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Revision as of 08:28, 2 September 2008
 | For current information on this topic, see 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team. (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Virginia Tech Hokies football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1892 | ||
| Head coach | 20th season, 156–81–2 (.657) | ||
| Stadium | Lane Stadium (capacity: 66,233) | ||
| Field surface | Bermuda Grass | ||
| Location | Blacksburg, Virginia | ||
| Division | Coastal | ||
| All-time record | 637–417–46 (.600) | ||
| Bowl record | 7–13 (.350) | ||
| Conference titles | 6 | ||
| Colors | Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange | ||
| Fight song | Tech Triumph | ||
| Mascot | HokieBird | ||
| Marching band | The Marching Virginians | ||
| Rivals | Virginia Cavaliers West Virginia Mountaineers Miami Hurricanes | ||
| Website | HokieSports.com | ||
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, specifically in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium, considered one of the loudest stadiums in the country and recognized in 2005 by Rivals.com as having the best home-field advantage in the country.
With a career record of 198-105-4 following the 2006 season, head coach Frank Beamer is the third-winningest active head coach in Division I-FBS, ranking behind only Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno.
The Hokies currently have the fourth-longest bowl game streak in the country, having participated in the postseason every year since 1993. Only Michigan, Florida State, and Florida have longer current streaks. In that span, the Hokies have finished with a Top-10 ranking four times, won six conference championships (one Southern Conference three Big East and two ACC), and played once for the national championship, losing to Florida State University 46-29 in the 2000 Sugar Bowl.
History
Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Virginia Tech) first played football on October 21, 1892 against St. Albans Lutheran Boys School (Radford, VA). The game took place on a plowed off wheat field that was "about as level as a side of Brush Mountain". The Hokies won their first game 14-10, but were defeated 10-0 eight days later on a return trip to Radford. The first several VAMC teams wore cadet gray and black, but in 1896 the colors were changed to Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon - a color combination that was completely unique among educational institutions at the time.
Since the hiring of Frank Beamer as head coach in 1987, the program has seen a quick rise from a mediocre independent program to a perennial top 20 team. The 13th ranked Hokies defeated the 9th ranked Texas Longhorns in the 1995 Sugar Bowl.
The greatest season ever seen in Virginia Tech football history came in 1999. The Hokies, led by redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick went 11-0 through the regular season. On November 3rd, the Hokies stole victory from the West Virginia Mountaineers when Vick led a desperate last minute drive that culminated in a dramatic Shane Graham game winning field goal. The 22-20 victory has since become known as the "Miracle in Morgantown".
On January 4th, the Hokies faced the Florida State Seminoles in the 2000 Sugar Bowl for the national championship. A back and forth game, the Hokies trailed 28-7 late in the second quarter but came back to take a 29-28 lead at the start of the fourth. However they were not able to hold on and the Seminoles won 46-29.
The following season the Hokies were again players for the national championship, but a loss to #3 Miami Hurricanes in early November cost them a trip to the Orange Bowl. The Hokies later went on to defeat the Clemson Tigers 41-20 in the 2001 Gator Bowl
At the start of the 2004 season, the Hokies faced the #1 and eventual national champion USC Trojans in the BCA Classic played at FedEx Field in Washington, D.C.. The Hokies kept the game close, but eventually lost 24-13. The season ended with a return to the Sugar Bowl and a match against the Auburn Tigers. Auburn, the SEC champion and one of three undefeated teams (USC and Oklahoma being the other two) took a 16-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Led by senior quarterback Bryan Randall, the Hokies scored 13 points but fell just short of the comeback when the Tigers recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.
The 2005 season saw many ups and downs, but would disappointing in the end. Taking over for Bryan Randall was Marcus Vick, younger brother of Tech great Michael. The Hokies started off the season 8-0, including victories over West Virginia and ACC rivals Georgia Tech and Boston College. Going into the tenth week of the season, the Hokies were ranked 3rd in the country behind USC and Texas and would face the 5th ranked Miami Hurricanes at home. In anticipation of the matchup, ESPN's College Gameday would broadcast from Blacksburg and the game would be broadcast nationally on ESPN. The Hurricanes controlled the game and limited Marcus Vick to only 90 yards passing to win 27-7.
The Vick led Hokies went on to win the ACC coastal, but lost in the ACC Championship Game to Florida State. The Hokies again trailed the Seminoles by double digits at halftime, 27-3, but a Vick led comeback brought the score to 27-22 with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter. The Hokies were unable to recover the onside kick and lost their chance at a BCS Bowl berth.
The Hokies closed off the season against the upstart Louisville Cardinals in the 2006 Gator Bowl. Virginia Tech won 35-24, but the game would become infamous for a play that would result in the troubled Vick's expulsion from the team. Late in the first half, with the Hokies trailing 17-10, Vick was tackled by Cardinals defensive end Elvis Dumervil. After the play, Vick stomped on Dumervil's leg, apparently out of anger. Four days after the game, Virginia Tech officials announced Vick's dismissal from the team
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Sean Glennon was set to take over for Vick in the 2006 season. Although consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College knocked the Hokies out of contention for the ACC Championship Game, the Tech team finished the season strong, winning six in a row and being invited to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, GA. In the annual ACC vs SEC matchup, the Hokies played the Georgia Bulldogs. At halftime the Hokies led 21-3, but four second half Glennon turnovers helped the Bulldogs in coming back and winning 34-31.
After the Virginia Tech shootings that stunned the campus and nation, the remainder of Tech's spring practice was canceled. The Hokies, led by running back Brandon Ore on offense and linebackers Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi looked to be in contention for a berth in the national Championship. The 2007 home opener against the East Carolina Pirates was the subject of College Gameday, and the Hokies prevailed in an emotional, albeit shaky game 17-7. They then traveled to Baton Rouge, LA to play the LSU Tigers. In a game that saw Glennon replaced by true freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the Hokies were completely dominated, only managing 149 total yards against the Tigers' 598. Taylor scored the only touchdown of then night after an 8 play, 65 yard drive.
Taylor continued to start until injury forced him out in a 43-14 blowout over Duke. In a Thursday night matchup with Boston College, Glennon reclaimed his starting position and sought for revenge for the early season loss to LSU. In a game plagued by rain storms and wet conditions, the Hokies took a 10-0 lead late into the fourth quarter. Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan spurred a late Boston College comeback, leading two TD drives in the final five minutes for a 14-10 win.
Championships
Conference Championships
Conference Affiliations
- 1892-97: Independent
- 1898: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1899-1906: Independent
- 1907-21: South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1922-64: Southern Conference
- 1965-90: Independent
- 1991-2003: Big East
- 2004-present: ACC
