Virginia Tech could become new bully on ACC block
Bowden wanted advice.
Nothing could have said more about the revamped Atlantic Coast Conference: No longer are the Seminoles the team to beat, the bully of the block.
Florida State won the league title 11 times in 12 years after joining the ACC in 1992. But that quickly changed when Virginia Tech and Miami came aboard last season.
The Hokies won the conference title last season and have a chance to repeat Saturday night in the inaugural ACC championship game at Alltel Stadium.
Most believe No. 5 Virginia Tech (10-1, 7-1) already has replaced the Seminoles (7-4, 5-3) atop the conference. But players and coaches from both teams agree the Hokies have to prove it on the field when they meet for the first time since the 2002 Gator Bowl.
“Florida State has national championships, Heisman Trophy winners, league championships. They have done so many great things,” Tech defensive end Darryl Tapp said. “We’ve only had one ACC championship. We’re by far nowhere near them, but we’re taking some right steps.”
The Hokies can make huge strides Saturday by winning the game, earning a Bowl Championship Series berth and probably playing in the Orange Bowl.
The Seminoles have other plans, despite enduring their first three-game losing streak since 1983 and being outscored 89-36 against Clemson, North Carolina State and Florida.
“We’re looking forward to it,” defensive end Kamerion Wimbley said. “Everybody’s eager. We like the opportunity to prove we’re still a quality team. We don’t want to be written off. This is our chance.”
Given the Seminoles’ struggles, Virginia Tech is a double-digit favorite in the game. But the Hokies are taking more of an underdog approach, harping on Florida State’s longtime league dominance.
“I don’t feel like we are a favorite,” said Beamer, whose team backed into the ACC title game when Georgia Tech upset Miami two weeks ago. “When you look at it, I know where they are, but when you talk about Florida State and their program and you name the top 10 teams in the country, you put them in there. I’m not sure you put Virginia Tech in there year after year.”
Maybe not.
Virginia Tech doesn’t have a national title and played for it all just once — losing 46-29 to Florida State in the 2000 Sugar Bowl.
The Hokies also haven’t beaten the Seminoles in 11 meetings since Bowden took over in 1976, and Beamer is 0-6 against Florida State.
“You wish that meant something,” Bowden said. “But this is Virginia Tech of 2005, and we’re Florida State of 2005. You look at the records and you wonder why we’re here. I cannot see them wilting to what happened 30 years ago. I can’t see that. We’ll simply have to play our best football game and they’ll have to make some mistakes. Mistakes can neutralize a lot of things.”
The Seminoles haven’t lost four in row since 1975, the year before Bowden took over. Bowden blames the losing streak on inconsistency and inexperience. Those problems have been highlighted by numerous injuries, most notably along the offensive line.
Even though the excuses may be justified, the Seminoles still have received plenty of criticism — most of it directed toward offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden.
Bobby Bowden defends his son and vows the offense will be more productive with some patience, especially considering the team has a freshman (Drew Weatherford) starting at quarterback.
But all the complaints, the calls for him to fire his son and the constant clamoring for change, might be getting to the 76-year-old coach.
“The thing that I resent a lot is that you have a year that’s not real good and people all of a sudden start saying, ‘Oh, the program is destroyed. Oh, the program is gone. Oh, the program is playing like it was 50 years ago,'” Bowden said. “Where’s the competitiveness? We can come back as easy as anybody else. It’s this far from the White House to the outhouse, and it’s this far from the outhouse back to the White House. And I’ve been on both ends in my 53 years of coaching.
“As long as I stay here, I will fight to get back. When I can’t fight anymore, I’m gone.”
Maybe the frustration prompted Bowden to pick up the phone and call Beamer. He asked Beamer what he did to turn things around at Virginia Tech following the 2003 season, when the Hokies lost five of their final seven games, including three in a row.
“My first response was why is he calling me after all of these games he has won?” Beamer said. “In the end, I was really honored that he would feel like we would have something to talk about or maybe share.”