Big East

Sporting News, The, Nov 16, 1998 by Michael Vega

BIG GAME: Virginia Tech, which vaulted to the top of the conference standings after West Virginia's 35-28 victory over Syracuse last Saturday, is back in action after an open date, traveling to the Carder Dome for a showdown with the Orangemen. The game between the league's top defense and offense could very well determine its champion. The home team has won the last seven meetings, but the loser the last two years has gone on to represent the Big East in the bowl alliance.

LOOKING AHEAD: Rutgers, plus-5 in the win column over last year's 0-11 record, will attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time in three years and claim its first winning season since 1992 when it faces West Virginia.... Boston College senior Mike Cloud, who rushed 28 times for 141 yards in a heartbreaking 31-26 loss to Notre Dame, needs only 20 more yards to break the school's season rushing record, set in 1992 by Chuckie Dukes (1,387 yards). Cloud, who is averaging 152 yards per game, needs 266 yards over the final two games to surpass Troy Stradford (3,504 yards, 1982-86) for the school career rushing mark.... After three straight conference road games, Temple, which won its second Big East game of the year in a 34-33 victory at Pittsburgh, finishes with home games against Miami and Syracuse, which are tied for second in the league at 3-1.

CAMPUS STROLL: In the four games involving the six conference teams that played last week, none was decided before the final 1:20.... For the first time this season, Temple ditched much of its slot-I option and went to the air more frequently. The Owls showed sets that included as many as four wideouts in their last-minute victory over Pittsburgh.... West Virginia avoided a three-game losing streak and snapped Syracuse's nine-game streak in conference play. Orangemen QB Donovan McNabb was sacked five times in the loss by a West Virginia defense that had been tagged most of the season as the team's weakest unit.