Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 27, 1995 TAG: 9511280060
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Tech (9-2), a likely Alliance lock if Miami (8-3) had lost, has two remote chances to claim its first major bowl bid.
To label the Hokies' chances slim and none is not cliche.
Tech's first hope rests on a possible upset call from the Sugar Bowl, which has the fourth and sixth picks in the Alliance selection rotation.
Tech's second hope hinges on Miami being assessed its impending NCAA sanctions before the Alliance bids are passed out Sunday. If that happens, Miami has made it known it gladly would bow out of the postseason picture and serve any bowl sanction this year.
The Hokies had better not hold their breath on that one. The NCAA didn't hear Miami's probe response until Nov.10 and it generally takes the sanctioning body four to six weeks to respond.
So, basically, Tech's hopes rest with the Sugar. Unless the New Orleans-based bowl takes Tech with the fourth Alliance pick, the Hokies will have to settle for a Jan.1 Gator Bowl date with Clemson (8-3) in Jacksonville, Fla.
Although things could change depending on what happens Saturday in the Florida-Arkansas and Texas-Texas A&M games, the Alliance figures to go like this:
The Fiesta Bowl, with selections Nos.1 and 2, will take Nebraska and Florida. The Orange Bowl, which has picks Nos.3 and 5, then figures to select Notre Dame.
The Sugar, with the fourth pick, then has three options - take ACC co-champion and eighth-ranked Florida State (9-2), one of the Big East co-champions (13th-ranked Tech or 22nd-ranked Miami) or the Southwest Conference champion (sixth-ranked Texas or 16th-ranked A&M).
If the Sugar doesn't take Tech with the fourth pick, the Hokies are done. Because the Orange, with the next selection, undoubtedly would fill the Big East's Alliance slot with hometown Miami.
Would the Sugar take Tech over Florida State? After the Miami-Syracuse game, the hot rumor in the Orange bowl press box was the Sugar would take Tech with the fourth pick.
``I can honestly say I don't [know] where that emanated from,'' said Sugar Bowl executive director Troy Mathieu on Sunday. ``All I can say [is] that Virginia Tech is on our board and will get a serious look.''
Dave Braine, Tech's athletic director, said Saturday night that Miami's victory ``hurt our chances, no doubt.''
After beating Syracuse, coach Butch Davis and the 'Canes maintained they were deserving of the Big East's Alliance spot.
Davis said: ``What was the score when we played Tech? 13-7? With us throwing the ball in the end zone [at the end]. And we weren't a good team then.''
Kenny Holmes, a junior defensive lineman for Miami, unloaded on the Hokies, telling the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) News Sentinel: ``Virginia Tech is a third-rate team. They had a weak schedule. They play Sister Mary Sisters of the Blind and we played Florida State. They have no tradition.''
by CNB