THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, November 21, 1994              TAG: 9411210193
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Steve Carlson 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   50 lines

HOKIES' SEASON: GOOD, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech's football team finished the regular season with the same record it had in 1993.

But the Hokies have a different perspective on that record.

Tech had a fine regular season to be sure, going 8-3 and appearing in the national polls every week - including No. 18 in the new Associated Press poll, No. 16 according to USA Today-CNN. But it wasn't a season that lived up to the Hokies' expectations.

``I'm a little disappointed,'' receiver Antonio Freeman said after the regular season ended Saturday with a 42-23 loss to Virginia. ``I thought we were legitimate contenders for the Big East championship.''

Miami won the league title with little resistance. The Hokies will finish no worse than a tie for second place. Syracuse could tie Tech with a Thanksgiving Day win over West Virginia.

Second place is where the majority of preseason prognosticators picked the Hokies. A record of 8-3 or 9-2 was the projection, so Tech basically achieved what was expected.

``There are a lot of teams that would like to be 8-3,'' offensive guard Chris Malone said. ``Top to bottom, it was a good year. There's not anything to hang our heads about.''

Good, yes. But it could have been better.

Tech's biggest shortcoming was that it didn't win the big games. It went 1-3 against Boston College, Syracuse, Miami and Virginia, which are all nationally ranked. Throw in East Carolina - the Pirates clinched a Liberty Bowl berth Saturday - and Tech was 2-3 against opponents who likely will play in a bowl game.

Again, not bad - but not great.

That could also be used to describe Tech's bowl destination. It likely will be the Carquest, but could be the Gator or Sun bowls. All are better than the Independence Bowl (although Tech may not face a nationally ranked team like it did last year in Indiana), but none is a marquee destination.

``We have a bowl game to look forward to, and that's important,'' Freeman said.

``A lot of seniors around the country will be playing their last game today,'' quarterback Maurice DeShazo said Saturday. ``I'm not one of them.''

The Hokies justifiably feel proud of what they accomplished, but also have to be somewhat disappointed 1994 didn't turn out better. by CNB