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Syracuse, Pitt are rivals again with Virginia Tech, UVa

The ACC's new football teams share a past with Tech and UVa.

The Roanoke Times | File 1999

Dee Brown of Syracuse is sacked by Michael Hawkes of Virginia Tech during the Hokies’ 62-0 win.

Courtesy of Syracuse' Floyd Little, a future Denver Broncos great now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, played against the Hokies in 1964.

The Roanoke Times | File 2003

Continental Tire Bowl MVP Matt Schaub of Virginia gets a postgame hug from Pittsburgh star Larry Fitzgerald.

The Roanoke Times | File 2002

Ernest Wilford (top) of Virginia Tech catches a TD pass over Steve Gregory during a Syracuse victory.

Courtesy of Pitt

Larry Fitzgerald (right), now with the Arizona Cardinals, catches a pass as Eric Green of Virginia Tech defends during a Pittsburgh victory in 2003.

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ACC VS. THE NATION

It was another humbling year for the ACC in nonconference games, although the league did improve its image in the bowl games. For the second straight year, the ACC went 9-16 against members of the other five BCS conferences. The ACC also went 0-3 against Notre Dame. But after going 6-14 against the other BCS conferences in the regular season, ACC teams went 3-2 against them in the bowls. The ACC finished 4-2 in the bowls overall, including Florida State’s Orange Bowl win over Mid-American Conference member Northern Illinois. A good showing this year in these 10 games would help the conference’s annual quest for respect.

Thursday, N. Carolina at S. Carolina: The Tar Heels will take on the No. 6 Gamecocks for the first time since 2007. This will be the first time the Gamecocks have hosted UNC since 1990. UNC quarterback Bryn Renner will have to avoid the grasp of Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, a Heisman Trophy candidate. The contest will air at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

Saturday, Virginia Tech vs. Alabama: The No. 1 Crimson Tide begins its quest for a third straight national championship by taking on the Hokies at the Georgia Dome. The Hokies will have to contend with Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, receiver Amari Cooper and running back T.J. Yeldon. This will be the teams’ first meeting since Alabama’s 34-24 win in 2009 at the Georgia Dome. The 5:30 p.m. game will air on ESPN.

Saturday, Georgia at Clemson: The fifth-ranked Bulldogs, winners of two straight SEC East titles, will meet the No. 8 Tigers for the first time in 10 years. Aaron Murray threw for 3,893 yards for Georgia last season. Georgia’s defensive coordinator is Pulaski County and Virginia Tech graduate Todd Grantham. The 8 p.m. game will air on WSET.

Sept. 7, Oregon at UVa: The third-ranked Ducks, now steered by former offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, square off with the Cavaliers for the first time. Marcus Mariota threw for 2,677 yards and ran for 752 yards last year for the Ducks, who also boast running back/receiver/return specialist De’Anthony Thomas. The 3:30 p.m. game will be televised by WSET.

Sept. 7, Syracuse at Northwestern: One week after opening against Penn State in New Jersey, ACC newcomer Syracuse faces another Big Ten foe. No. 22 Northwestern beat the Orange 42-41 in East Rutherford, N.J., last year. Northwestern’s Venric Mark is back after rushing for 1,366 yards last seson, The 6 p.m. game will air on the Big Ten Network.

Sept. 7, Florida at Miami: The No. 10 Gators meet Coastal Division favorite Miami for the first time since 2008. Jeff Driskel is back at QB for coach Will Muschamp’s team, which lost to Louisville in the Sugar Bowl. The noon game will air on ESPN.

Nov. 9, Notre Dame at Pitt: Beginning next year, the No. 14 Fighting Irish will play five ACC teams each season. But this year, league newcomer Pitt is the only ACC team on the Notre Dame schedule. The Fighting Irish needed three overtimes to beat Pitt last year. The Notre Dame defense includes end Stephon Tuitt and tackle Louis Nix.

Nov. 30, Clemson at South Carolina: The Gamecocks have beaten the Tigers the past four years, winning each time by at least 10 points. Clemson senior QB Tajh Boyd said his last crack at the Gamecocks will be a “pretty big game for my career, my legacy.” His counterpart at South Carolina is Connor Shaw.

