ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 2, 1995 TAG: 9512030037
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Now that it officially has been added to the Bowl Alliance's reservation list, Virginia Tech has just one more itty-bitty question: Where will its party be?
The Sugar Bowl or Orange Bowl? In New Orleans or Miami? On Bourbon Street or Key Biscayne?
As of Friday, there was only one thing for certain: Whichever postseason bash the Hokies attend, they're guaranteed to be running with some fast company.
Tech's four most likely bowl opponents - Notre Dame, Florida State, Texas or Texas A&M - have participated in a combined 61 New Year's Day major bowls. Tech has played in zero.
So what?, the Hokies say. They were so happy Friday about heading to their first major bowl that little else mattered.
``Right now,'' said elated Tech coach Frank Beamer, ``I don't care who we play or where we're going.
``The fact we're in the Bowl Alliance is all that matters.
``I've been telling Hokie Club people that this is a new day at Virginia Tech. I think today our program just stepped up to another level.''
After weeks of speculation, Tech's alliance spot was nailed down Friday when the NCAA dropped the hammer on Miami. The 22nd-ranked Hurricanes (8-3), who tied No.13 Tech (9-2) for the Big East title, were taken out of the postseason picture when handed a one-year bowl ban by the NCAA.
The 'Canes also were stripped of 24 football scholarships -13 in 1996-97 and 11 in '97-98 - as part of the penalties assessed the school for violation of NCAA rules under former coaches Dennis Erickson and Jimmy Johnson.
Beamer knows what scholarship cuts can do to a program. Beamer's first two Tech teams in 1987 and 1988 were severely hampered by the loss of 20 grant-in-aid cuts mandated by the NCAA for program improprieties committed under his predecessor, Bill Dooley.
``I think [scholarship cuts] is the worst penalty you can get because it affects the heart of your program,'' Beamer said. ``Usually, it's what kind of personnel you have on the field that determines whether you win or lose.
``I'm disappointed with that part of the story because Miami is part of our story in the Big East Conference. Anytime somebody in your family is in trouble, it's usually means trouble for you.''
Well, sort of. Although Tech may have been an alliance pick, Miami or no Miami, Friday's NCAA news ended all the Hokies' doubts.
``I won't say that justice was served,'' said Tech athletic director Dave Braine, ``but regardless of what happened with Miami it's very unfair for anybody to say we backed into a major bowl.
``Anyway you look at a tiebreaker system [which the Big East didn't have this year], we won head to head, total points, point differential or whatever. Regardless of how you look at it, we won [the Big East title] outright.''
Beamer agreed.
``We're deserving, no doubt about it,'' he said. ``Any criteria somebody can come up with we held an edge [on Miami].''
Barring an Arkansas upset of Florida in tonight's Southeastern Conference title game, the alliance scenario figures to go like this:
The Fiesta, which gets the first two choices, is a stoned lock to pick No.1-ranked Nebraska and No.2 Florida.
Notre Dame (9-2), with its national television appeal, is likely to be chosen No.3 by the Orange.
Most observers agree the swing pick in the process will be the Sugar's decision with selection No.4. The New Orleans bowl will have the choice of Florida State, Tech or the SWC champion.
If the Sugar takes Tech - the bowl's officials have made it known they love the fact that Tech may bring as many as 20,000 fans to Bourbon Street - the Orange almost assuredly would take FSU (9-2) with pick No.5 to face Notre Dame.
The alliance's pairings would be filled out with the Sugar's No.6 pick of the SWC champion.
Braine said who and where Tech plays could hinge on what transpires today in College Station, Texas. The 16th-ranked Aggies (8-2) are a 41/2-point favorite over No.9 Texas (9-1-1).
``It's going to depend a lot on who CBS wants in their game [Orange Bowl],'' Braine said.
``If Texas wins, I don't think they'd want a rematch with Notre Dame (the Irish beat the Longhorns 55-27 in South Bend, Ind., in September). My feeling is if Texas wins [today], the Orange Bowl would take us.''
Braine then started laughing. Just like the Hokies will do when they head to the bank with the $3.5 million check they will be handed by one of the two bowls.
``Who knows and who cares at this point,'' Braine said. ``The big thing is the waiting is over and we're going to the biggest bowl game in Virginia Tech history. That's all that matters.''
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Map by AP: College Bowl payouts. color.by CNB