List of Virginia Tech Hokies bowl games The Virginia Tech Hokies football team has played in 25 post - season bowl game s since its creation in 1892 . This includes five Bowl Championship Series ( BCS ) game appearances and one appearance in the BCS National Championship Game . As of completion of the 2011 bowl season , the Hokies have been invited to a bowl game every year since 1993 , a 19 - year active streak that is the sixth longest all - time streak and the third longest presently - active streak . Dozens of National Football League draft picks have played for Virginia Tech in bowl games , including two first - overall selections : Bruce Smith and Michael Vick . Smith participated in the 1984 Independence Bowl , while Vick quarterback ed the Hokies to their first national championship appearance during the 2000 Sugar Bowl , and followed that performance by leading the Hokies to the 2001 Gator Bowl , his final collegiate game . Following the game , Vick entered the 2001 NFL Draft and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons . Since 1987 , the Virginia Tech football team has been led by head coach Frank Beamer . Since 1993 , Beamer has led the Hokies to 20 consecutive bowl games , going 9 – 11 during that period . Beamer has earned national coach of the year honors several times from various organizations , and has the most wins of any active Division I college football coach . Virginia Tech ' s first post - season bowl game was in 1947 , when the Hokies participated in the 1947 Sun Bowl in El Paso , Texas on New Year ' s Day against the Cincinnati Bearcats . The most recent Virginia Tech bowl game occurred December 28 , 2012 , when the Hokies played in the 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl . Tech won that game , bringing the school to an overall bowl record of 10 wins and 16 losses , putting the Hokies in 47th place in all - time bowl - game winning percentage of teams with at least 20 NCAA bowl game appearances . The Hokies ' 24 bowl appearances are tied for the 36th - highest total in NCAA history . Game capsules . 1947 Sun Bowl . The first bowl game in Virginia Tech history came at the conclusion of the 1946 college football season as the Hokies earned a bid to the 1947 Sun Bowl . The Hokies , led by coach James Kitts , finished the regular season with three losses , three wins , and three ties ( 3 – 3 – 3 ) . The team also recorded Virginia Tech ' s first win over an Associated Press Top 25 team in school history , the Washington and Lee University Generals , and the Hokies ' traditional rivals , the Virginia Military Institute Keydets . Despite those victories , Tech ' s bid to the Sun Bowl only came about because the bowl ' s first and second picks had declined the bid and because an influential Tech alumnus on the selection committee had suggested Virginia Tech . Opposing the Hokies were the Cincinnati Bearcats , who had gone 8 – 2 during the regular season . The game kicked off on January 1 , 1947 at Kidd Field in El Paso , Texas in freezing temperatures . Defense dominated on both sides in the first half due to the weather and tough play . Neither team scored , but Virginia Tech had the best chance — driving to a first down inside the Cincinnati two - yard line in the first quarter . The Cincinnati defense held , however , and the game went into halftime scoreless . In the second half , the favored Bearcats managed to find success on offense . Behind All - American Roger Stephens , the Bearcats tallied three touchdown s to Virginia Tech ' s one . The Hokies managed to block all three Cincinnati extra point kicks , but without touchdowns of their own , the Hokies had no chance to win . Cincinnati emerged victorious as time ran out , 18 – 6 . 1966 Liberty Bowl . Virginia Tech ' s second bowl game did not come until nearly 20 years after its first . On December 10 , 1966 , the Hokies faced off against the No . 