ORANGE BOWL, Thursday, 01.01.09

[TodaysAction]

Discuss the 253 VIRGINIA TECH vs 254 CINCINNATI U game. :evil:

[The General]

TV Schedule

National: Fox Sports

STANDINGS
Team	Standings	Conference	Overall
Virginia Tech	1st Atlantic Coast Coastal	6-3	9-4
Cincinnati	1st Big East	6-1	11-2

Weather
Cloudy. Mild.
Hi Temp	Lo Temp	Wind	Humidity	Precip %
76°F	61°F	11mph/E	55%	6%

Though it was impossible to know at the time, Cincinnati began its rise to national prominence following a loss to Virginia Tech. With a win over the Hokies on New Year's Day, the Bearcats can announce their arrival as an elite program.

The Big East champion, No. 12 Cincinnati makes its first appearance in a BCS bowl when it takes on No. 21 Virginia Tech in front of a prime-time audience at the Orange Bowl.

These teams have met in a bowl before, as Cincinnati beat Virginia Tech 18-6 in the 1947 Sun Bowl - the first postseason appearance for both schools. Soon after that, though, the Bearcats faded into national obscurity.

Cincinnati failed to appear in a bowl game from 1951-1997, but has risen to prominence again under second-year coach Brian Kelly. Last season's Bearcats went 9-3 in the regular season before beating Southern Miss 31-21 in the PapaJohns.com Bowl. This season has gone even better, as Cincinnati beat three ranked opponents en route to an 11-2 record and its first Big East championship and BCS bowl appearance.

"All due respect to the PapaJohns.com Bowl, I think we've got a big upgrade," said Kelly, whose team is riding a six-game winning streak.

The Bearcats and Hokies (9-4) have split eight all-time meetings, including a 29-13 Virginia Tech home victory in the last matchup on Sept. 23, 2006, when the Bearcats squandered a five-point halftime lead. That loss dropped Cincinnati to 1-3 in the 2006 season, but in a sense the Bearcats haven't looked back.

Cincinnati recovered to finish 8-5 two seasons ago, and is 28-7 since the defeat in Blacksburg.

"We all remember that stuff," senior defensive end Connor Barwin said. "I'm excited to play Virginia Tech again. Playing down there was awesome. Their coach is one of the best in the country."

That coach is Frank Beamer, who has the Hokies in the Orange Bowl for the second straight year but is looking to overcome some unpleasant recent history. Virginia Tech lost 24-21 to Kansas last year - its fourth straight defeat in a BCS bowl. The Hokies fell to Auburn in the 2005 Sugar Bowl, Florida State in the 2000 Sugar, and Nebraska in the 1996 Orange.

"Last year, it left a bad taste in our mouth," senior cornerback Victor "Macho" Harris said. "This year, we're going to try to get that taste out of our mouth."

Virginia Tech is also seeking to end the ACC's eight-game losing streak in BCS bowls. Meanwhile, the frequently maligned Big East has won its last three appearances in BCS games.

"When you're representing a conference, there's a pride factor and I'm sure both of us share that," Beamer said. "You're kind of judged on how you do against the other conferences and the ACC hasn't done as well as we should have."

Beamer's team is familiar with the Big East, where it played until leaving for the ACC in 2004. Cincinnati left Conference USA for the Big East the following year.

"What the Big East did for Virginia Tech, it's doing the same thing for Cincinnati right now," said Beamer, whose team has won the ACC three times in five years. "You'd like to go back and think Virginia Tech was good for the Big East and I know Cincinnati has been good for the Big East. But you've got to have that avenue. ... You win your conference, and there you are."

The Hokies got here by beating then-No. 18 Boston College 30-12 in the ACC championship game Dec. 6, becoming the first team to win that game twice. Despite the strong offensive output in that contest, Virginia Tech's calling card remains defense.

The Hokies gave up 17.5 points per game this season, and held nine of their 13 opponents below 20. They forced 30 turnovers, including four games with four takeaways or more.

Harris had six interceptions, including two for scores, and junior corner Stephan Virgil picked off five passes.

Virginia Tech's run-first offense is led by redshirt freshman Darren Evans, who rushed for 1,112 yards and 10 touchdowns, highlighted by a 253-yard effort Nov. 6 in a 23-13 victory over then-No. 23 Maryland. Sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor had only two TD passes in 151 attempts this season, but posted an efficient 57.0 completion percentage.

The Hokies' defense will be tested by a Cincinnati offense which averaged 27.3 points and more than 375 yards per game. Junior quarterback Tony Pike completed 62.9 percent of his passes with 18 TDs and seven interceptions.

The Bearcats also boast a pair of excellent, experienced wideouts. Junior Marshwan Gilyard had 74 receptions for 1,118 yards and 10 TDs, while senior Dominick Goodman caught 78 passes for 977 yards and seven scores.

Nonetheless, Cincinnati's accomplishments will lose some luster if the season ends with a defeat.

"Our kids have heard this from me since Day 1," Kelly said. "They've responded very well to the challenges, and the challenges are, you still don't have the respect nationally until you come down in the Orange Bowl and show a national audience that you deserve to be here."

Cincinnati-Virginia Tech Preview - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com Live GameCenter

[The General]

With that said, I am passing on any wager and just enjoy the football game.

Good luck to all bettors on the Orange Bowl.