Virginian-Pilot


DATE: Thursday, October 2, 1997             TAG: 9710020756

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN




LENGTH: 78 lines

ACC REPORT

Wake Forest players

are seeking revenge

against Virginia

Virginia players are saying only nice things about Wake Forest this week, but that doesn't mean the Deacons' bulletin board isn't plastered with motivational material.

The Deacons are still fuming about the unkind jokes some Virginia players made about them after last year's 42-7 U.Va. win.

``They (Virginia players) said last year's game was more like a scrimmage, and that is a big insult,'' Wake Forest linebacker Kelvin Moses said. ``This year we are looking to prove everybody wrong, and really have a payback.''

Most of the comments last year came from tackle Todd White and defensive end Duane Ashman, who have since graduated.

Virginia has beaten Wake Forest in 13 consecutive games. N.C. State had beaten the Deacons nine straight years before Wake's upset win last Thursday.

Parity could cost

ACC some bowl bids

Improvements at Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, N.C. State and Duke have made the ACC a tougher league. But that is not all good for the league.

With more balanced and teams knocking each other off it may become more difficult for the league to qualify four or five teams for bowls.

Teams need at least six Division I-A wins to be considered for a bowl, and already Clemson and N.C. State have been upset in league games.

Ironically, lowly Duke has more I-A victories (2) than Virginia (0) and Clemson (1) combined.

``It is still early yet,'' Duke coach Fred Goldsmith said when informed of that stat.

QB controversy at Duke?

You might think freshman Spencer Romine would have a lock on the quarterback job after leading Duke to consecutive wins over Army and Navy.

The Blue Devils had the nation's longest losing streak, 15, before Romine was forced into action because of injuries to Bobby Campbell and David Green. Even so, Goldsmith says a now-healthy Campbell may start Saturday against Maryland.

``Campbell did a lot of good things before being injured and he'll have a chance in practice to win back the starting nod for Saturday,'' Goldsmith said.

No word yet on UNC QB

No decision yet on whether North Carolina quarterback Oscar Davenport will play Saturday against TCU. Davenport sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee Saturday against Virginia.

Coach Mack Brown said he will leave it up to team doctors to decide if Davenport plays or not. If Davenport is not ready, the Heels will go with Chris Keldorf, last year's All-ACC quarterback.

Quick hits

Brown visited James Knight, the ACC official who suffered a heart attack during the UNC-U.Va. game, in his hospital room and found him in good spirits. ``He (Knight) is doing great, but he is a little mad because they won't let him out of the hospital so he can referee this weekend,'' Brown said. . . . ACC fans may be getting a little miffed about having to delay finalizing game plans because of the league's sweetheart television deal. The noon startfor Virginia's homecoming game against Wake Forest Saturday was not set until Monday. The time for next Saturday's game against Clemson won't be known until Monday. The TV deal allows ABC to announce televised games and starting times less than a week before they are played. . . . Florida State coach Bobby Bowden has an unusual concern about Saturday's game against rival Miami: He's hoping his team doesn't go in over-confident against 1-3 Miami. ``I know Miami is going to play hard against us and I hope my players are smart enough to know that,'' Bowden said.



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