Bowl games on New Year’s Day
Friday 1/1
It’s not as extensive as it used to be, but there is still a good list of bowl games that can satisfy even the casual college football fan. The lineup begins at 11 a.m. when Northwestern faces off with Auburn in Tampa. Another match-up between the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference takes place in Orlando at the Capital One Bowl. Penn State, 10-2 on the season, plays the LSU Tigers at 1 p.m. At that same time, Florida State’s Bobby Bowden will lead his Seminoles for the final time as head coach —  culminating a legendary career. To make it a memorable final game, they’ll have to upset West Virginia in the Gator Bowl. Two BCS contests are later in the day. The Rose Bowl pits Ohio State and Oregon, while the Superdome hosts Florid— amid the Urban Meyer drama — and Big East champion Cincinnati.

STAFFORD — The next two weeks are mostly about college football. More specifically, the bowl games. Most are meaningless, but some providing intriguing match-ups. Below are several must-see games, as well as contests with local interest.

BLACKSBURG — Jake Johnson didn’t begin seriously following college football until his sophomore year at Stafford High School in Stafford County.

Dustin Keys said he had nothing to hide. After the season ended, the placekicker for the Virginia Tech Hokies put together a DVD that highlighted his 2008 season for the Atlantic Coast Conference champions.

Kevin Ives and Bruce Crawford both played football at North Stafford High School for coach Tap Pace.

A few days ago University of Virginia football player Patrick Slebonick got a telephone call from Cordarrow Thompson, a former high school teammate.

BLACKSBURG — When Virginia Tech defensive backs coach Torrian Gray met after last season with cornerback Victor “Macho” Harris, he knew Harris was physically capable of skipping his senior season and heading for the NFL.

Chris Lovitt, a 2008 graduate of Colonial Forge High School, enrolled this fall at Old Dominion University, a school that will play a football schedule starting in September 2009 after an absence of nearly 70 years. The ODU football program also includes freshman defensive end Andrew Slebonick, a 2008 graduate of North Stafford High School.

BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech’s most uncertain position suffered another setback yesterday when projected starting wide receiver Zach Luckett was suspended indefinitely by coach Frank Beamer for violating team policy. The move could mean a redshirt freshman and true freshman will start at receiver when the Hokies open the season Aug. 30.

The time appears to be now for Patrick Slebonick, a former football standout at North Stafford High School.

STAFFORD — Dustin Keys has put countless hours into the Virginia Tech football program the past several years