THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 17, 1994 TAG: 9411170605
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
West Virginia probably needs to beat Boston College on Saturday to avoid going from a national title contender one holiday season to a bowl spectator the next.
The Mountaineers started the season 1-4, but are up to 5-5 and will finish 7-5 if they beat BC and Syracuse on Thanksgiving Day. Surprisingly, West Virginia coach Don Nehlen said his team started to turn things around in its 34-6 loss to Virginia Tech.
``We felt we started to grow up a little bit at that time,'' Nehlen said. ``Our team was struggling for confidence up until about the midway point of the season.''
Since the Tech game, West Virginia has only lost to Miami. But the Mountaineers have also beaten nothing but awful teams in Missouri, Pittsburgh, Louisiana Tech and Temple. Those four are a combined 9-31.
No. 17 Boston College, on the other hand, is 6-2-1 and coming off a 31-0 victory over Syracuse.
``Syracuse was close to leading our league in total offense and they just shut them down,'' Nehlen said.
MAJORS ACCOMPLISHMENT: Pitt threw a scare into Miami last week, losing 17-12 in a torrential rain at the Orange Bowl. Panthers running back Billy West rushed for 160 yards - the first back all season to top 100 yards against Miami and the most by one back against the 'Canes since 1987 - and John Ryan's touchdown pass was the first a Big East offense has scored on the Hurricanes this season.
``It was the best effort all the way around since I've been at Pitt,'' Panthers coach Johnny Majors said.
WRONG QB: All Rutgers quarterback Ray Lucas did in Saturday's loss to Virginia Tech was throw for a career-high 374 yards, four touchdowns and one interception on 25 of 44 accuracy.
Imagine how Lucas felt when he learned who was named the Big East offensive player of the week. It was the other quarterback on the field, Tech's Maurice DeShazo.
DeShazo had a solid but less-dazzling 12-of-15 day, good for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for another score. DeShazo became the first Hokie this season to win the league's weekly offensive award.
NO TROPICAL PARADISE: Tropical Storm Gordon has wreaked havoc with Miami's practice schedule. The Hurricanes worked out Monday in a gym on campus, and went to the nearby Coconut Grove Convention center to practice indoors Tuesday. There is standing water on both the grass and artificial turf fields on which the 'Canes normally practice.
``It's awful,'' coach Dennis Erickson said. ``In the six years I've been here, that's the first time I've ever seen it like this.''
SUDDEN FALL: Syracuse spent the first half of the season as the surprise of the Big East. Suddenly, the Orangemen (6-3) are on the verge of being a disappointment comparable to last season, when they opened the season ranked No. 6 in the nation but finished 6-4-1.
In big games on successive weekends against Miami and Boston College, Syracuse has been outscored, 58-6. The Orangemen host Maryland on Saturday and play at West Virginia on Thanksgiving day.
``We've got a lot of work to do in terms of regrouping,'' coach Paul Pasqualoni said. ``Obviously we're disappointed and we're shaken. I think we've got a great group of kids and a very solid program here.
``Every football team goes through a bit of a crisis at some point in the season, and we're in a crisis situation here right now.''
ALOHA: The Big East has reached a deal with the Aloha Bowl to send a fourth team to the Christmas Day game in Honolulu. But the deal hinges upon Syracuse beating Maryland on Saturday.
The opponent will be a third team from the Big Eight, likely to be Kansas State.
The Big East sends two teams to the Bowl Coalition, and the Carquest Bowl gets to pick a third league team.
QUICK HITS: Boston College's defense, which held Syracuse to 157 yards and recorded seven sacks last week, has moved ahead of Virginia Tech as the league's second-best defense. Miami leads the nation in total and scoring defense, while BC is fifth in total and sixth in scoring defense. . . . Tech's DeShazo needs 4 yards to become the Hokies' all-time total offense leader. . . seasons under coach Frank Beamer. . . . The Eagles are 6-0-1 since Virginia Tech beat them Sept. 17. . . . The Big East has won its last eight non-conference games, but faces two ACC foes this week with Virginia at Virginia Tech (noon, WTKR) and Maryland at Syracuse. by CNB