THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 1, 1995 TAG: 9511010589
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
The polls did Virginia no favors.
The chances of U.Va. making a game of it against Florida State Thursday night, never very realistic to start with, got worse when the rocket scientists who rate college football teams dropped the Seminoles to No. 2.
Florida State's crime? Bobby Bowden's juggernaut took the week off.
How many touchdowns is Florida State's bruised ego worth? How many additional points will the Seminoles score because they are miffed?
Never mind that Bowden says his team's demotion is ``kind of expected.'' Disregard his aw-shucks rationale that ``it will all get taken care of in the end.''
Bowden won't beef about the polls because he knows his team is aroused. Somebody must pay for this rancid ranking injustice. Somebody will bear the brunt of simmering Seminole resentment.
U.Va., in other words, is meat.
Whatever you thought Florida State's margin of victory in Charlottesville would be, add another touchdown. Add three if the night is clear and the track firm.
Poor U.Va. The Cavaliers have been very careful to avoid saying anything that might end up on the Seminoles' bulletin board. And then this.
The rankings are catnip to Florida State. The Seminoles are told that they were dropped in both the Associated Press and coaches polls because Nebraska plays a tougher schedule.
To be sure, Florida State's schedule up to now has been cream cheese. The Seminoles have not beaten a ranked team. Now along comes U.Va., 24th in the AP poll, 20th in the coaches poll, at a time when Bowden's Boys feel an urgent need to stick it to somebody.
The Cavaliers are as tough as it gets for Florida State until the Seminoles play at No. 3 Florida on Nov. 25. What better way to get the pollsters' attention than by embarrassing the ACC's second-best team on ESPN's national game of the week.
Virginia can only hope Bowden takes his cue from John Cooper. After fourth-ranked Ohio State ran out to a 56-7 halftime lead over Iowa, Cooper removed his starters.
``For those of you who questioned whether I'd run it up,'' Cooper said following Ohio State's 56-35 victory, ``here's your answer.''
You've got to like Cooper's style.
But because the Big Ten is obligated to send its best team to the Rose Bowl, Ohio State's ranking isn't as important to the national championship picture.
Already, the field for the Fiesta Bowl game between No. 1 and 2 appears to include only Nebraska, Florida State and Florida.
Too bad for Ohio State, which may be the only team that can give Nebraska a game.
None of this is of any concern to U.Va. Bowden compassion, and a surprising performance from their sievelike pass defense, may be all that can spare the Cavaliers a long, discouraging evening.
Even so, U.Va. gets to be on national cable television. While being exposed, the Cavaliers receive exposure.
A chance of rain is predicted, so perhaps mud will gum up the gears of Florida State's machine.
U.Va. fans shouldn't count on it, though.
Florida State, naturally superior and more athletic than U.Va., has been provoked.
In football, as in life, timing is everything. by CNB