THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 5, 1995 TAG: 9511050260
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BOB MOLINARO
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
On Saturday, Syracuse felt the Big Chill.
Bitter winds and frosty temperatures at Lane Stadium dropped the wind-chill index to 16 degrees by the start of the second half. But the discomfort zone the dome dwellers from New York found themselves in had less to do with the conditions than the cold-hearted defense of Virginia Tech.
The wind wasn't in Syracuse's face the entire game, but the ferocious Hokies were.
``It would have been nice to play a great game,'' Orangemen coach Paul Pasqualoni said after his team was put on ice, 31-7. ``But Tech wouldn't let us. Their defense lined up and flat beat us.''
Syracuse scored the first touchdown of this Big East game, then had its offense freeze dried by Tech.
``Even though we scored first early in the game,'' said Pasqualoni, ``we couldn't get anything going. We were off balance all night.''
The job of trying to keep Tech off balance belonged to Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb, a preternaturally poised redshirt freshman.
``That young man, well, he just made some plays that defy description,'' said Tech coach Frank Beamer.
In the fourth quarter, McNabb spun away from what looked like a sure sack. He juked and weaved his way upfield, making 25 yards out of nothing.
It was the best individual play of the game, if not the season. But when McNabb followed it up with a bad pitch, Tech took back the ball and whatever small measure of momentum Syracuse was building.
``We didn't have any big plays all game,'' said McNabb, forgetting his one great run. Tech's defense, he added, ``is just too experienced. I give them an A.''
An A for aggression, no doubt.
Junior defensive end Cornell Brown sacked McNabb three times for losses of 38 yards. McNabb spent most of the day backpeddling into a minus 13-yard rushing performance.
Syracuse rushed for 65 yards in the first quarter, and for a negative 11 over the final three periods. McNabb passed for 113 yards, but most of that came with the game out of reach.
Was the wind a factor in Syracuse's passing problems?
``What hurt the passing game,'' said Pasqualoni, ``was the Tech rush.''
According to Syracuse offensive tackle Jim Ledger, the Hokie defensive effort was ``unbelievable.''
Unbelievable, maybe. But not unexpected. Tech's defense, the stingiest in the conference, probably is good enough to impress even critics of the Big East, of which there are many.
Still, the Hokies came into the game No. 1 nationally against the run, and No. 3 in scoring defense. They held Syracuse, the conference's highest scoring team, to one touchdown a week after shutting out West Virginia.
When the Hokies were shocked to find themselves shut out of victories after their first two games, it was defense that gave Tech the stability needed to bounce back.
Now the Hokies have won seven in a row. With a victory next Saturday over semi-hapless Temple, they are guaranteed no worse than a tie for the Big East title.
Saturday, fans threw sugar cubes onto the field in anticipation of a Hokie date with the Sugar Bowl. A few threw the favorite fruit of the Orange Bowl. Since the Carquest Bowl is also a possibility for Tech, it's surprising that somebody didn't start tossing around auto parts.
These are giddy times in Hokieville.
Coaches forbid themselves from looking more than a week into the future. But the rules don't prohibit a sports writer from taking a peak around the bend.
Should both Virginia Tech and Virginia win next week, their annual clambake on Nov. 18 would create a game between conference titlists.
Whatever the temperature in Charlottesville that day, this could be enough to send a shiver through the rivalry. by CNB