THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 29, 1994 TAG: 9411290377
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee are neighbors who haven't played a game of football since 1937.
On Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m., they'll get together for the first time in 57 years in the Gator Bowl. College football's coalition bowls selected teams during a conference call Monday, and the second-tier Gator snatched up the Hokies (8-3) and the Volunteers (7-4).
The game will be played this season in Gainesville because the Gator Bowl stadium is being renovated for Jacksonville's new NFL team. Florida Field - nicknamed ``the Swamp'' - will host the game.
``They've already got the orange color in there anyway, so that's good,'' Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer said of Southeastern Conference rival Florida's home field.
``One of our colors is orange, too,'' Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ``There's going to be a lot of orange down there.''
And plenty of green for the participating teams. Both schools will receive a $1.5 million payout. Only seven of the 19 bowl games pay more. And Virginia Tech gets to keep all the bowl money to itself because the Big East doesn't begin revenue-sharing until next season.
Tennessee opened the season ranked No. 13 by The Associated Press, but limped to a 1-3 start. The Vols have won six of their last seven, including a 52-0 trouncing of Kentucky followed by a 65-0 rout of Vanderbilt to close the season. Tennessee's lone defeat in the last two months was a 17-13 loss to unbeaten Alabama.
``I think many people would probably argue right now that they're at least the hottest team in the SEC, and maybe the best team in the SEC,'' Beamer said. ``We understand the challenge here.''
The Hokies limped a bit late in the season, losing, 42-23, at home to Virginia in the season finale. Ironically, last year Tech beat the Cavaliers and ended up with a better record, but went to the Independence Bowl, regarded as one of the lowliest bowl destinations.
This year Virginia manhandled the Hokies and both teams finished 8-3, but the Cavaliers are heading to the Independence.
``I'd like to stress we had a tough game here our last game out, but over the course of the year we've been a pretty good football team and have played good competition,'' Beamer said.
Gator Bowl president Carl Cannon admitted the selection committee wavered between the Hokies, North Carolina and North Carolina State. Tech is 16th in this week's Bowl Coalition poll, one spot ahead of the Tar Heels, seven ahead of N.C. State. The Wolfpack played in the Gator Bowl two years ago and the Tar Heels were there last season.
``It was a real tossup with all three having 8-3 records,'' Cannon said.
Next year the Gator won't have to make that kind of choice. The bowl will begin a six-year deal with the Big East and ACC next year, with the Gator to select a second team from each conference.
Virginia Tech and Tennessee had agreed to get together a couple years ago with a scheduled three-game series for the late 1990s. But the deal had to be shelved when the Hokies joined the Big East and the SEC expanded.
Now, the neighbors will meet in Florida. by CNB