THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, October 24, 1994               TAG: 9410240132
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: STEVE CARLSON
                                             LENGTH: Short :   48 lines

VA. TECH HAS A SHOT AGAINST HURRICANES - A LONG SHOT

As Virginia Tech's players trotted off the field Saturday after improving to 7-1, a few exuberant Lane Stadium fans hollered at the Hokies, ``Next week is the big one.''

Next week is Miami in the Orange Bowl at 3:30 p.m. in an ABC regional broadcast. It'll be Virginia Tech's biggest game in a long time, if not ever.

Tech is No. 13 in The Associated Press ranking, 10th in the USA Today-CNN poll. That's the Hokies' highest rating ever in the AP media poll and matches their high-water mark in the USA Today-CNN coaches' poll. Miami is ranked No. 6 by the AP, No. 4 by USA Today-CNN.

The only game Saturday matching two higher-ranked teams is Colorado at Nebraska.

A win for the Hokies at Miami would:

Keep Tech in a three-way race for the Big East title, along with the Hurricanes and Syracuse.

Put Tech in line for its first-ever appearance in a major bowl.

Vault Tech into the top 10 in both polls.

``They without question are the best team in our conference,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said of Miami. ``If you went out and asked people who's the top five teams in the last 10 years, I don't know many people who know anything about football that would leave out Miami. Probably if you asked who were the top three, they'd say Miami.

``If you can ever beat a team like that, you're thought of differently. I'm sure we would be if we could go down there and win. We know what a challenge it is.''

Challenge, yes. Impossible? No.

Miami overall is more talented than the Hokies. But the Hurricanes don't have a great quarterback this season, and Tech's defense is almost as dominant as that of the 'Canes.

The Hokies patterned their defense after Washington, which snapped Miami's vaunted 58-game home winning streak earlier this season. Washington is hardly a juggernaut, having lost to a couple of so-so teams in Southern Cal and Oregon.

The Hokies' defense keeps them in the game. With a break or two and a good day from an improving offense, Tech has a shot - even if it is a long one. by CNB