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News Nuggets, 08.21.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Hurricane warning in effect for ACC country

CORAL GABLES — The Miami Hurricanes spent the last year preparing to move to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Are they ready?

"The way I see it, we're just playing easier teams," defensive end Bryan Pata said. "We're going to dominate each and every game."

Yep, they're ready. The always confident, sometimes cocky, Hurricanes — the team everybody loves to hate — enter their first season in the ACC with high expectations and, some would argue, little respect for the competition.

"The ACC is getting another Florida State, only better," cornerback Kelly Jennings said.

Jennings probably doesn't think much of preseason rankings that have Florida State at No. 5 and Miami sixth by a narrow margin.

Miami's swagger and success, along with the addition of fellow Big East power Virginia Tech, give the ACC more national exposure and make it arguably the toughest conference in the nation.

The Hurricanes went 72-11 in the Big East, claimed eight conference crowns in 13 years and earned four consecutive berths in the Bowl Championship Series. They won two national titles and played for three more, becoming the face of the league.

They also have produced 19 first-round NFL draft picks over the last four years — eight more than any school during any four-year span.

The Seminoles, meanwhile, have dominated the ACC since 1992. They are 90-6 in conference play, have won 11 of the 12 league titles and captured two national championships.

"It was already a great league," Duke coach Ted Roof said. "Now it's the premier football conference in the country."

ACC commissioner John Swofford lured Miami and Virginia Tech from the Big East last summer, prompting bickering, back-stabbing and ultimately lawsuits. But nothing kept the Hurricanes and Hokies from leaving the Big East in hopes of a more lucrative future.

Boston College also bailed from the Big East, agreeing to join the ACC in 2005. The move will give the conference 12 teams, the same number as the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12, and allow it to divide into two divisions and hold a moneymaking conference championship game, appropriately enough in Florida — Jacksonville, to be precise.

The revamped league received a television deal worth $37.6 million annually — nearly double the ACC's old contract.

Now the conference once known mostly for playing basketball on Tobacco Road will try to prove itself as a football powerhouse.

No. 15 Clemson and No. 16 Virginia are legitimate contenders. No. 22 Maryland, North Carolina State and Virginia Tech are proven winners. Georgia Tech and Wake Forest are capable of surprising everyone.

Still, everyone agrees that Miami and Florida State are the teams to beat.

Especially with Miami in the mix.

Even though the Hurricanes lost an NCAA-record six first-round picks last season, they have enough talent to regroup.

Quarterback Brock Berlin has looked sharp, running back Frank Gore has recovered from two significant knee injuries, and left tackle Eric Winston has developed into one of the nation's most dominating linemen.

On defense, cornerback Antrel Rolle returned for his senior season to anchor a unit that has as much depth and talent as ever on the line.

Florida State doesn't expect a decline, either. The Seminoles have an experienced defense and a veteran offensive line leading the way for running backs Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker.

Either Miami or Florida State has played for the national title in nine of the last 13 years. It might happen again.

"You have to look at it like this: If you beat Miami and Florida State, then you're in the national championship game," Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst said.

NCAA shuts out Globetrotters

The Harlem Globetrotters canceled their fall college tour following an NCAA decision barring schools from scheduling exhibition games against non-collegiate opponents.

The Globetrotters had agreed to play seven games in November against Cincinnati, Illinois, Louisville, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and NCAA champion Connecticut.

All seven schools appealed the NCAA ruling and were denied exemptions.

DePaul regional tickets going, going, gone

DePaul officials have announced that the 2005 NCAA Division I Basketball Regional in Chicago, which the school will host Mar. 24-26 at the Allstate Arena, is sold out.

Chicago was the first of the four regional sites to sell out, according to a statement issued earlier this month by the DePaul athletics department. Along with Chicago, regionals will be played in Albuquerque, NM, Austin, TX, and Syracuse, NY.

This is the third time DePaul has hosted NCAA Tournament play. In 1987 and 1993. it served as the host for first and second round play.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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