's practices and will be available as needed. by CNB