ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 8, 1996 TAG: 9612100043
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Virginia Tech's football team apparently knows where it will be playing its second straight major bowl game.
Who it will be playing, however, is an entirely different story.
Tech athletic director Dave Braine said Saturday night he was "99-percent sure'' the 11th-ranked Hokies (10-1) will be chosen by the Orange Bowl when the Bowl Alliance lineup is announced today at 5:30 p.m. (WDBJ, Channel 7).
"I think us going to the Orange Bowl is a safe bet,'' Braine said. "We haven't talked to a soul from the Fiesta Bowl all week.
"But as far as to who we're going to play, it could be anybody now.''
Until No. 3 Nebraska's stunning 37-27 loss to unranked Texas in Saturday afternoon's Big 12 Conference title game, fourth-ranked Florida looked like a lock as Tech's Orange Bowl opponent.
Nebraska's loss, though, opened up the the Sugar Bowl door for Florida, after it beat No. 15 Alabama 45-30 in Saturday night's SEC title game.
The Sugar Bowl, with the Nos. 1 and 2 Alliance choices, figures to pair top-ranked Florida State (11-0) and Florida (11-1). It would be a rematch of the Nov. 30 meeting in Tallahassee, Fla., in which the then-No. 2 Seminoles upset the No. 1 Gators 24-21.
Braine said he has been told the Fiesta Bowl, with Alliance picks Nos. 3 and 5, wants to pair western-based teams. Big 12 champion Texas (8-4) and sixth-ranked Brigham Young (13-1), as an at-large entry, certainly fit that bill.
That would leave the Orange Bowl with Tech and either No. 8 Penn State (10-2), No. 9 Tennessee (9-2) or sure-to-fall Nebraska.
Of that trio, Penn State may be the best bet to oppose Tech, Braine surmised.
"From what I hear, the Orange Bowl has talked to only three schools - us, Penn State and Florida,'' Braine said.
Then, again, two-time defending national champion Nebraska could be looming for Tech.
"Who knows? I don't. I don't think anybody knows for sure right now,'' Braine said.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB