ORLANDO, Fla. -- Quarterbacks possessing vastly different styles but similarly effective results lead No. 14 Virginia and No. 11 Illinois into Monday's Citrus Bowl.
Virginia's Shawn Moore, a fourth-year junior who was the all-Atlantic Coast Conference quarterback, helped 10-2 Virginia to the best season in school history by scrambling, running the option and finding a way to make the big passing play.
Illinois' Jeff George, a fourth-year junior who was the all-Big Ten quarterback, sparked 9-2 Illinois to a second-place conference finish by operating a pro-style offense and rattling defenders with an excellent quick release and great passing accuracy.
Both teams held light workouts in 70-degree weather under sunny skies Sunday, putting in the final work before the New Year's Day clash (1:30 p.m. EST kickoff on ABC). Virginia and Illinois each will receive $1.2 million in the first meeting between the schools.
Moore ranked second in the nation in passing efficiency and was the only NCAA Division I-A quarterback to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 500. He skippered an offense that produced 23 touchdown drives that lasted less than three minutes and he personally accounted for 27 touchdowns, passing for 18 and rushing for nine.
'He's the reason people have trouble defending us,' Virginia Coach George Welsh said of his quarterback. 'He can throw deep. We have a good perimeter game with him, run or pass, option and he's a threat on the quarterback draw.'
Coincidentally, George also produced 23 touchdown drives that lasted under three minutes. And George was most dangerous when it mattered most, completing 80 percent of his passes in the final seven minutes of 1989 games.
George, a transfer from Purdue who pays about $8,000 a year for his own tuition because of a Big Ten rule preventing schools from awarding scholarships to an intra-conference transfer, may be playing his last game for the Fighting Illini. He has not yet announced whether he will return to Illinois in 1990 or enter his name into the NFL draft.
Stopping the Illinois passing attack is the key for Virginia.
'Most people would say they would have to stop the pass first with us and that's probably true,' Illinois Coach John Mackovic said. 'We are going to throw the ball.'
George's favorite target is senior Mike Bellamy, who caught seven touchdown passes and finished second in the nation with a 30.9-yard kickoff return average. Moore's favorite target is sophomore Herman Moore, who broke a school record with 10 touchdown receptions this season.
Both teams have high-powered offenses, but the Fighting Illini could have the advantage on defense. Illinois ranked second in the nation against the pass and has two of the nation's best defensive linemen in tackles Moe Gardner and Mel Agee.
'I think they're a little bit better defensively than we are. Maybe it's talent,' Welsh said. 'I don't know. They're just better. They don't give up touchdown passes, they sack you, they get you out of your rhythm. It's a good scheme and they're playing it very well.'
Virginia won its final six games of the season and shared its first-ever ACC title with Duke. Illinois won its final two games after falling to Michigan in the game to decide the Big Ten title.