SPORTS WEEKEND : WEEK 3 PRIMER : GAME OF THE WEEK / No. 10 Georgia Tech (1-0) at No. 1 Florida State (1-0) : ACC-tually, It's Not a Challenge Yet

By CHRIS DUFRESNE

Sept. 10, 1999 12 AM PT

Another would-be challenger to Florida State’s dominance in the Atlantic Coast Conference heads to Doak Campbell Stadium only to discover that:

There are no challengers to Florida State’s dominance.

Technically, Georgia Tech shared the ACC crown with Florida State last year. Of course, head-to-head, Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles put a 34-7 hurt on George O’Leary’s Yellow Jackets at Atlanta.

Technically, Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Realistically, he needs a breakout performance against Florida State or he can cancel December dinner plans at New York’s Downtown Athletic Club.

Hamilton says he has earned respect from all opponents he has faced except one.

Says Bowden, “I guarantee you we respect him. It’s just the fact he hasn’t been successful yet against Florida State.”

In three losses against Bowden’s boys, Hamilton has completed 21 of 43 passes for 169 yards and no touchdowns.

Florida State won those three games by an aggregate score of 121-10, and is 7-0 against Georgia Tech in ACC competition.

The odds are ridiculously stacked. Florida State carries a 41-game home unbeaten streak into the game, the only glitch a 31-31 tie against Florida in 1994.

The Seminoles are 50-1-1 at home in the 1990s, their last loss a 17-16 defeat by Miami in 1991.

Since joining the ACC in 1992, Florida State has lost two conference games, both on the road, to Virginia and North Carolina State, and has outscored ACC opponents by an average of 42.4-12.8.

Georgia Tech is the highest-ranked ACC team to visit Tallahassee since the Seminoles became members.

But until some ACC school actually challenges Florida State on its home soil, talk of the conference closing the gap on the Seminoles is only talk.

“I think you need competition to have a league,” O’Leary said. “I think there’s some parity getting there, but I don’t think we’re getting close enough.

“People are catching up, but [Florida State is] not standing still either.”

Line: Florida State by 19

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Drew Brees vs. The Domers. Pssst, Notre Dame, want to catch a peak at a Heisman candidate? Four Irish quarterbacks have won the Heisman, but none since John Huarte in 1964. Notre Dame will get a look at the pedigree when the Irish travel to West Lafayette to face Purdue’s Brees, the kind of star Ron Powlus was supposed to be.

2. Dan Kendra. Since arriving at Florida State in 1995 as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the country, Kendra has set school records for squat press, knee surgeries and hype. Saturday, against Georgia Tech, the senior Kendra gets a chance to salvage his career when he starts at . . . fullback? Yep, the job is Kendra’s now that starter William McCray is out for the season. Kendra, 6 feet 2 and 250 pounds, is a physical marvel. “He’s a fullback mentally but he has not had enough at-bats yet,” Coach Bobby Bowden says.

3. Another Pac-10 moment. It’s an unverified rumor that the equipment man packed a case of blindfolds and cigarettes for Cal’s weekend trip to Nebraska. Last year, Washington strutted into Lincoln and got hammered, 55-7. Positive note? Cal has the Pac-10’s best defense. Negative? Nebraska is 69-3 at home the last 11 years.

4. The return of Kansas State. No, the Wildcats didn’t shut down the program after closing last season with crushing losses to Texas A&M; and Purdue. Kansas State is a tad late getting this season started. No worries, though, the schedule maker, Coach Bill Snyder, has all but ensured another 10-win season, starting with a heaping home helping of Temple this weekend.

5. Another one-half Ron? Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez did the honorable thing last weekend by removing Ron Dayne at halftime after the tailback had rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns against Murray State. But was it the smart thing? Dayne needs 1,717 yards to break Ricky Williams’ NCAA rushing mark, and Dayne probably has to break the record to win the Heisman Trophy. This week, Wisconsin faces another walkover opponent, Ball State. Will Alvarez let Dayne loose?

RATING THE TV GAMES

**** Whoa, Nellie

*** Fix the car tomorrow

** OK to watch golf infomercials

* For WWF scouts only

** Pittsburgh (1-0) at No. 2 Penn State (2-0), 9 a.m., ESPN.

What once was a great rivalry is now a tuneup for Penn State’s game at Miami Sept. 18.

Line: Penn State by 34.

** Rice (0-1) at Michigan (1-0), 9 a.m., ESPN2.

The Wolverines are steamed that Rice played an opening game against Houston without Michigan approval.

Line: Michigan by 25.

* Wake Forest (0-0) at Army (0-0), 9 a.m., FSW.