Bowl selection considerations from Roanoke Times:
roanoke.com
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If Sugar trip sours, Gator may pick Tech
Sunday, November 28, 2004, By Mark Berman
BLACKSBURG - If Virginia Tech doesn't land in the Sugar Bowl, it could wind up in the Gator Bowl thanks to its fans.
The Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., has the second pick of ACC schools; the Bowl Championship Series gets the top ACC team. The winner of Saturday's game between Tech (9-2, 6-1) and host Miami (8-2, 5-2) will nab the BCS bid. Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett said if Tech loses to Miami, his bowl might take the Hokies instead of Florida State (8-3, 6-2) as its ACC pick because Tech fans would book more hotel rooms.
"Traditionally, Virginia Tech travels so well that they're always going to be high up on anybody's bowl list," Catlett said Saturday at Lane Stadium. "I want to have people excited about our matchup and I want to fill up hotel rooms. Those two things, when you look at it, Virginia Tech fills that bill.
"It becomes a sellout with Florida State because of the local influence, but every Florida State fan in the state of Florida can drive in and drive out on game day."
The ACC team's opponent in the Gator will be a Big East squad. The Gator has the second pick of Big East schools, with the Big East champ going to the BCS. The Gator will kick off at 12:30 p.m. on Jan.1.
"We're trying to put together a matchup that the people in Jacksonville will like that will sell hotel rooms and sell tickets," Catlett said. "We're more into the economic development piece of it."
Catlett noted No.11 Tech will likely finish "significantly higher" than No.18 Florida State in the polls, another reason the Gator could opt for the Hokies. He also considers Tech a TV draw.
Tech coach Frank Beamer "has established himself as one of the top 10 coaches in America, so when he comes, he turns TV sets on. People want to watch his teams play," Catlett said.
One thing in FSU's favor, said Catlett, is that school's role in successfully pushing the Gator Bowl as the future site of the ACC title game.
The Gator will likely choose between West Virginia and Boston College from the Big East. Catlett figures NBC would ask the Gator to invite BC because of the Boston TV market.
The Gator could opt for FSU vs. WVU, though.
"If we had Florida State, we'll have to look at the other side and try to get a team that travels - a West Virginia, someone like that," Catlett said.
The Gator would not pair Tech and WVU because those teams met in the regular season.
Peach a possibility
If Miami earns the BCS bid and the Gator opts for FSU, that would no doubt mean Virginia Tech will play in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec.31.
The Peach has the third ACC pick, after the BCS and Gator. If Miami and FSU are taken, the Peach would be allowed to take Tech or UVa (8-3, 5-3). Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan said he couldn't guarantee his game would take Tech over UVa because his committee hasn't yet met on the matter. It is highly improbable, of course, that the Peach would pass up a Tech team that would have tied for the ACC title and would be higher in the polls than UVa.
The Peach is deciding between Florida and Alabama as the ACC team's opponent. The 7:30 p.m. game will air on ESPN.
"We sell so many tickets locally that we're blessed that we don't need someone to bring 30,000 fans," Stokan said. "Virginia-Florida is a great, great game. Virginia Tech-Florida, Virginia Tech-Alabama, Miami and Florida - any scenario we've gone through, it's all great games and all sellout games."
Sugar Bowl dream
The ACC's BCS team will likely wind up in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Not only would Tech love to return to the Sugar Bowl, but the Sugar Bowl would love it too.
Sugar Bowl committee member Ronald Burns, the father of Tech punter Vinnie Burns, said the Sugar's preference is to pit Virginia Tech vs. Auburn.
"It would be a great game for us," he said.
Burns said the Sugar would prefer Tech nab the ACC's BCS slot instead of Miami because Tech travels so well.
The Sugar will get Auburn if the Tigers win the Southeastern Conference title game and don't wind up in the Orange Bowl, which is the BCS national championship game.
Tech lost to Florida State 46-29 in the Sugar in January 2000, when the Sugar was the national championship game.
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