ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, November 18, 1996 TAG: 9611190013
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: JACK BOGACZYK
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
There is one thing to be said with certainty about the bowl picture: It changes faster than the TV channel when the remote control is in male hands.
If there has been a Saturday in pigskins past with similarly stunning victories by Virginia Tech and Virginia, in games with such implications, memories still are rewinding to recall them.
While the Cavaliers came back into one bowl's planning in more ways than one, the Hokies already have played their way out of one bowl.
Tech can count on its fourth consecutive postseason trip being one to Florida. Nothing against Elvis, but the Hokies won't be going to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl, where the Big East Football Conference's fourth pick will appear.
With its 21-7 triumph at Miami, Tech assured itself of a return trip to the Sunshine State for the holidays. Although no bowl figures to commit itself formally to anyone but a league champion for at least another week, the Carquest isn't going to pass on the Hokies.
Even if Tech (8-1) loses its final two games - both at home - to rivals West Virginia and UVa, the Dec. 27 Carquest in Miami will take the Hokies as the Big East's No. 3 pick.
For the third consecutive year, however, the Carquest may not get the Hokie high it wants in the seats at Pro Player Stadium. The Hokies are thinking bigger.
If Tech stops the Mountaineers at soldout Lane Stadium on Saturday, it likely will lock up at least a New Year's afternoon Gator Bowl spot against North Carolina. That would leave the Carquest with a possible West Virginia-UVa date.
And what of the Nov. 29 state date at Lane Stadium? Well, it likely won't mean much in the bowl selection process unless the Hokies beat WVU (8-2) and, then the day after the Tech-UVa game, Miami upsets Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.
Such developments would leave the Big East championship in a three-way tie among the Orangemen, Hokies and Hurricanes. The tie-breaker for the Bowl Alliance spot - it will be an Orange berth for the Big East - is the average ranking in the Associated Press and CNN/USA Today polls.
If Tech wins its final two and Miami wins at Syracuse, the Hokies would be the highest-ranked Big East team.
During the second half of Tech's first victory in a stadium where the Orange Bowl used to be played, an official from that game asked Hokies athletic director Dave Braine how many tickets Tech could sell if it played Notre Dame on New Year's Eve.
``How many can you give us?'' Braine replied.
However, if UVa wins in Blacksburg and Miami follows with an upset, the Hurricanes could get the Orange spot.
If Miami doesn't do that, it probably can't do any better than the Liberty. That may sound shocking, but the Hurricanes (6-3) still haven't qualified for a bowl with six I-A victories, because one of their victories is over The Citadel.
Miami should get its sixth Saturday when Boston College visits South Florida, although the 'Canes could have back-up Scott Covington subbing for injured Ryan Clement at quarterback. Clement left the Tech loss with a badly sprained right ankle.
The Cavaliers (7-3) first got some help from Maryland in their postseason bid when the Terps upset Georgia Tech on Thursday. Then, UVa's 20-17 triumph at Scott Stadium over UNC cost the ACC a bundle Saturday.
With a victory, the Tar Heels probably would have been an at-large alliance team, meaning a second $8 million-plus paycheck (along with Florida State) for the league. Instead, the $1.5 Gator deal will be the Heels' take.
Virginia has moved ahead of Georgia Tech (5-4 with Navy and Georgia to play) on the Carquest's wish list. The only way that might change is if Tech finishes 0-2 and the game takes the Hokies, thereby locking out their state rival.
The Carquest likes West Virginia-Virginia because it will bring a crowd from the Mountaineer State. If it's Miami-UVa, it's a better TV draw. Clemson appears to have the Peach Bowl's No. 3 ACC berth locked.
By winning Saturday, the Cavaliers clinched an ACC-record 10th consecutive season of at least seven victories. The Hokies are on a list of no more than 10 teams that have won eight or more games in four consecutive regular seasons.
The possibilities, however, are as big as Saturday's scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB