Game of the Year
By Brett Williams
Oregon Daily Emerald
Anyone who thought Florida
State would fall apart after scandal
surrounded its best player earlier
this season, think again. The Semi
noles are right back where many ex
perts picked them to be, playing for
the national championship.
Florida State (11-0,8-0 Atlantic
Coast Conference) has perhaps its
biggest challenge of the season
when it meets Virginia Tech (11
0, 7-0) in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4
in New Orleans.
The suspension of former Heis
man Trophy front runner Peter
Warrick — stemming from
charges by Tallahassee police that
he bought a large quantity of
clothing well below the stores’ set
prices — left many wondering if
the Seminoles could survive
without one of the most explosive
players in the nation.
But Florida State continued to
win without Warrick. Despite the
fact Warrick appeared rusty after
his return, the Seminoles staked
claim to the No. 1 ranking by clos
- ing out their season with convinc
ing triumphs. No game was bigger
„ than the Seminoles’ 30-23 win
. against archrival Florida in their fi
nal regular-season game.
The Hokies wrapped up their
Cinderella season with a 38-14
victory over No. 20 Boston Col
lege. The win against the Golden
Eagles guaranteed Virginia Tech’s
spot in New Orleans.
Nebraska, with one loss, had a
shot at the game with a Hokies
loss and/or two impressive wins
of its own. The Cornhuskers now,
however, have to play second fid
dle after barely beating Colorado.
Virginia Tech head coach Frank
Beamer was impressed with his
team’s composure.
“I think one thing you can say
is our football team never quit
playing,” said Beamer, in an inter
view with the Hokie Huddler.
“We just kept playing, and there
is something about this team that
is right. Hopefully it’s something
right for this team to be playing in
New Orleans for the national
championship.”
Virginia Tech has shown domi
nance on both sides of the ball.
Redshirt-freshman quarterback
Michael Vick had his way with
Big East secondaries all season,
including his four-touchdown,
290-yard performance against
Boston College.
The Hokies’ stingy defense has
accounted for two shutouts, includ
ing a 62-0 drubbing of Syracuse.
But Virginia Tech has yet to
face an offense as potent as Flori
da State’s. Seminoles quarterback
Chris Weinke miraculously re
covered from a spinal injury that
sidelined him much of last season
to throw for 3,103 yards, an aver
age of 272 per game.
The Warrick factor may prove
to be to much for the Hokies. He
has the ability to burn a secondary
catching the ball (he averages bet
ter than 103 yards receiving per
game), using his arm strength (he
threw for a 35-yard touchdown) or
when he returns punts (his 75
yard touchdown return is the
Seminoles’ lone special team’s
score this season).
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