2009 Orange Bowl The 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl was the 75th edition of the annual American college football bowl game known as the Orange Bowl . It pitted the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ) champion Virginia Tech Hokies against the Big East Conference champion Cincinnati Bearcats on January 1 , 2009 , at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens , Florida . Virginia Tech defeated Cincinnati , 20 – 7 . The game was the second contest in the 2008 – 2009 Bowl Championship Series ( BCS ) of the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the concluding game of the season for both teams . The game was televised in the United States on FOX , and an estimated 9 . 3 million viewers watched the broadcast live . Virginia Tech was selected to participate in the Orange Bowl after a 9 – 4 season that culminated in a 30 – 12 victory in the 2008 ACC Championship Game . Cincinnati was selected as the other half of the matchup after a 11 – 2 season that ended with a 29 – 24 win against Hawaii . In the weeks between the teams ' selection and the playing of the game , media attention focused on the nature of Cincinnati ' s first BCS game appearance and Virginia Tech ' s attempt to win its first BCS game since 1995 . Attention also focused on Cincinnati ' s proficient offense and Virginia Tech ' s highly rated defense . The game kicked off at 8 : 47 p . m . Eastern Standard Time in warm weather , and Cincinnati scored first , converting the game ' s opening possession into a touchdown and a 7 – 0 lead in the first quarter . Virginia Tech responded in the second quarter , tying the game at seven before taking a 10 – 7 lead with a field goal as time expired in the first half . In the third quarter , the two teams battled defensively , with only the Hokies able to score any points as Tech extended its lead to 13 – 7 . During the final quarter , Virginia Tech scored its second touchdown of the game , giving the Hokies a 20 – 7 lead that lasted until time expired . In recognition of his performance during the game , Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans was named the game ' s most valuable player . He set a Virginia Tech bowl - game record for carries and tied the Tech record for rushing yards in a bowl game . Cincinnati replaced two coaches after the loss , and three months after the game , players from each team entered the National Football League ( NFL ) via the 2009 NFL Draft . Cincinnati had six players selected in the draft , while Virginia Tech had one . Team selection . The Orange Bowl is one of five Bowl Championship Series ( BCS ) bowl game s that have been played at the conclusion of every college football season since 2006 . As defined by contract , the bowl matches the champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ) against an at - large pick chosen by a special committee . On December 6 , 2008 , the Virginia Tech Hokies defeated the Boston College Eagles in the 2008 ACC Championship Game , thus winning an automatic bid to the 2009 Orange Bowl Game . The at - large spot in the Orange Bowl was filled via a round - robin selection procedure defined by the other Bowl Championship series games ( the Sugar , Fiesta , and Rose bowls ) and the automatic bids . The order of at - large selections rotates annually among the BCS bowls . In 2009 , the Fiesta Bowl picked first , followed by the Sugar Bowl , then the Orange Bowl . The Fiesta Bowl picked Ohio State , while the Sugar Bowl selected Utah . The Orange Bowl was thus left to select Big East Conference champion Cincinnati , fulfilling the BCS ' contractual obligation to provide a game for the conference ' s champion . Cincinnati . The Cincinnati Bearcats ended the 2007 college football season with a 10 – 2 record , including a win in the 2007 PapaJohns . com Bowl over Southern Miss 31 – 21 . It was only the second time in school history that Cincinnati had won 10 games in a season . Before the 2008 season , the Bearcats hoped quarterback Ben Mauk would be allowed to play an unusual sixth year of college football , a possibility created by a year lost to injury and a redshirt year . After Mauk ' s request was denied by the NCAA , the annual poll of media covering Big East football picked Cincinnati to finish fifth in the eight - team Big East . The Bearcats opened the 2008 college football season against , winning 40 – 7 in an offensive effort led by senior quarterback Dustin Grutza , who was named the team ' s starter at that position following Mauk ' s dismissal . For its second game of the season , Cincinnati traveled to Norman , Oklahoma to face the Oklahoma Sooners for the first time . In a 52 – 26 loss to a team that would play for the national championship that season , Grutza broke his ankle and was replaced by junior Tony Pike . For their third game of the season , the Bearcats returned to Nippert Stadium — their home field — to play the first of two Mid - American Conference ( MAC ) opponents , in - state rival Miami . In the 113th Battle for the Victory Bell , Cincinnati won , 45 – 20 . Following the victory against Miami , the Bearcats traveled to Akron , Ohio to play the Akron Zips . Against the Zips , Pike broke his arm and was replaced by redshirt freshman Chazz Anderson , who was also injured during the game . Fellow redshirt freshman Zach Collaros then entered the game and led the Bearcats to