Nov. 30, Florida State at Florida: The No. 11 Seminoles turned the ball over five times in a 37-26 loss to Florida last season. The Florida defense includes end Dante Fowler, tackle Dominique Easley and cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy.

Nov. 30, Georgia at Georgia Tech: The Bulldogs have beaten Georgia Tech 11 times in the past 12 years, including a 42-10 thrashing last fall. The Yellow Jackets will have to contain Todd Gurley, who ran for 1,385 yards last season.

Mark Berman | 981-3125

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Although Syracuse and Pittsburgh will be making their ACC debuts this season, they already have a football history with Virginia Tech and Virginia.

The Hokies are former Big East rivals of Syracuse and Pitt. They are 8-9 against the Orange, including 6-6 in Big East play. They are 7-5 against Pitt, including last year's nonleague loss.

The Cavaliers are 2-2 against Syracuse and 2-3 against Pitt.

Here is a look at some of those games.

VIRGINIA TECH VS. SYRACUSE

Syracuse 20, Virginia Tech 15

Nov. 14, 1964 at Syracuse

Of note: Floyd Little runs for 155 yards and Rich King throws a TD pass with 50 seconds left to give Syracuse the win. Tech QB Bob Schweikert misses the second half after being punched in his right eye.

Bill Brill wrote: "The smallish Techmen, who gave up weight and yards to the Orange, simply refused to fold in the face of adversity and almost pulled off the shocker."

Postscript: Tech goes 6-4; SU loses the Sugar Bowl to finish 7-4.

Virginia Tech 26, Syracuse 17

Sept. 20, 1986 at Syracuse

Of note: Two days after Tech coach Bill Dooley informs the team that he has been fired, effective at season's end, Chris Kinzer kicks four field goals to help the Hokies win.

Quotable: "We really did want to win this game for him," Tech RB Maurice Williams said of Dooley.

Postscript: Tech wins the Peach Bowl and finishes 10-1-1; SU goes 5-6.

Virginia Tech 45, Syracuse 24

Nov. 13, 1993 at Virginia Tech

Of note: Tech wraps up an Independence Bowl bid - its first bowl bid since 1986 and the first bowl berth of the Frank Beamer coaching era. Dwayne Thomas rushes for 163 yards for Tech, while Marvin Harrison has a TD catch for Syracuse.

Scott Blanchard wrote: "Joe Swarm, Chris Barry and John Burke teamed up to soak Beamer with a bucket of water. And with about 10 seconds left, Tech players surged onto the field, led by Barry and Jim Pyne carrying Beamer, fist raised and grin blazing."

Quotable: "I'm still in shock. I'm just happy as hell we're going to a bowl," TE John Burke said.

Postscript: Tech wins the Independence Bowl to finish 9-3; SU goes 6-4-1.

Virginia Tech 31, No. 20 Syracuse 7

Nov. 4, 1995 at Virginia Tech

Of note: Jim Druckenmiller throws three TD passes to help Tech take over first place in the Big East. Cornell Brown sacks freshman Donovan McNabb three times.

Quotable: "McNabb's a great player, but our guy, Jim, one-upped him today," LB George DelRicco said.

Postscript: Tech wins Sugar Bowl to finish 10-2; SU wins Gator Bowl to go 9-3.

Syracuse 28, No. 16 Virginia Tech 26

Nov. 14, 1998 at Syracuse

Of note: Donovan McNabb scrambles and throws across the Carrier Dome field for a 13-yard TD pass on the game's final play.

Quotable: "It's the toughest loss of my career here," DB Pierson Prioleau said.

Postscript: Tech wins Music City Bowl to go 9-3; SU loses Orange Bowl to finish 8-4.

No. 4 Va.Tech 62, No. 16 Syracuse 0

Oct. 16, 1999 at Virginia Tech

Of note: Willie Pile picks off three passes as unbeaten Tech hands Syracuse the largest shutout defeat a ranked team had ever suffered.

Quotable: "We made a strong statement here. We don't care what people say about our schedule," DE Corey Moore said.

