Virginia Tech Hokies football

The Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the sport of American football. The Hokies compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium, which seats over 65,000 fans and has been dubbed as the most exciting entrance in college football. Lane Stadium is considered to be one of the loudest stadiums in the country, being voted number one in ESPN's "Top 20 Scariest Places to Play". Also, it was recognized in 2005 by Rivals.com as having the best home-field advantage in the country.

With a career record of 240–118–4 following the 2010 season, head coach Frank Beamer is the winningest active head coach in Division I-FBS.

The Hokies currently have the third-longest bowl game streak in the country, having participated in the postseason every year since 1993. Only Florida State and Florida have longer current streaks. In program history, the Hokies have finished with a Top-10 ranking six times, won eight conference championships (one Southern Conference three Big East and four ACC), and played once for the national championship, losing to Florida State University 46–29 in the 2000 Sugar Bowl. Tech currently holds the nation's longest streak of 10+ win seasons at 8 and have a combined record since the 2004 season of 65-16-0, 3rd best to only Boise State and LSU.

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 unique among educational institutions at the time.

Virginia Tech's first post-season bowl appearance was in the 1947 Sun Bowl against the University of Cincinnati. Tech had a 3-3-3 record that year, and was the third choice after Border Conference champions Hardin-Simmins University and runner-up Texas Tech both declined the bowl invitation. Tech lost that game 18-6.

Another first for the Hokies came in 1954 when they had their first, and only, unbeaten season in school history. The team was 8-0-1 and finished ranked 16th in the Associated Press post-season football poll. The team's lone blemish was a 7-7 tie against William & Mary in Blacksburg, VA. Despite the team's success, it did not appear in a post-season bowl game.

Big East years
Virginia Tech joined the Big East Conference for football play in 1991.

The 13th ranked Hokies defeated the 9th ranked Texas Longhorns in the 1995 Sugar Bowl.

Virginia Tech's most successful football season was in 1999. The Hokies, led by redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick went 11–0 through the regular season. On November 3, the Hokies came from behind to win over the West Virginia Mountaineers when Vick led a desperate last minute drive that culminated in a dramatic Shayne Graham game winning field goal. The 22–20 victory has since become known as the "Miracle in Morgantown."

On January 4, 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 contenders for the national championship, but a loss to #3 Miami Hurricanes in early November, in a game in which Michael Vick did not play because of an injury, 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.

ACC years
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 Landover, MD. The Hokies kept the game close, but eventually lost 24–13. The regular season ended with the Hokies winning the ACC championship in their first year in the conference and a return to the Sugar Bowl and a match-up with 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 end in disappointment. 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 match-up, 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.

Marcus Vick led the Hokies and 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 contribute to 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 learned of two misdemeanor charges of speeding and driving on a suspended or revoked driver's license that Vick received on December 17 of the previous year. Vick, who was forced to sit out the 2004 football season by the university due to previous legal incidents in his college career, was dismissed from the team on January 6, 2006, with the university citing "a cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play.".

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 2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia. In the annual ACC vs SEC match-up, 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 31–24.

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 the night after an 8 play, 65 yard drive.

Taylor continued to start until an injury removed him from a 43–14 blowout of Duke. In a Thursday night match-up with Boston College, Glennon reclaimed his starting position. 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. Despite the devastating loss, Virginia Tech rebounded to win the remainder of its regular season games and claim the Coastal Division crown. A rematch with Boston College in the ACC Championship Game saw Tech fall behind early, tie the game by halftime, then grind out a tense 30–16 win to advance to the Orange Bowl.

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

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Divisional championships
Virginia Tech has appeared in the ACC Championship Game as the winner of the Coastal Division five times. The 2005 team entered the inaugural ACC championship game as heavy favorites but went on to lose to Atlantic Division winner Florida State. During the 2007 season, the Hokies once again took the Coastal division to set up a rematch of their earlier loss to Boston College. Virginia Tech prevailed 30–16. History repeated itself in 2008, when the Hokies defeated Boston College by a score of 30–12 after having lost to the Eagles during the regular season. In 2010 Virginia Tech went undefeated in league play, defeating Atlantic Division winner Florida State in the league championship game in Charlotte, NC, 44-33. In 2011 Virginia Tech lost to Clemson for a 2nd time that season, their only two season losses.

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Bowl games
Virginia Tech has played in 24 bowl games. The Hokies have appeared in several Gator, Peach and Orange Bowls.

Trophy games

 * Black Diamond Trophy - West Virginia Mountaineers
 * Commonwealth Cup - Virginia Cavaliers

Players

 * Sammy Baugh Trophy (quarterback)
 * Don Strock - 1972
 * Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defense)
 * Corey Moore - 1999
 * Dave Rimington Trophy (center)
 * Jake Grove - 2003
 * Lombardi Award (lineman or linebacker)
 * Corey Moore - 1999
 * Outland Trophy (interior lineman)
 * Bruce Smith - 1984

Coaches

 * Paul "Bear" Bryant Award
 * Frank Beamer - 1999


 * George Munger Award
 * Frank Beamer - 1999


 * Joseph V. Paterno Award
 * Frank Beamer - 2010


 * Broyles Award (assistant coaches)
 * Bud Foster - 2006


 * Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
 * Frank Beamer 1999

First overall selections in the NFL Draft

 * 1985 - Bruce Smith, Buffalo Bills
 * 2001 - Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons