THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 9, 1995 TAG: 9511090509
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Orange Bowl executive director Keith Tribble favors a tiebreaker based on rankings and overall record to determine a conference champion and Bowl Alliance representative.
The Big East has no tiebreaker. Virginia Tech could end up tied with Miami for the title, have a higher ranking and better overall record - and still get passed over in favor of the Hurricanes by the Orange Bowl or Sugar Bowl.
``Under this scenario, that's exactly right,'' Tribble said. ``Now it gets more subjective.''
The Hokies' objective Saturday is to beat Temple at Washington's RFK Stadium and guarantee at least a tie for their first Big East title. Beyond that, there are no guarantees.
Either the Sugar or the Orange, members along with the Fiesta of the Bowl Alliance, have to take a Big East team. The Alliance bowls could face a choice
between:
The major television markets and name recognition that come with Syracuse or Miami, which are both 3-1 in the league and could play for a share of the title when they meet Nov. 25 at Miami.
The potential ticket sales and possible higher national ranking of the Hokies. Tech (7-2, 5-1) might have to close the season by beating Virginia to remain the Big East's highest-ranked team.
``I think we would take a minimum of 25,000 people,'' Tech athletic director Dave Braine said. ``I don't think that's an exaggeration at all.''
Miami is averaging just 34,568 fans at home, 26,850 in its last three following a 1-3 start. Tech averaged 44,777 at home this year and took large contingents to Navy and West Virginia.
``Between the Orange and Sugar bowls you also need to know who is playing on the other side,'' Big East commissioner Michael Tranghese said. ``Is the bowl's need television sets, or is their need ticket sales?
``Virginia Tech has the luxury of having beaten Syracuse pretty good and has beaten Miami earlier in the year. Bowls have to factor that into the equation.''
But the equation is multi-faceted, as are the potential scenarios.
The champions of the ACC, Big East, Southeastern, Big Eight and Southwest conferences, along with an at-large team, will be matched in the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar. This year Notre Dame is the at-large team, if it finishes in the top 10 in either poll.
The Alliance picks will be made Dec. 3. The Fiesta selects the top two Alliance teams. The Orange picks third and fifth, the Sugar fourth and sixth.
Tech victories over Temple and Virginia - which would make the Hokies 9-2 and highest ranked in the Big East - would enhance their chances for the Orange or Sugar. So does a Miami loss.
Sugar executive director Troy Mathieu said the Sugar and Orange will pay participating teams $8,330,500. If the Fiesta does not get a No. 1 team, however, all the payouts will be slightly less.
The Big East has revenue sharing this year, so Braine said the Big East team in the Gator Bowl will receive only about $1.5 million less than the team in the Bowl Alliance. The Gator gets a second Big East team - not necessarily the second-place team - the Carquest a third and the Liberty a fourth, if four Big East teams qualify.
Money aside, Tech can do little more than win two games and hope.
``If we win out, I'd be surprised if we weren't the (Alliance) pick,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said.
At worst, the Hokies will return to the Gator or play in the Carquest. Executive director Rick Catlett of the Gator Bowl - which also takes a second team from the ACC - said he would be ``tickled to death'' to have Virginia Tech back after it played there last year. But Catlett said it's unlikely the bowl would consider a Virginia-Virginia Tech rematch just six weeks after they conclude the regular season against each other.
Tranghese said the Big East will look at a tiebreaker system after the season, but he's somewhat uneasy about telling a bowl that is paying out $8 million what team it has to take.
``I think we need to have some protection so that a team like Virginia Tech, if it ties for the title, doesn't just get brushed off for television reasons,'' Tranghese said. ILLUSTRATION: LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer.
THE BOWLS
Graphic
[For a copy of the bowls and schedules, see microfilm for this
date.]
by CNB