Postscript: Tech loses to FSU in the BCS title game in the Sugar Bowl to finish 11-1; SU wins the Music City Bowl to go 7-5.

Syracuse 50, No. 8 Va. Tech 42, 3 OT

Nov. 9, 2002 at Syracuse

Of note: SU's Maurice McClain intercepts a Bryan Randall pass intended for Ernest Wilford in the end zone on the game's final play. Randall passes for 504 yards and a school-record 5 TDs. Wilford sets school marks for receiving yards (279) and TD catches (4).

Randy King wrote: "It was a four-hour, six-minute marathon that none of the participants or any of the 48,239 fans on hand will likely ever forget."

Quotable: "We've had some crazy games in this building," Frank Beamer said.

Postscript: Tech wins San Francisco Bowl to go 10-4; SU goes 4-8.

VIRGINIA TECH VS. PITTSBURGH

Virginia Tech 63, Pittsburgh 21

Sept 11, 1993 at Pittsburgh

Of note: Tech piles up a school-record 675 yards of total offense to spoil coach Johnny Majors' first home game in his second stint at Pitt.

Jack Bogaczyk wrote: "The last time the Hokies scored so often in a foe's stadium was 71 years earlier at Catholic."

Postscript: Tech wins Independence Bowl to go 9-3; Pitt goes 3-8.

No. 2 Virginia Tech 37, Pittsburgh 34

Oct. 28, 2000 at Virginia Tech

Of note: Carter Warley kicks a 27-yard field goal with 16 seconds left. Michael Vick misses the second half with a sprained ankle, but backup Dave Meyer throws for 114 yards. Lee Suggs runs for 164 yards. Tech outscores Pitt 10-0 in the fourth quarter to stay unbeaten.

Quotable: "I didn't know for sure we were going to come out of this thing. Things looked bleak." Frank Beamer said.

Postscript: Tech wins Gator Bowl to go 11-1; Pitt loses Insight Bowl to go 7-5.

Pittsburgh 28, No. 3 Virginia Tech 21

Nov. 2, 2002 at Virginia Tech

Of note: Leading 21-7 early in the third quarter, Tech suffers its first loss when Brandon Miree scores on a 53-yard run with 4:11 left.

Quotable: "We had planned to go to the national championship. To lose it at home is real disappointing," RB Lee Suggs said.

Postscript: Tech wins San Francisco Bowl to go 10-4; Pitt wins Insight Bowl to finish 9-4.

No. 25 Pitt 31, No. 5 Virginia Tech 28

Nov. 8, 2003 at Pittsburgh

Of note: Lousaka Polite scores on a 2-yard run with 47 seconds left. Tech's Kevin Jones rushes for 241 yards. Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald has 108 receiving yards and a TD catch.

Randy King wrote: "Virginia Tech's Big East title dreams and hopes of going to a BCS bowl drowned here on the banks of the Alleghany River."

Postscript: Tech loses Insight Bowl to end 8-5; Pitt loses Continental Tire Bowl to go 8-5.

VIRGINIA VS. SYRACUSE

Syracuse 37, Virginia 0

Nov. 15, 1975 at Virginia

Of note: Two days after it was revealed that UVa coach Sonny Randle had an extramarital affair earlier in the season, UVa suffers its eighth straight loss.

Quotable: "Wouldn't you find it hard to coach? It had to distract me," Randle said.

Postscript: UVa goes 1-10 in Randle's final season. SU goes 6-5.

No. 25 Virginia 27, Syracuse 24

Sept. 17, 2005 at Syracuse

Of note: Connor Hughes kicks a 19-yard field goal as time expires.

Postscript: UVa wins Music City Bowl to go 7-5; SU goes 1-10.

VIRGINIA VS. PITTSBURGH

CONTINENTAL TIRE BOWL

Virginia 23, Pittsburgh 16

Dec. 27, 2003 in Charlotte, N.C.

Of note: Game MVP Matt Schaub throws for 244 yards. UVa snaps Larry Fitzgerald's NCAA-record streak of 18 games with at least one TD catch.

Quotable: "We didn't want him to score. We wanted [the streak] to end with us," UVa DB Almondo Curry said of Fitzgerald.