DATE: Thursday, November 20, 1997           TAG: 9711200641

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: RANDY KING
                                            LENGTH:   76 lines

VIRGINIA TECH REPORT [BRIEF]

Hokies head to Pitt with their Big East fate in own hands

BLACKSBURG - Heading into the last lap of the Big East race, front-running Virginia Tech can guarantee itself of at least a share of a third straight league title with a win at Pitt on Saturday.

``This is the biggest week of our season . . . it's championship week and Big East week,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ``Believe me, everybody here knows what's on the line this week.''

For one thing, a couple million bucks. A victory would virtually assure Tech of being the Big East's Bowl Alliance representative, a jackpot worth some $2 million more than the alternative prize, say, a trip to the Gator Bowl.

With a victory over Pittsburgh (4-5, 2-3), the 19th-ranked Hokies (7-2) would finish 6-1 in the league and reside as the leaders in the clubhouse. Syracuse (8-3, 5-1) still could tie Tech with a win at Miami on Nov. 29, but the Hokies, who beat Syracuse 31-3 on Sept. 13, would win the tie-breaker. Syracuse still could go to an Alliance bowl if it winds up ranked five spots or more ahead of Tech.

``We can't control the polls, we can't control the bowls,'' Beamer said. ``The only thing we can control is how we go play at Pittsburgh.''

Tech, which finishes the regular season at arch-rival Virginia on Nov. 29, says it won't be caught looking ahead. This week's game looms as much more important than U.Va.

``I've been getting a lot of questions like, `Are y'all looking forward to Virginia?'' Hokies place-kicker Shayne Graham said. ``Well, I don't think a person on the team is tempted to think of U.Va. right now. Basically, this is a do-or-die situation for us.''

The Hokies realize the Panthers are dangerous. Last Saturday, Pittsburgh nearly took care of business for Tech, rallying late to lead Syracuse before losing 32-27 in the final minute.

Meanwhile in Blacksburg, the Hokies were playing the role of big-time Pittsburgh fans.

``It was fun to sit back and cheer for a team to do a job that you probably should have done by yourself,'' Tech rover Pierson Prioleau said. ``Pitt couldn't get the job done, so we have to get it done ourselves.''

Tech has several favorable trends on its side. The Hokies have never lost to Pittsburgh, taking four meetings by a combined 168-61 score. Plus, Tech hasn't lost a game in November in three years, going 10-0 in the process.

If the Hokies extend that mark to 12-0, there is no question about their bowl destination: Tempe, Ariz., site of the Feista Bowl. Record race

Graham has made 14 of 17 field-goal attempts, including his past six in a row, and 31 of 32 point-after tries.

He needs four more field goals to tie the Big East single-season record of 18 set by Miami's Charlos Huerta and leads the league in field goals per game (1.56) and kick scoring (73 points).

He needs 20 points in Tech's final two games to tie Chris Kinzer's school-record of 93 kicking points set in 1986.

If he keeps up his current pace the rest of career, Graham should own virtually every Tech kicking record by the time he's done in 1999. Trainer's table

Beamer expects starting wide-outs Michael Stuewe and Angelo Harrison to be back Saturday. Stuewe (sprained ankle) may see more time than Harrison (foot), who is still having some difficulty making cuts on pass routes.

Meanwhile, flanker Shawn Scales, who underwent ankle surgery in mid-October, may be able to return for Tech's bowl game, team physician Dr. Duane Lagan reported. Tech tidbits

Tech, which ranks fifth in the nation in scoring defense (13.4 points per game), has held six of its nine opponents without a second-half touchdown. . . third quarter in the last two meetings. . . . There is no television coverage of Saturday's game, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. . . . If the Las Vegas oddsmakers are right, Tech should take care of business. The Hokies opened as 11-point favorites over the Panthers.

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