9 Miami Hurricanes in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis , Tennessee . Tech came into the game having gone 8 – 1 – 1 during the regular season under head coach Jerry Claiborne , while the Hurricanes boasted a 7 – 2 – 1 regular - season record , including wins over Southern California and Florida . The Hokies were led by All - America safety Frank Loria , who caught three interception s and returned three punt s for touchdowns as a junior during the 1966 season . On the opposite side of the ball , the Hurricanes were led by All - American Ted Hendricks . The game kicked off in frigid weather , and from the beginning , defense dominated . In the first half , Tech held Miami to just 16 yards of total offense , and Miami set bowl game records for fewest rushing yards allowed and fewest first downs allowed . The Hokies got the first big break of the game after blocking Miami ' s first punt of the game . Taking over at the Miami 21 - yard line , it took Virginia Tech just five plays to march into the end zone for an early 7 – 0 lead . Virginia Tech and Miami battled to a stalemate for the rest of the first half , and Tech went into halftime still clinging to a 7 – 0 lead . In the second half , Tech ' s fortune turned . Late in the third quarter , the Virginia Tech defense stopped Miami ' s offense for yet another time , but instead of receiving the punt cleanly , the Hokies committed a roughing the kicker penalty that allowed Miami to retain possession of the ball with a first down . A few plays later , Miami scored its first touchdown of the game . In the fourth quarter Miami finally took the lead on a 10 - play , 70 - yard drive . The Hokies were unable to answer the Hurricanes ' score , and Miami won the 1966 Liberty Bowl , 14 – 7 . 1968 Liberty Bowl . Two years after its previous trip to the Liberty Bowl , Virginia Tech was again asked to travel to Memphis , Tennessee to play in a post - season bowl game . This time , the opponent was Mississippi , which had amassed a 6 – 3 – 1 record during the regular season . The Hokies came into the game with a 7 – 3 record that included a loss to Tech ' s previous Liberty Bowl opponent , Miami . The 1968 Liberty Bowl kicked off on January 14 , 1968 . As in the Hokies ' previous Liberty Bowl appearance , Virginia Tech got off to a fast start . On the game ' s second play , Tech ran 58 yards for a touchdown , courtesy of a trick play . After Mississippi fumbled , Tech recovered and scored another quick touchdown . At the end of the first quarter , Tech added a field goal to the two touchdowns it had already earned , making the score 17 – 0 at the end of one quarter . From that point onward , however , almost nothing would go in Virginia Tech ' s favor . Tech attempted an onside kick following the field goal , but were unable to successfully recover the ball . With good field position following the kick , Mississippi quarterback Archie Manning orchestrated a 49 - yard drive for the Rebels ' first points of the game . Mississippi scored another touchdown before halftime , and the Hokies clung to a 17 – 14 lead at the beginning of the second half . That three - point lead quickly evaporated , however , as 21 seconds into the third quarter , Mississippi ' s Steve Hindman ran for 79 yards and a touchdown to give Mississippi a 21 – 17 lead . Ole Miss added 13 more points before the game was over and earned the victory , 34 – 17 . The Virginia Tech offense was stymied by repeated turnovers . Tech fumble d the ball three times and Tech quarterback Humphries threw two interceptions . Tech committed 120 yards in penalties and was held to just two passing yards for the entire game . 1981 Peach Bowl . Following the 1980 college football season , Virginia Tech was awarded a bid to the 1981 Peach Bowl as a reward for finishing 8 – 3 during the regular season . Facing Virginia Tech was a familiar post - season opponent — Miami — whom the Hokies had played in the 1966 Liberty Bowl . No . 20 Miami finished the regular season with an 8 – 3 record . The 1981 Peach Bowl kicked off on January 2 , 1981 at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta , Georgia . Unlike the 1966 Liberty Bowl , in which Virginia Tech scored first , it was Miami who dominated the game ' s early going . The Hurricanes scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game and tacked on another touchdown early in the second quarter . Tech was held scoreless in the early going , thanks to two Miami interceptions at the goal line as Virginia Tech was threatening to score . Late in the second quarter , Tech was finally able to get on the scoreboard with a field goal , but at halftime , the Miami Hurricanes led 14 – 3 . After halftime , the Hokies threatened Miami for the first time all game . Virginia Tech mounted an 80 - yard drive that resulted in a touchdown , cutting Miami ' s lead to 14 – 10 . But the Hurricanes ' defense clamped down on any further offensive attempts by Virginia Tech and denied the Hokies more points . Miami added two field goals : one in the third quarter and one in the fourth quarter that finally put the game out of reach for Virginia Tech . Miami earned the win , 20 – 10 . Miami ' s win was its first bowl victory since the 1966 Liberty Bowl , which also featured a Hurricanes victory over Virginia Tech . 1984 Independence Bowl . The Virginia Tech Hokies earned a bid to the 1984 Independence Bowl following an 8 – 3 record during the 1984 - 1985 football season . Facing the Hokies were the Falcons of the United States Air Force Academy , who had gone 7 – 4 during the regular season , including a 5 – 3 record in the Western Athletic Conference . The 1984 Independence Bowl kicked off on December 15 , 1984 in Shreveport , Louisiana . Weather at kickoff was a comfortable and the wind was from the southwest at – . An estimated 41 , 100 people came out to watch the Falcons take on the Hokies . Air Force scored first with a 35 - yard field goal , but the Hokies struck back with a touchdown off of a 10 - play , 72 - yard drive , putting Virginia Tech ahead 7 – 3 . That score would remain until halfway through the second quarter , when Virginia Tech fumble d the ball at its own three - yard line . Air Force recovered the ball and scored a touchdown on the next play , regaining a 10 – 7 lead . At halftime , Air Force still led by 10 – 7 . Following the half , Virginia Tech ' s defense began to break down under Air Force ' s rush ing offense . The Hokies and Air Force battled defensively throughout the third quarter , but in the fourth quarter , Air Force ' s offense broke free for 13 unanswered points . Tech ' s offense was stifled by two Air Force interceptions and two lost fumbles , allowing Air Force to earn the easy victory , 23 – 7 . 1986 Peach Bowl . Virginia Tech ' s first bowl win in school history came in a dramatic 25 – 24 win over the No . 18 North Carolina State Wolfpack in the 1986 Peach Bowl . Tech came into the game with a 9 – 1 – 1 record that included an unusual forfeit win over Temple . The Owls , who had played the game with an ineligible player , won the game on the field , but later forfeited the victory to Virginia Tech . Facing the Hokies in the 1986 Peach Bowl were the 18th - ranked Wolfpack from North Carolina State University . N . C . State was led by head coach Dick Sheridan and had a regular - season record of 8 – 2 – 1 that included five wins over Atlantic Coast Conference teams . The 1986 Peach Bowl kicked off on December 31 , 1986 at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta , Georgia , five years minus one day since Virginia Tech had last played in Atlanta for the 1981 Peach Bowl . Virginia Tech scored first , but NC State ' s Bulluck blocked a Tech punt in the Tech end zone and recovered it for a tying touchdown . Virginia Tech kicked a field goal at the end of the quarter to take a 10 – 7 lead , but NC State fought back , scoring 14 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 21 – 10 lead by halftime . In the third quarter , the game turned into a defensive battle . Neither side scored until late in the third quarter , when Tech took advantage of a State fumble to score the first touchdown of the second half . Tech failed to convert a two - point conversion , but NC State fumbled again on the ensuing possession , and Tech was able to drive for another touchdown . Leading 22 – 21 , Tech attempted another two - point conversion , which also failed . NC State , needing to score , drove down the field and kicked a go - ahead 33 - yard field goal with 7 : 12 remaining in the game . After a failed possession , Tech was forced to punt the ball away , allowing NC State to run down the clock . The Virginia Tech defense eventually forced a stop , giving the Tech offense one final chance to win the game . With 1 : 53 on the clock and beginning from their own 20 - yard line , the Hokies drove 57 yards to the NC State 23 - yard line . There , kicker Chris Kinzer successfully kicked a 40 - yard field goal as time expired to give Virginia Tech a 25 - 24 win . 1993 Independence Bowl . The No . 22 Virginia Tech Hokies came into the 1993 Independence Bowl with a 8 – 3 regular - season record that included wins over Pittsburgh and Virginia . The bowl appearance was the first for head coach Frank Beamer , who had turned the team around after a 2 – 8 – 1 season the previous year . Facing the Hokies were the No . 21 Indiana Hoosiers , who were playing in their first bowl game since the 1991 Copper Bowl . The 1993 Independence Bowl kicked off on December 31 , 1993 in Shreveport , Louisiana . Indiana jumped out to an early lead courtesy of a 75 - yard pass from quarterback John Paci . Virginia Tech equalized the score before the first quarter ran out , then took a 14 – 7 lead with a second - quarter touchdown run by fullback Joe Swarm . Indiana climbed back with two field goals that cut Tech ' s lead to 14 – 13 . With Indiana in possession of the ball and time running down , it appeared that Indiana would have at least one more attempt on offense before halftime . Before the Indiana drive could get moving , John Paci fumble d the ball , which was recovered by Virginia Tech and returned 20 yards for a touchdown . On Virginia Tech ' s post - touchdown kickoff , Indiana returned the ball deep into Virginia Tech territory , setting up a potential field goal by kicker Bill Manolopoulos . During the kick , Virginia Tech defender Jeff Holland broke through the Indiana offensive line and blocked the field goal attempt . Tech ' s Antonio Banks scooped up the ball and ran 80 yards for another touchdown — Virginia Tech ' s second in less than 40 seconds . The two touchdowns gave Virginia Tech a 28 – 13 halftime lead , and Indiana never seriously challenged the Hokies afterward . Both teams failed to score in the third quarter , but Virginia Tech added 17 points in the fourth quarter to make the game a blowout . Indiana managed a touchdown toward the end of the game , but the end result had already been decided . Virginia Tech won the 1993 Independence Bowl , 45 – 20 . 1994 Gator Bowl . The 1994 Gator Bowl saw 17th - ranked Virginia Tech face off against regional rival Tennessee at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the campus of the University of Florida . Tech came into the game with an 8 – 3 regular - season record that included a record of 5 – 2 in Big East Conference competition . The Tennessee Volunteers came entered the game with a regular - season record of 7 – 4 under head coach Phillip Fulmer that included a 5 – 3 record in Southeastern Conference competition . The game kicked off On December 30 , 1994 in Gainesville , Florida . From the start , Tennessee ' s high - scoring offense dominated . The Volunteers scored two touchdowns in the first quarter and three in the second , while Virginia Tech was able to muster a lone touchdown and field goal in the second quarter . At halftime , Tennessee had a commanding 35 – 10 lead . The Hokies struggled back in the third quarter , scoring six unanswered points to close the score to 35 – 16 . In the fourth quarter , however , Tennessee answered Virginia Tech ' s effort with 10 points , putting the game out of reach for the Hokies , who managed only a single touchdown in the fourth quarter . The Hokies fumbled the ball five times — losing it once — and threw two interceptions , allowing Tennessee to cruise to an easy victory , 45 – 23 . Tennessee running back James Stewart was named the game ' s most valuable player . 1995 Sugar Bowl . In 1995 , Virginia Tech received its first bid to a Bowl Coalition game . The Bowl Coalition , predecessor to the modern Bowl Championship Series , was intended to match up the two best teams in the Sugar , Orange , Fiesta , and Rose Bowl s , with the two highest - ranked teams playing in a National Championship Game . Following the 1995 - 1996 college football season , Virginia Tech was selected to play in the 1995 Sugar Bowl as a result of this coalition . The No . 13 Hokies , who finished 9 – 2 during the regular season and were named Big East Conference champions , played against the No . 9 University of Texas , who finished 10 – 1 – 1 during the regular season en route to becoming Southwest Conference champions . The 1995 Sugar Bowl kicked off on December 31 , 1995 in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans , Louisiana . Defense dominated in the first quarter as neither team scored during the game ' s first four possessions . Late in the quarter , however , Texas ' offense , led by quarterback James Brown , put together an eight - play , 72 - yard drive that ended with a four - yard touchdown pass . At the end of the first quarter , Texas led 7 – 0 . Early in the second quarter , Texas added another three points with a 52 - yard field goal that came off of an interception . But the Hokies began to fight back . Brian Still returned a Texas punt 60 yards for Tech ' s first points of the game , and at halftime , the Longhorns ' lead was cut to just three points . In the second half , Virginia Tech ' s defense kicked into high gear . Cornell Brown , the Hokies ' All - American defensive end , was a key player as Tech sacked the Texas quarterback five times and caught three pass interception s . On offense , wide receiver Brian Still added two passing touchdowns to his punt return touchdown , and the Hokies scored 21 unanswered points in the second half . Tech won the game , 28 – 10 . The win was the third bowl victory in school history , and was by far the highest - profile win for the school at the time . 1996 Orange Bowl . A year after earning a bid to its first Bowl Coalition game , Tech again earned the honor of participating in an upper - tier bowl game . Under the newly - renamed Bowl Alliance , Virginia Tech was selected to play in the 1996 Orange Bowl . The No . 10 Hokies finished 10 – 1 in the regular season , en route to their second consecutive Big East Conference championship . Facing the Hokies were the No . 6 Nebraska Cornhuskers , who had finished 10 – 2 during the 1996 - 1997 season , including a loss to Texas in the Big 12 Conference championship game . The 1996 Orange Bowl kicked off on December 31 , 1996 , exactly one year after the Hokies ' previous bowl game . Instead of New Orleans , however , the Hokies were playing in stormy Miami , Florida at Pro Player Stadium . Neither team scored until late in the first quarter when Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller put Virginia Tech on the board with a 19 - yard touchdown pass . The Hokies ' 7 – 0 lead at the end of the first quarter didn ' t last long , however . Nebraska scored a field goal early in the second quarter and tacked on a touchdown to take a 10 – 7 lead halfway through the second quarter . Then Nebraska got its biggest play of the game as Tech ' s Druckenmiller fumble d the ball . A Nebraska player scooped up the ball , returning it 31 yards for a touchdown . Tech was able to score a touchdown before halftime , but Nebraska still held a 17 – 14 lead as the second half began . Nebraska widened its lead with a 33 - yard touchdown run six minutes into the second half , but Tech answered right back with a 33 - yard touchdown pass on its subsequent possession . The score cut Nebraska ' s lead to 24 – 21 . Unfortunately for the Hokies , that score was the closest they would get to a lead as Nebraska ' s offense began to wear down the Tech defense . Nebraska scored another touchdown in the fourth quarter , then racked up 10 points in the fourth quarter to secure the victory . Nebraska won , 41 – 21 . 1998 Gator Bowl . Following the 1997 college football season , Virginia Tech was selected to play in the 1998 Gator Bowl as a reward for a 7 – 4 regular season . Facing the unranked Hokies were the No . 7 - ranked North Carolina Tar Heels . The Heels had gone 10 – 1 during the regular season and were ranked seventh in the Associated Press poll heading into the game . North Carolina was playing under new head coach Carl Torbush for the first time . Torbush had taken over for former head coach Mack Brown on December 8 after Brown announced that he was departing to take the position of head coach at Texas . The game kicked off on January 1 , 1998 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville , Florida . From the opening kickoff , North Carolina dominated every aspect of the game . In the first quarter , the Tar Heels scored 16 points , matching the total number of first - quarter points they had scored in every game of the regular season combined . North Carolina added six points in the second and third quarters before Tech scored its first points of the game — a 40 - yard field goal by kicker Shayne Graham . North Carolina set records for largest bowl game margin of victory , most points scored in a bowl game , and most touchdown passes in a bowl game . The eventual 42 – 3 loss was Virginia Tech ' s largest bowl loss in school history . 1998 Music City Bowl . Virginia Tech ' s 8 – 3 record during the 1998 college football regular season was good enough to earn it a bid to the inaugural Music City Bowl game . Facing the Hokies were the Alabama Crimson Tide , who had gone 7 – 4 during the regular season . The 1998 Music City Bowl kicked off on December 29 , 1998 in Nashville , Tennessee . The weather at kickoff was " horrid , " as rain and sleet mixed in freezing temperatures . The game ' s early going was marked by defense as both teams struggled against the inclement weather . Virginia Tech scored first off of a 43 - yard touchdown scramble by quarterback Al Clark . Clark ' s touchdown provided the game ' s only points until the second quarter , when Alabama evened the score at 7 – 7 with a five - yard touchdown pass . The Hokies struck back with a field goal before halftime and took a tenuous 10 – 7 lead into the second half . In that half , the Tech offense finally got rolling . The Hokies scored 14 points in both the third and fourth quarters , ending the game on an uncontested 28 – 0 run . Alabama ' s offense was stifled throughout by effective pressure from Tech defensive end Corey Moore , and Tech was able to turn several fumble s and interceptions by the Crimson Tide into points on the scoreboard . The final 38 – 7 Virginia Tech victory was the biggest win in Virginia Tech bowl game history . 2000 Sugar Bowl . In their first trip to a bowl sponsored by the newly formed Bowl Championship Series — which had replaced the Bowl Alliance — the No . 2 Hokies returned to New Orleans to face Bobby Bowden ' s No . 1 1999 Florida State Seminoles football team for the national championship . The Seminoles had narrowly lost the 1999 BCS National Championship Game to the Tennessee Volunteers and were looking to polish off an undefeated season by beating Virginia Tech . The Hokies ' offense starred redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick , who finished the season as the third - place runner - up for the Heisman Trophy . Vick ' s Hokies , who had been favored in every game that year , entered the game as 5 . 5 - point underdogs . The game kicked off on January 4 , 2000 in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans , Louisiana . Florida State jumped out to a quick 28 – 7 lead in the first two quarters of play , but the Hokies closed the lead to a 28 – 14 margin by halftime with a 3 - yard run from Vick . In the second half , Tech made its biggest run of the game as Kicker Shayne Graham kicked a field goal and tailback Andre Kendrick added two rushing touchdowns to give the Hokies their first and only lead — 29 – 28 — with just over three minutes left in the third quarter . But in the end , the Hokies could not contain Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke , who threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and 329 yards in the game . The Seminoles defeated Virginia Tech 46 – 29 . 2001 Gator Bowl . After the Hokies ' participation in the 2000 BCS National Championship Game , the Virginia Tech entered the 2000 - 2001 college football season with high expectations . Until late in the season , those hopes were borne out , and it appeared as if the Hokies would return to the national championship game . After a late - season loss to No . 3 - ranked Miami , however , Tech was knocked out of contention for the national title . Following the conclusion of its 10 – 1 season , No . 6 Tech was selected to participate in the Gator Bowl . Facing the Hokies were the No . 16 Clemson Tigers , who had finished 9 – 2 during the regular season . The 2001 Gator Bowl kicked off on January 1 , 2001 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville , Florida . Early on , Virginia Tech took advantage of Clemson mistakes to build a first - quarter lead . On the game ' s first possession , the Tech defense forced a Clemson punt . Clemson mishandled the kick , and Tech was able to recover the ball at the Clemson 23 - yard line . One play later , Tech was on the board with a touchdown pass from quarterback Michael Vick . By the end of the first quarter , Tech had taken a 14 – 0 lead . Clemson was able to close the gap to 14 – 10 in the second quarter , but Tech added another touchdown before halftime to take a 21 – 10 lead into the second half . In that half , Tech pulled steadily away from the Tigers . Virginia Tech scored 13 points in the third quarter and seven in the fourth quarter , and Clemson never seriously challenged the Hokies , who went on to record a 41 – 20 victory . The game was the final collegiate contest for Tech quarterback Michael Vick , who would go on to be selected as the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft . 2002 Gator Bowl . No . 15 Virginia Tech was selected to play in the 2002 Gator Bowl with an 8 – 3 regular - season record despite having just played in Jacksonville at the end of the previous year . The selection of Virginia Tech over the Syracuse Orangemen ( now just the " Orange " ) despite losing head - to - head and Syracuse having better conference and overall records was controversial . No . 24 Florida State , who had failed to win at least a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference title for the first time since joining the league in 1992 , and who had played in all three BCS National Championship games held to that point , was selected as the opponent . The 2002 Gator Bowl kicked off on January 1 , 2002 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville , Florida , exactly one year since the Hokies had last played in the game . The game ' s early going seemed promising for the defense - minded Hokies . In the first quarter , Tech held Florida State scoreless despite only managing a single field goal on offense . In the third quarter , however , Florida State began to find gaps in the Hokie defense and scored 10 points . At halftime , Florida State held a 10 – 3 lead . In the third quarter , Tech struck back . The Hokies scored 14 points in the quarter , while Florida State managed just a field goal . The Hokies ' All - American tailback Lee Suggs had suffered a season - ending injury in the first game of the season , but freshman Kevin Jones had carried the offense for the season , and continued to perform well in the post - season Gator Bowl game . With a 5 - yard run from Jones and a 55 - yard pass from Grant Noel to André Davis , Tech took a 17 – 13 lead going into the fourth quarter . But the lead quickly evaporated on a 77 - yard catch and run from Chris Rix to Javon Walker . Florida State added ten more points after the long touchdown pass , and the Seminoles went on to win the game , 30 – 17 . 2002 San Francisco Bowl . No . 21 Virginia Tech was selected for the inaugural edition of the San Francisco Bowl after an 9 – 4 record during the 2002 college football season . Facing the Hokies were the Air Force Academy Falcons , who received their bid following an 8 – 4 regular season . The 2002 San Francisco Bowl kicked off on December 31 , 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco , California . The weather was clear and unseasonably warm for San Francisco in late December , but the field was soggy after several days of rain . In the first seven minutes of the game , Air Force scored 10 consecutive points to take an early 10 – 0 lead . The Tech defense eventually clamped down on the Falcons ' offense , however , and only allowed three points for the remainder of the game . The Virginia Tech offense slowly climbed back from the initial 10 - point deficit , scoring a touchdown in the first quarter and a field goal in the second . By halftime , the Hokies had equalized the score at 10 – 10 . In the second half , defense continued to dominate as Tech built a lead . The Hokies scored the only points of a third quarter as running back Lee Suggs ran into the end zone from one yard out , allowing Tech to take a 17 – 10 lead into the fourth quarter . The Falcons didn ' t give up easily , however . Air Force kicker Joey Ashcroft cut into the Tech lead with a 21 - yard field goal . Tech matched the score later in the quarter to restore the one - touchdown lead . As time ran down , Air Force had one final chance to tie the game and send it into overtime . Beginning at its own 18 - yard line with 4 : 11 left to play , the Falcons drove deep into Tech territory . With seven seconds remaining , Air Force quarterback Chance Harridge tried to scramble into the end zone , but was stopped before the goal line by Tech cornerback Ronyell Whitaker . The defensive stop preserved the 20 – 13 Hokie victory , and Tech quarterback Bryan Randall was named the game ' s most valuable player . 2003 Insight Bowl . During the latter half of the 2003 college football season , Virginia Tech struggled . Following an 8 – 4 regular season , that saw the Hokies lose four of its last six regular - season games , Tech accepted a bid to the 2003 Insight Bowl . Facing the Hokies were the California Golden Bears , who had gone 7 – 6 during the regular season , tying for third place in the Pacific - 10 Conference . The 2003 Insight Bowl kicked off on December 26 , 2003 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix , Arizona . From the beginning , it was a quick - paced , high - scoring game . In the first quarter , Virginia Tech jumped out to a 21 – 7 lead courtesy of the Tech passing game , which saw quarterback Bryan