a 17 – 15 victory . The close win against Akron was followed by a 33 – 10 win over Marshall , the Bearcats ' final nonconference game before beginning Big East play . At the start of conference play , the Bearcats were 4 – 1 , and their only loss was against top - five opponent Oklahoma . With Pike still injured , Cincinnati beat Rutgers , 13 – 10 , in the Bearcats ' first Big East game of the season . The Bearcats suffered their second defeat of the season in the following week , however , losing to the UConn Huskies , 40 – 16 . Pike returned from the injury and had the Bearcats leading at halftime , but he left the game at the half when numbness in his non - throwing hand prevented him from being able to take the snap . In the two weeks that followed the loss to the Huskies , Cincinnati recovered to beat two top - 25 opponents : No . 23 South Florida and No . 20 West Virginia . The two victories pushed the Bearcats to a 3 – 1 conference record and the No . 22 position in the AP Poll before Cincinnati ' s annual rivalry game against Louisville . That game , also known as the Battle for The Keg of Nails , ended in a Cincinnati victory for the first time since 2002 . Following the rivalry game win , Cincinnati played the Pittsburgh Panthers in a game for control of first place in the Big East . In front of a record crowd at Cincinnati ' s home field , the Bearcats claimed first place with a 28 – 21 win . Heading into its game against the Syracuse Orange , Cincinnati was assured at least a share of the Big East Championship , but a 30 – 10 win over Syracuse gave the Bearcats sole possession of the championship , the first Big East title in school history . After clinching the Big East Championship and a bid to a BCS bowl , Cincinnati ended the regular season with a game in Hawaii against the Hawaii Warriors . Despite trailing for much of the game , the Bearcats scored 19 unanswered points and ended the regular season with a 29 – 24 victory . Already assured a BCS berth by virtue of their Big East championship , on December 7 , 2008 , the Bearcats were selected to participate in the 2009 Orange Bowl . Virginia Tech . The Virginia Tech Hokies entered the 2008 season after an 11 – 3 overall 2007 record that included a win in the 2007 ACC Championship Game and a loss to the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2008 Orange Bowl . Although the Hokies won the ACC for the second time in less than four years , fans and analysts anticipated Virginia Tech would spend 2008 rebuilding a team that saw 12 starters graduate or enter the National Football League ( NFL ) Draft . Though picked in a preseason poll to win the Coastal Division of the ACC , the Hokies were upset in their season opener by East Carolina University . Following the loss , Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer announced that backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor , who had previously been expected to redshirt and sit out the season , would play in the Hokies ' second game , against . Both Taylor and Sean Glennon performed well against Furman , and Tech won , 24 – 7 . Tech ' s third game of the season came against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets , who were debuting a new offensive system the spread option under first - year head coach Paul Johnson . Unlike the game against Furman , Taylor started the game and remained at quarterback throughout , guiding the Hokies to their first ACC victory of the season , 20 – 17 . The win gave Tech the tiebreaker against the Yellow Jackets in the event of a tie in the division standings at the end of the season . The Hokies ' fourth game of the season came against the North Carolina Tar Heels , who were defeated by the same margin of victory as Tech ' s win against Georgia Tech , 20 – 17 . The twin conference victories were followed by two out - of - conference wins : at Big 12 opponent Nebraska and against independent Western Kentucky . At the end of the four - game winning streak , the Hokies had a 4 – 1 record , 2 – 0 in conference , and were ranked No . 17 in the country . On October 18 , however , the Hokies lost to unranked Boston College in Boston , 28 – 23 . The game was a rematch of the previous year ' s ACC Championship Game and was a preview of the 2008 ACC Championship Game matchup . The loss was the start of a skid that saw Tech lose three of four games , only managing a victory against Maryland , 23 – 13 . The final contest of that four - game stretch was a 16 – 13 loss to Coastal Division rival Miami , which then held the tiebreaker over the Hokies in the event of any head - to - head tie . During the last two games of the regular season , however , the Hokies managed two victories : a 14 – 3 win against last - place ACC team Duke , and a 17 – 14 triumph over traditional rival Virginia . Miami , meanwhile , lost its final two games of the season : against Georgia Tech and North Carolina State . These losses dropped Miami to a 4 – 4 record in the ACC , one game behind the Hokies , who were tied with Georgia Tech at 5 – 3 following the end of the regular season . By virtue of the Hokies ' head - to - head win against the Yellow Jackets , Virginia Tech won the Coastal Division and a spot in the ACC Championship Game . When Tech won the championship game against Atlantic Division champion Boston College , 30 – 12 , it was awarded the ACC ' s automatic bid to the Orange Bowl . Pregame buildup . Pregame media coverage of the game focused on the fact that the 2009 Orange Bowl was Cincinnati ' s first Bowl Championship Series game in school history . For Virginia Tech , coverage focused on the Hokies ' winless history in BCS games since 1995 , as Tech had lost all four of its appearances in a BCS game since an upset win over Texas in the 1995 Sugar Bowl . Also mentioned was the fact that the two teams had faced each other in the 1947 Sun Bowl , which had been each school ' s first bowl game . The low win rate of ACC teams in general was another point of interest . Teams from the conference had won just one of their ten appearances in a BCS bowl before the Orange Bowl . Before the Orange Bowl matchup , the two teams last played in 2006 , when the Hokies defeated the Bearcats , 29 – 13 , at Virginia Tech ' s home field , Lane Stadium . For the Orange Bowl , spread bettors favored a reversal of that 2006 final , as Cincinnati was initially favored by one point . This expanded to 1 . 5 points by December 9 . The trend toward Cincinnati continued , and on December 27 , betting organizations gave Cincinnati the edge by two or two and a half points . The game featured two teams both ranked lower than the two teams playing in a non - BCS bowl , a first in BCS history . The 2008 Poinsettia Bowl featured the No . 9 Boise State Broncos against the No . 11 TCU Horned Frogs . In Miami , Virginia Tech and Cincinnati each made preparations to switch accommodations to a different hotel on the day before the game to better simulate the feel of a regular - season game . Cincinnati ' s move was accelerated a day when rapper Sean " Diddy " Combs moved into the hotel and coaches , seeking to avoid a distraction , moved up the date of the team ' s departure . Ticket sales . The pace of ticket sales for the Orange Bowl varied wildly between the two schools . Each team received an allotment of 17 , 500 tickets to sell to its fans , and each school sold about 4 , 000 tickets in the two days immediately following the announcement . Media covering Virginia Tech considered the rate of ticket sales to be slow because the Hokies had sold 50 percent more during a similar timeframe the previous year . Media following Cincinnati ticket sales considered the pace to be fast , calling the Orange Bowl game a " hot ticket " . The $ 125 tickets sold by Cincinnati generated the largest amount of ticket sale revenue ever recorded by the Cincinnati Athletics Department , netting the school more than $ 500 , 000 in the first day of sales . Travel agencies offered packages including game tickets , airfare , and a hotel room to fans of both teams . Owing to the demand , fans were warned against the danger of counterfeit tickets . In the days immediately following the announcement of the matchup , ticket sales diverged . By December 12 , Cincinnati sold about 9 , 000 tickets . This total increased to approximately 13 , 000 tickets by December 20 , and the school prepared multiple tour buses for a student convoy to the game . At Virginia Tech , meanwhile , sales lagged . In an effort to spur sales , Tech administrators had head football coach Frank Beamer star in a video asking Hokies fans to buy tickets to the game . Owing to limited demand for tickets , prices in the secondary market plunged . As late as December 31 , neither team had sold its entire allotment of 17 , 500 tickets . Cincinnati fans had bought 13 , 000 tickets , while Virginia Tech fans bought fewer than 5 , 000 tickets from the school ' s allotment . Countering Virginia Tech ' s low direct ticket sales were large numbers of fans who avoided paying face value for tickets — US $ 125 — by buying them on the secondary market , often for as little as 99 cent s . Cincinnati offense . Before the Orange Bowl , Cincinnati was ranked 50th ( of 119 Division I FBS teams ) in total offense . The team was ranked 24th in passing offense , with the five quarterbacks pressed into service during the season averaging 254 . 1 passing yards per game . By the end of the season , Tony Pike emerged as Cincinnati ' s sole starting quarterback . He finished the regular season having completed 183 of 291 pass attempts for 2 , 168 yards , 18 touchdowns , and 7 interceptions . He ranked second in the Big East and 29th nationally in passing efficiency with a passer rating of 141 . 07 . Among Cincinnati receivers , there was none of the uncertainty that afflicted the Bearcats ' quarterbacks . Wide receiver Mardy Gilyard caught 74 passes during the regular season , setting a Cincinnati record with 1 , 118 receiving yards . He also had 10 touchdowns during the season , leading all Cincinnati players . Gilyard also played as the Bearcats ' primary kick returner . He returned 32 kicks , accumulating a school - record 897 yards and 2 touchdowns . Fellow wide receiver Dominick Goodman outpaced Gilyard in receptions with 78 , but he had only 977 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns . On the first play of Cincinnati ' s game against Hawaii , Dominick injured his shoulder and his ability to play in the Orange Bowl was in doubt . Cincinnati ' s ground offense was less statistically significant than its passing offense . It was led by running back Jacob Ramsey , who carried the ball 148 times for 630 yards and two touchdowns . Backup running back John Goebel had 124 rushing attempts for 581 yards and 7 touchdowns . Virginia Tech offense . At the conclusion of the regular season before the Orange Bowl , Virginia Tech ' s offense was ranked among the worst in Division I , 107th among 119 teams . The Hokies averaged just 296 yards per game during the regular season , and during the ACC Championship Game — the last Tech game before the Orange Bowl — had created a season - low 234 yards of offense . Starting left guard Nick Marshman was not expected to play after becoming academically ineligible following the fall semester , and was replaced by redshirt freshman Jaymes Brooks . On the field , the Hokies ' offense was led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor , who completed 86 of his 151 pass attempts for 896 yards , 2 touchdowns , and 6 interceptions in the season before the Orange Bowl . He also carried the ball 132 times for a total gain of 691 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground . As successful as Taylor was rushing the ball , Virginia Tech ' s offense on the ground was led by freshman running back Darren Evans , who set a Virginia Tech freshman record for rushing yards by accumulating 1 , 112 during the regular season . He also scored 10 touchdowns , was named a second - team All - ACC player , and finished second in the voting for the ACC ' s rookie of the year award . Evans became the sixth freshman in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference to rush for more than 1 , 000 yards and set a Virginia Tech single - game record for rushing yards when he ran for 253 yards in Tech ' s game against Maryland . Cincinnati defense . Entering the Orange Bowl , the Bearcats were ranked 26th in total defense , allowing an average of 316 yards per game to opposing offenses . Cincinnati was 26th in scoring defense , permitting an average of 20 . 2 points per game . The Bearcats were No . 1 in sacks among Big East teams , recording 35 during the season . Defensive end Connor Barwin led the Bearcats ' defense in sacks with 11 , a figure that also was the highest in the Big East and No . 14 nationally . He finished the regular season with 48 tackles , a figure that included the 11 sacks . In recognition of his performance , he was named a first - team All - Big East selection , signifying his status as the best player at his position in the conference . In the defensive secondary , the Bearcats were led by cornerback Mike Mickens and safety Brandon Underwood . Mickens was a second - team All - Big East selection , and Underwood was a first - team All - Big East selection . Mickens was Cincinnati ' s career leader in interceptions and interception return yardage , and had 65 tackles ( third on the team ) despite missing three games due to injury . Underwood was fifth on the team in tackles with 60 , and had 3 interceptions and 6 pass breakups . The most notable player for Cincinnati , however , was punter Kevin Huber , who was named an Associated Press All - American and became the first player in Bearcats history to earn that honor in two consecutive years . Thanks to Huber ' s performance during the regular season , Cincinnati led the country in punting average ( 41 . 5 yards per kick ) and was No . 1 in the Big East for the second consecutive year . Virginia Tech defense . Virginia Tech ' s defense was considered among the best in Division I before the Orange Bowl . The Hokies were ranked seventh in total defense , allowing just 277 . 08 yards per game on average . Virginia Tech also was highly ranked in several other defensive categories : eighth in turnovers gained ( 30 ) , 13th in scoring defense ( 17 . 46 points per game ) , 15th in pass defense ( 170 . 08 yards per game ) , and 19th in rushing defense ( 107 . 00 yards per game ) . The Hokies ' defense also scored five defensive touchdowns during the regular season . Tech ' s defense was led on the field by senior cornerback Victor " Macho " Harris . During the regular season , Harris tied for fifth in the country in interception s with six , including two returned for touchdowns . He also had 44 tackles , and was named the top defensive player in the state of Virginia . At defensive end , Tech featured Orion Martin , a former walk - on who rose to a starting position and had 7 . 5 sacks , 13 tackles for loss , and 53 tackles during the regular season . Heading into the Orange Bowl , the Hokies ' defense was afflicted by injuries . Defensive end Jason Worilds had a shoulder injury . Starting linebacker Brett Warren , who had 86 tackles , with 5 tackles for loss , 2 forced fumbles , and 2 interceptions during the regular season , suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and was expected to miss the game . Game summary . The 2009 Orange Bowl kicked off at 8 : 47 p . m . Eastern Standard Time ( EST ) at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens , Florida . An estimated total of 73 , 602 tickets were sold for the game , but bowl officials estimated 15 , 781 sold tickets went unused , giving a turnstile attendance of 57 , 821 . The game was televised on FOX , and the announcers were Thom Brennaman , Charles Davis , and Chris Myers . An estimated 9 . 3 million viewers watched the broadcast , earning it a Nielsen rating of 5 . 4 . Figures on the total payout vary , but Virginia Tech and Cincinnati each received between $ 17 million and $ 18 million for playing in the Orange Bowl , an amount that was shared with the other teams in each school ' s athletic conference . The ceremonial performance of the national anthem was played on trumpet by Arturo Sandoval . At the start of the game , the weather was clear , with an air temperature of and relative humidity of 69 percent . The wind was from the northeast at . J . O ' Neill was the referee , B . Neale was the umpire , and the linesman was J . Quinn . Orange Bowl Committee chairman Daniel Ponce performed the ceremonial pre - game coin toss to determine first possession . The toss was won by Virginia Tech , which elected to receive the ball to begin the second half , ensuring Cincinnati the right to receive the ball to begin the game . First quarter . Virginia Tech ' s opening kickoff was returned to the Cincinnati 28 - yard line , where the Bearcats executed the game ' s first play , a five - yard run by running back John Goebel . On the next play , the Bearcats earned the game ' s initial first down with a 13 - yard pass from quarterback Tony Pike to wide receiver Dominick Goodman . Now at their 46 - yard line , Pike then threw his second - longest completed pass of the game , a 38 - yard pass to wide receiver Mardy Gilyard . The play advanced the Bearcats ' offense to the Virginia Tech 16 - yard line , and three plays later , Pike completed a 15 - yard pass to Gilyard for a touchdown and the game ' s first points . The extra point kick by Cincinnati kicker Jake Rogers was good , and with 13 : 08 remaining in the opening quarter , the Bearcats took a 7 – 0 lead over Virginia Tech . Cincinnati ' s kickoff after the touchdown was returned to the Virginia Tech 24 - yard line , and the Hokies prepared for their first offensive possession of the game . That play was a 27 - yard run by wide receiver Dyrell Roberts , who ran an end - around for the big gain . Now on the Cincinnati side of the field , Virginia Tech running Back Darren Evans ran for one yard , then Hokies quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed a 34 - yard pass to wide receiver Danny Coale . The catch gave Virginia Tech a first down at the Cincinnati 14 - yard line . On the first play following the long completion , Evans was tackled for a six - yard loss , pushing the Hokies back to the Bearcats ' 20 - yard line . Taylor made good the loss on the next two plays , rushing for a total of 11 yards , but was unable to gain another first down . Facing fourth down , Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer sent kicker Dustin Keys into the game to attempt a 26 - yard field goal . The kick sailed right of the uprights , however , and Virginia Tech was denied a scoring opportunity . After the missed kick , Cincinnati ' s offense took to the field at their 20 - yard line . The Bearcats were not able to gain a first down , however , and went three and out before punt ing back to Virginia Tech . Following the kick , the Hokies started at their 16 - yard line . Tech ' s first play of the drive was a 14 - yard pass from Taylor to wide receiver Jarrett Boykin for a first down , but the Hokies were unable to gain another first down . Tech punted back to Cincinnati , and the ball rolled out of bounds at the Cincinnati 30 - yard line . The first play of the drive resulted in a short loss , but on the second play , Pike completed a 39 - yard pass to Gilyard . The play advanced the Bearcats deep into Virginia Tech territory and gave them a first down . Despite the long play , Cincinnati was unable to gain another first down , and Rogers entered the game to attempt a 44 - yard field goal . The kick was partially blocked and fell short , denying the Bearcats three points . With 3 : 07 remaining in the quarter , Cincinnati still held a 7 – 0 lead . Following the missed field goal , Virginia Tech ' s offense took over at their 27 - yard line , the spot from which the kick had been missed . Taylor completed a 12 - yard pass to Coale , then Evans ran 11 yards , advancing the ball to the 50 - yard line . After a pass from Taylor fell incomplete , he completed his next two attempts for a total gain of 19 yards and a first down . Virginia Tech then committed a five - yard false start penalty , pushing the Hokies back to the Cincinnati 26 - yard line . With time running out in the quarter , however , Virginia Tech running back Josh Oglesby made good the penalty with a 13 - yard run to the Cincinnati 23 - yard line . At the end of the first quarter , Cincinnati still led , 7 – 0 . Second quarter . The second quarter began with Virginia Tech in possession of the ball and facing a second down and two at the Cincinnati 24 - yard line . On the first play of the quarter , Cincinnati committed an offsides penalty , giving the Hokies five yards and a first down . From the Bearcats ' 19 - yard line , Taylor completed a two - yard pass . On the next play , Taylor attempted to run forward with the ball , but fumble d before recovering the loose football . Now facing third down , Taylor scrambled 18 yards to the goal line for Virginia Tech ' s first touchdown of the game . The extra point kick by Keys was good , and with 13 : 00 remaining in the quarter , the game was tied at 7 – 7 . Virginia Tech ' s post - touchdown kickoff was returned to the Cincinnati 28 - yard line , and the Bearcats ' offense began its first possession of the second quarter . Pike threw an incomplete pass , then connected on a 10 - yard throw for a first down . That gain was countered on the next play by a 10 - yard holding penalty against the Bearcats . Cincinnati was unable to regain the yardage lost to the penalty and punted . Following the kick , Virginia Tech was similarly stymied by consecutive penalties and a sack of Taylor by Cincinnati ' s Terrill Byrd . Tech punted , and the kick was returned by Cincinnati wide receiver D . J . Woods to the Virginia Tech 45 - yard line . Despite starting in Virginia Tech ' s half of the field , Cincinnati was unable to capitalize and went three and out . The Bearcats ' punt was downed at the Virginia Tech three - yard line , and the Hokies ' offense returned to the field . Despite being pinned against their own goal line , the Hokies initially had some success moving the ball . Taylor completed a two - yard pass , Evans ran for six yards , and Taylor ran for two yards on third down to earn a first down at the Tech 13 - yard line . After a Tech timeout , Darren Evans ran for five yards . On the next play , he broke free for a 32 - yard run , advancing the ball to the 50 - yard line . The Hokies were unable to capitalize on Evans ' run , however , as on the next play , a pass from Taylor was intercepted by Cincinnati defender Brandon Underwood at the Cincinnati 28 - yard line . Cincinnati ' s offense took over at the spot of the interception and immediately began moving down the field . Pike completed three consecutive passes : a five - yard pass to Gilyard , a 10 - yard throw to Goodman , then a 31 - yard toss to Gilyard . After the long throw , Cincinnati had a first down at the Virginia Tech 26 - yard line . The Bearcats continued their drive after an incomplete pass by Pike with an 18 - yard completion to Goebel that gave the Bearcats a first down at the Virginia Tech eight - yard line . Two plays later , however , Cincinnati ' s drive came to an end when Virginia Tech defender Stephan Virgil intercepted a pass from Pike to a player in the end zone , denying the Bearcats a chance to score . Virgil was downed in the end zone for a touchback , and Virginia Tech ' s offense started at its 20 - yard line after the turnover . Tech ' s drive began with a completed pass for no gain to Evans . This was followed by a five - yard run by Evans and a 23 - yard pass from Taylor to tight end Greg Boone for a first down at the Tech 48 - yard line . Taylor then completed a nine - yard pass to Boone . After two plays were stopped for no gain , Taylor ran two yards for a first down , keeping the drive alive . With time running out in the first half , Taylor completed a nine - yard pass to Boone , then ran six yards for a first down at the Cincinnati 26 - yard line . The Hokies then called another timeout to stop the clock with three seconds remaining in the quarter . Tech kicker Dustin Keys returned to the game , and as time expired in the first half , he kicked a 43 - yard field goal that gave the Hokies a 10 – 7 lead . Third quarter . Following a halftime musical performance by The Doobie Brothers , the second half began . Because Cincinnati received the ball to begin the game , Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the second half . The Bearcats ' kickoff was returned to the Tech 14 - yard line , and the Hokies began the first drive of the third quarter . Evans rushed for four yards , but Oglesby lost four yards on a run during the next play . Facing third and ten , Taylor picked up the first down with an 11 - yard run , but fumbled the ball at the end of the play . The loose ball was scooped up by Boone , who kept the Hokies ' drive going at the Tech 30 - yard line . After the fumble , Evans ran for seven yards and Taylor completed a 10 - yard pass to Roberts for a first down at the Tech 47 - yard line . Coale then rushed for seven yards on an end - around , and his run was followed by one by Boone , who ran for 16 yards and a first down at the Cincinnati 30 - yard line . Two more rushes by Roberts and Evans resulted in another first down , but once the Hokies passed the Cincinnati 20 - yard line , the Bearcats ' defense stiffened and denied the Hokies another first down . Facing fourth down , Tech again sent in Keys , who kicked a 35 - yard field goal . The kick extended Tech ' s lead to 13 – 7 with 8 : 32 remaining in the quarter . Following Virginia Tech ' s kickoff , Cincinnati began its first drive of the second half at its 36 - yard line . Pike was stopped for no gain on a rushing attempt , then attempted a long pass downfield . The ball was intercepted by Virginia Tech defender Kam Chancellor , and the Hokies ' offense returned to the field after just two Cincinnati plays . Tech ' s first play after the interception resulted in Taylor being sacked by Cincinnati defender Brandon Underwood for a loss of three yards , but Darren Evans made up the lost yardage by rushing 14 yards to the Tech 43 - yard line for a first down . Taylor and Evans alternated short rushes , then Taylor completed a five - yard pass to Coale for another first down , this one at the Cincinnati 47 - yard line . Once in Cincinnati territory , however , the Hokies ' offense faltered . Evans was tackled for a two - yard loss , then Taylor was sacked again , this time by John Hughes . A long pass attempt fell incomplete , and Tech punted for the first time in the second half . Returner Danny Milligan fumbled the ball , but he recovered the loose ball and returned it to the Cincinnati 20 - yard line . The Bearcats ' second possession of the second half was more successful than their first . On the first play of the drive , running back Jacob Ramsey broke free of the Tech defense for a 25 - yard run , the longest run of any Cincinnati player in the game . He followed that first - down run by gaining eight more yards on consecutive runs . Pike then ran three yards for a first down at the Tech 44 - yard line . There , however , Cincinnati ' s offense sputtered and could not gain another first down . The Bearcats ' punted , and the ball rolled out of bounds at the Tech 14 - yard line with six seconds remaining in the quarter . The Hokies had time for one play , a 21 - yard run by Evans to the Tech 35 - yard line . With one quarter remaining , Virginia Tech had a 13 – 7 lead over Cincinnati . Fourth quarter . The fourth quarter began with Virginia Tech in possession of the ball and facing a first down at their 35 - yard line . The first play of the quarter resulted in a 20 - yard gain by Evans on a running play . After that , however , the Hokies did not gain another first down and punted to Cincinnati . Following the kick , the Bearcats started their first possession of the fourth quarter at their 14 - yard line . Running back Isaiah Pead ran for three yards , but then a pass by Pike was intercepted at the 10 - yard line by Tech defender Orion Martin . Three rushing plays later , Evans ran six yards for a touchdown . The extra point kick was good , and with 11 : 29 remaining in the game , Virginia Tech took a 20 – 7 lead . The Tech kickoff was returned 17 yards by Gilyard to the Cincinnati 40 - yard line , giving the Bearcats good field position to start their drive . Two rushes by Goebel resulted in 11 yards and a first down at the Tech 49 - yard line . This success on the ground was followed by more through the air , as Pike completed three consecutive passes : a 16 - yarder to Gilyard , a 3 - yarder to Goodman , and a 14 - yarder to Gilyard . Goebel then ran five yards to the Tech 11 - yard line . Two Pike passes fell incomplete , setting up fourth down . Rather than attempt to kick a field goal , Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly ordered the offense to attempt to convert the fourth down . This was done when Pike completed a seven - yard pass to Goodman for a first down at the Virginia Tech four - yard line . Two more Pike passes fell incomplete before Goebel rushed three yards to the Virginia Tech one - yard line . Cincinnati again faced a fourth down , and again , Kelly elected to attempt to score a touchdown rather than kick a field goal . Pike attempted to cross the goal line on a running play , but was stopped by the Virginia Tech defense . With 7 : 25 remaining in the game , Cincinnati turned the ball over on downs to the Virginia Tech offense , which returned to the field . With a firm lead and now in possession of the ball , Virginia Tech began to run out the clock by executing short rushing plays up the center of the field . Since the game clock does not stop in American college football if a player remains in bounds short of the first down marker , the Hokies could hasten the end of the game and preserve their lead by following this strategy . From their one - yard line , Taylor ran the ball for a one - yard gain , followed by two rushes by Evans for another four yards . The Hokies prepared to punt the ball , but during the kick , Cincinnati committed a 15 - yard personal foul penalty by tackling Tech punter Brent Bowden . The penalty gave Virginia Tech a first down and kept their drive going . From the Tech 21 - yard line , Evans was stopped for a loss of one yard , but broke free for an 11 - yard gain and a first down on the next play . As the clock continued to tick down , Cincinnati began to use its timeouts in an effort to stop the clock after each play . This strategy was partially successful , as Tech was denied another first down and punted with 2 : 31 remaining in the game . The kick was returned to the Cincinnati 48 - yard line , and the Bearcats prepared for a desperation drive in hopes of narrowing the Hokies ' lead . On the first play after the punt , however , Pike threw an interception to Virginia Tech defender Cody Grimm . Back in possession of the ball , Taylor kneeled on the ball four times to wind down the game clock . After the final kneeldown , Virginia Tech secured the 20 – 7 win . Statistical summary . In recognition of his performance during the game , Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans was named the game ' s most valuable player . Evans finished the game with 28 carries for 158 yards and a touchdown . He also caught two passes for five yards , set a Virginia Tech bowl - game record for carries , and tied the Tech record for rushing yards . Evans finished the season with 1 , 265 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns – both marks were Virginia Tech records for a freshman . On the opposite side of the ball , Cincinnati ' s rushing offense was led by Jacob Ramsey , who finished the game with 4 carries for 34 yards . Cincinnati ' s John Goebel had nine carries but only accumulated 26 rushing yards . Most of the Bearcats ' offense came through the air , however . Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike finished the game having completed 16 of his 33 pass attempts , resulting in 239 passing yards , 1 touchdown , and 4 interceptions . Pike also ran the ball five times for four yards . Pike ' s four interceptions were a career high and marked only the second time he threw more than one interception in a game . For Virginia Tech , quarterback Tyrod Taylor finished the game with 13 completions from 22 pass attempts , resulting in 140 passing yards and 1 interception . In addition to his passing , Taylor ran with the ball 15 times , gaining 47 yards and a touchdown in the process . Taylor ' s favorite passing targets were wide receiver Danny Coale , who finished the game having caught three passes for 52 yards , and tight end Greg Boone , who caught 3 balls for 41 yards . On the Bearcats ' side of the field , Cincinnati ' s Mardy Gilyard led all receivers with 7 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown . Gilyard ' s receiving total was his best of the season and set a new Cincinnati bowl - game record . He also set a Bearcat bowl - game record for kickoff return yardage , recording 97 yards in that category . Fellow Cincinnati receiver Dominick Goodman caught 6 passes for 51 yards , in the process becoming Cincinnati ' s all - time leader in career receiving yards . The two teams ' defenses also performed statistically well during the game . Cincinnati ' s Terrill Byrd led all defenders by recording 11 tackles during the game . Included in that total were four tackles for loss , including one sack . That performance was his best in terms of quantity during the season , and his four tackles for loss moved him into sixth place on Cincinnati ' s list of career tackles for loss leaders . For the Hokies , Dorian Porch had eight tackles , leading all Tech players . Cody Grimm , Orion Martin , Stephan Virgil , and Kam Chancellor each recorded one interception . The four interceptions were a Tech bowl - game record , and Chancellor ' s catch gave him six for the season , tying him with Victor Harris for the most on the team . It was the first time since 1968 that two Virginia Tech players had six interceptions apiece . Cincinnati ' s sole interception came at the hands of Brandon Underwood , who tallied his third of the season . Each team found success on special teams as well . Cincinnati punter Kevin Huber , a first - team All - American , kicked the ball four times , averaging 45 . 8 yards per punt . A 56 - yard punt in the first quarter marked the ninth consecutive game he had a kick of at least 50 yards . Virginia Tech placekicker Dustin Keys missed his first field goal attempt of the game but successfully converted his next two kicks , giving him 23 field goals and the Tech single - season record in that category . Postgame effects . Virginia Tech ' s victory raised it to a final record of 10 – 4 , while Cincinnati ' s loss dropped it to a record of 11 – 3 . The Hokies ' 10 - win season was the fifth consecutive year in which Tech recorded at least 10 wins , a feat matched only by the University of Southern California and the University of Texas during the same time period . As a reward for coaching the Hokies to an ACC Championship and an Orange Bowl championship , Virginia Tech coaches were given hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses . In Miami , hoteliers and Dolphins Stadium had to quickly prepare for the arrival of Oklahoma and Florida , the two teams that played in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game one week after the Orange Bowl . Signs were changed , the playing field was repainted , and accommodations were prepared for the thousands of expected spectators . In total , South Florida ' s economy received an estimated $ 220 million boost from visitors who arrived to watch the two games . Coaching changes . In the postseason that followed the Bearcats ' loss to Virginia Tech , Cincinnati assistant head coach and defensive line coach Keith Gilmore resigned to accept the position of defensive line coach at the University of Illinois . To replace Gilmore , Cincinnati promoted special teams coach Mike Elston , who assumed assistant coaching and defensive line duties . In February , Cincinnati defensive coordinator Joe Tresey was fired by the school . He subsequently was hired by the University of South Florida to fill that school ' s vacant defensive coordinator position . Replacing Tresey is Virginia defensive coordinator Bob Diaco . 2009 NFL Draft . As the final game of the 2008 – 2009 regular season , the 2009 Orange Bowl gave Virginia Tech and Cincinnati players a chance to show their skills before the 2009 NFL Draft . Cincinnati had six players selected in the draft . Defensive end Connor Barwin was the first Bearcats player taken . He was picked in the second round , 46th overall . He was followed by punter Kevin Huber ( 142nd overall ) , cornerback DeAngelo Smith ( 143rd ) , cornerback Brandon Underwood ( 187th ) , cornerback Mike Mickens ( 227th ) , and guard Trevor Canfield ( 254th ) . Several Cincinnati players were signed as free agent s after the draft . These included defensive tackle Adam Hoppel , linebacker Corey Smith , and offensive lineman Khalil El - Amin . Virginia Tech had just one player taken in the 2009 draft : cornerback Victor Harris , who was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 157th overall selection . Four Hokies were taken as free - agent selections after the draft . Defensive end Orion Martin , quarterback Sean Glennon , center Ryan Shuman , and fullback Devin Perez were signed to try out for various NFL teams .