Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 1, 1993 TAG: 9311010005
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
For all the research Phil Elmassian did before Virginia Tech played East Carolina on Saturday, he couldn't read the minds of media who voted on The Associated Press Top 25 college football rankings.
"There were 31 teams out of 106 [in Division I-A] that were in a position to have a winning season," the Hokies' defensive coordinator said he told Tech's players after they beat ECU 31-12 to make their record 6-2 with three games left. "You're in an elite group."
The AP voters thought so, too, and on Sunday ranked Tech No. 25 - the first time the Hokies have appeared in the AP poll since Tech was No. 20 in the final voting in 1986, when the poll listed 20 teams. It's the first time since 1954 that the Hokies have been ranked by AP during the regular season.
Two other poll streaks ended Sunday, as Michigan and Washington were not ranked for the first time this decade. Florida State (8-0) and Notre Dame (9-0) remained on course for a 1-2 showdown Nov. 13 in South Bend, Ind.
Michigan (4-4), No. 24 last week, fell out of the poll after losing to Wisconsin 13-10. It's the first time the Wolverines have been unranked since the final regular-season poll of 1987.
Washington (5-3), No. 19 a week ago, lost to Arizona State 32-17 and dropped out for the first time since 1989. Michigan State (4-3), which lost 10-0 to Indiana, also fell out of the Top 25.
The Hokies moved from No. 24 to No. 23 in Sunday's USA Today/CNN coaches' poll. Tech, which needs one victory to have its best season under seventh-year coach Frank Beamer, plays at Boston College (unranked by AP, No. 25 by USA Today/CNN) on Saturday. Either the Eagles or Hokies will take over third place in the Big East Conference and have the inside track for a bid to the New Year's Day Carquest Bowl, which likely will take the Big East's third-place team for the game at Miami's Joe Robbie Stadium.
The Hokies were 2-8-1 last year and were 0-7-1 in their last eight games. Beamer was asked after the ECU game if he thought he would be facing the media having won six games by the end of October.
"I don't think many of you guys thought I would be, and I didn't know," he said. "It's a great feeling. . . . I thought we had a chance, but things kind of had to fall in place."
Top-ranked Florida State, which walloped Wake Forest 54-0 on Saturday, received all 62 first-place votes in the media poll for the third consecutive week. Notre Dame remained No. 2 after rallying in the second half to beat Navy 58-27.
Ohio State (8-0) was third, followed by Miami (6-1), Alabama (7-0-1), Nebraska (8-0), Tennessee (6-1-1), Auburn (8-0), Florida (6-1) and Texas A & M (7-1).
Wyoming (7-1) and North Carolina State (6-2) also broke into the Top 25. Wyoming moved in at No. 24 after beating Fresno State 32-28, and N.C. State was No. 22 after a 34-29 victory over Virginia.
West Virginia (7-0) was No. 11, the lowest ranking of the seven undefeated teams. The Mountaineers kept their record perfect by beating Syracuse 43-0.
The Associated Press contributed information for this story.
by CNB