THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511230641
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The University of Virginia won't go bowl-less after all.
The Cavaliers will meet Arkansas or Alabama in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30, in Atlanta's Georgia Dome, officials announced Wednesday night.
Arkansas is the most likely opponent for U.Va. in the 8 p.m. game, to be televised by ESPN. The 23rd-ranked Razorbacks (8-3) are coached by Danny Ford, who was 11-0 against U.Va. while at Clemson from 1979 through 1989.
U.Va. athletic director Terry Holland accepted the Peach Bowl bid 24 hours after expressing a remote fear that the 19th-ranked Cavaliers (8-4), who tied Florida State for the ACC title, might not receive a bid.
He need not have worried. Peach Bowl officials said U.Va. has been their No. 1 choice since the Cavaliers upset Florida State on Nov. 2.
They did not invite U.Va. sooner because the ACC asked bowls to delay announcing bids until Sunday, the day after the regular season ends. But when the Gator Bowl opted for Clemson this week, Peach Bowl officials made their choice public.
``We felt if we waited any longer, somebody might read something into that delay,'' bowl chairman Albert Tarica said. ``We announced it because we felt it was the right thing to do.''
Tarica said the Peach Bowl was not waiting for Georgia Tech to qualify for a bowl bid, as had been speculated. ``As good a team as Georgia Tech is ... they aren't the conference champion,'' Tarica said. ``Virginia is.''
U.Va. likely will know its opponent next week. Alabama, has appealed to be lifted off NCAA probation and to be allowed to accept a bowl bid. Alabama officials have asked for a ruling by Monday.
The Peach Bowl will take the No. 4 Southeastern Conference team, and Alabama would be No. 4 if eligible for a bowl.
``If we haven't heard something by Monday, I would say we might have to do something,'' said Peach Bowl executive director Robert Dale Morgan.
It is the eighth postseason bid in the last 11 years for Welsh, who took the Cavaliers to their first bowl game, and first bowl victory, in the 1984 Peach Bowl, when U.Va. beat Purdue, 27-24.
``It's great to be going back to Atlanta,'' Welsh said. ``There couldn't have been a better choice for us.''
U.Va. officials have committed to selling 11,923 tickets in the 71,542-seat Georgia Dome, but Holland says he'll be disappointed if the Cavaliers don't sell twice that many.
After disappointing ticket sales for the Independence and Carquest bowls the last two seasons, Holland said U.Va. devotees need to shed their image as fans who don't like to travel.
``I think we'll put that to rest after the Peach Bowl,'' he said. ``We're obligated to sell 1/6 of the seats in the stadium, but we'll do that very quickly. I would be very disappointed if we bring less than 20,000.
``We have a statement to make here and we plan to make it very strong.'' by CNB