THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9511020501
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Whenever Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer was asked about the Big East race in recent weeks, he said Syracuse has to be the favorite.
But the Orangemen, the league's only ranked team, have been listed as 6-point underdogs for Saturday's visit to Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium (3:30 p.m., WVEC).
Syracuse (6-1, 3-0) has won five in a row and is ranked No. 15 in the USA Today-CNN coaches' poll, and No. 20 in the Associated Press media poll. The Hokies (6-2, 4-1) have won six in a row, but have not cracked either top 25.
``Virginia Tech is playing so well right now, it's a great credit to them,'' Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said of the odds. ``We have to go down there. I can't tell you I'm upset by that.''
Undoubtedly he'll try to make sure his players are upset by it come game time.
Beamer - who on Tuesday called it perhaps the most important game of his nine years coaching the Hokies - seemed unimpressed by the oddsmakers' opinion. ``Well, you play the game on Saturday,'' he said. ``We feel good about the way we're playing. I think we're playing well as a football team right now, but what happened last week or the week before isn't necessarily going to take place this week.''
OTHER VIEWS: Syracuse-Virginia Tech is a key game in the Big East race, but doesn't settle anything. Syracuse still has to play Pittsburgh, Boston College and Miami. Tech's only remaining league game is against Temple.
Still, in a forgettable year for the Big East, this is the first game involving two conference teams that ABC or ESPN deemed worthy of broadcast since Boston College-Tech in September. So coaches beyond the two involved have opinions on the game.
``The quarterback from Syracuse (Donovan McNabb) will give Virginia Tech some problems, but Virginia Tech's defense gives anyone problems,'' said West Virginia coach Don Nehlen, who was shut out by both teams. ``The fact Syracuse has to go to Virginia Tech and has to play on grass is going to be a factor in the game.''
Rutgers coach Doug Graber: ``The quarterback at Syracuse is so athletic that against (the Hokies') style of defense he has to be a little scary to them.''
Coach Butch Davis of Miami, whose only league loss came to Virginia Tech, stopped short of saying he is rooting for Syracuse, but that's what he's doing.
``Obviously for us to have a chance to win the Big East we're going to need some help somewhere down the line; someone's going to have to beat Virginia Tech,'' Davis said.
BIG LEAST: Boston College's loss to Notre Dame last week dropped the Eagles to 2-6 and eliminated them from postseason play. Well, almost. BC, which plays a 12th game this year, could still end up winning the conference. That would allow Boston College to seek a waiver of the rule in the NCAA Postseason Football Handbook that says a team must have more wins than losses to be eligible for a bowl game.
Here's how the Eagles (2-1 Big East) could end up in the bowl alliance, probably the Sugar Bowl:
They win remaining conference games with Temple, Miami, Syracuse and Rutgers to finish 6-1.
Syracuse beats Virginia Tech Saturday, then loses to BC and either Pittsburgh or Miami.
Those scenarios would give every team but Boston College at least two Big East losses.
MIAMI VICE: Miami has received the NCAA's report on alleged rules violations. The Hurricanes are not on the docket for the November infractions committee hearing but are trying to get a special hearing on their case to expedite the process.
The four-year investigation of Miami involves financial aid fraud, drug-testing improprieties and a play-for-pay scheme involving rap star Luther Campbell.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Hokies are 4-0 on the road this season. The last time they won their first four road games was 1967, which is also the last season in which they had a six-game winning streak. Beamer was a Hokie cornerback on that team. If Tech beats Virginia Nov. 18, it will win a fifth road game for the first season since 1963. by CNB