Randall eventually throw four touchdowns . In the second quarter , California partially recovered from its 14 - point first - quarter deficit by scoring two touchdowns . Tech , meanwhile , scored another , and took a 28 – 21 lead into halftime . The offensive onslaught continued in the second half , though it was California that took the advantage at first . Bolstered by an improved defensive effort that held the Hokies scoreless throughout the third quarter , California , behind quarterback Aaron Rodgers , scored 21 unanswered points to take a 42 – 28 lead into the fourth quarter . But in that quarter , the Hokies clawed back into competition . Tech scored a touchdown to begin the quarter , but Cal answered right back with one of its own , making the score 49 – 35 . The Hokies then evened the score at 49 – 49 after an 80 - yard drive that took less than two minutes and a punt return by DeAngelo Hall for a touchdown . With time running out , Cal still had a chance to drive for a game - winning score . The post - score Tech kickoff went out of bounds , giving the Bears possession at their 35 - yard line . Cal needed just seven plays to march 47 yards to set up the game - winning field goal . As time expired , kicker Tyler Frederickson kicked a 35 - yard field goal try to give California the 52 – 49 win . 2005 Sugar Bowl . A decade after Virginia Tech ' s selection the 1995 Sugar Bowl and five years after its appearance in a Sugar Bowl game that served as the national championship game , Tech was again selected to play in New Orleans ' annual Sugar Bowl game . The No . 9 Hokies finished the regular season 10 – 2 and won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship their first year in the conference , winning an automatic bid to the game . Facing the Hokies were the No . 3 Auburn Tigers , who had gone 12 – 0 during the regular season . Normally , Auburn ' s undefeated season would have been justification for a spot in the 2005 BCS National Championship Game , but because two other teams had also gone undefeated during the regular season , Auburn , as the No . 3 team in the country , was left out of the National Championship game . The 2005 Sugar Bowl kicked off at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans , Louisiana on January 3 , 2005 . The game ' s early going was marked by defense and field goals . Virginia Tech didn ' t score in the first half , and Auburn managed just three field goals , including one taken inside the Virginia Tech red zone after Auburn failed to score a touchdown from the Tech one - yard line . Tech also had a chance to score a touchdown from inside their opponent ' s one - yard line , but like Auburn , failed to do so . The Hokies elected to try for a touchdown rather than a field goal on fourth down , but were stopped . At halftime , Auburn had a 9 – 0 lead . In the second half , both teams had more offensive success . Auburn scored the game ' s first touchdown four and a half minutes into the third quarter , widening the Tigers ' lead to 16 – 0 . Virginia Tech fought back , driving inside the Auburn 10 - yard line before settling for a field goal attempt . Kicker Brandon Pace missed the 23 - yard field goal try , leaving the score at 16 – 0 . Tech would have other chances , however . With less than seven minutes remaining in the game , Tech scored its first points of the game after a six - play , 78 - yard drive . A 29 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bryan Randall made the score 16 – 6 after a missed two - point conversion . As time ran down , Tech closed the gap even further . With just over two minutes remaining in the game , Randall connected on an 80 - yard pass to wide receiver Josh Morgan for a touchdown . With the score now at 16 – 13 and time running out , Tech elected to attempt an onside kick in hopes of having a chance for a game - winning offensive drive . Auburn recovered the kick , however , and ran out the clock . Auburn won the game , 16 – 13 , and Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell was named the game ' s most valuable player . 2006 Gator Bowl . Virginia Tech was selected as a participant in the 2006 Gator Bowl following a 10 – 2 regular season that included wins over 15th - ranked Georgia Tech and traditional rivals Virginia . A loss to Florida State in the inaugural ACC Championship Game had given Tech a bid to the Gator Bowl instead of the more prestigious Bowl Championship Series - run Orange Bowl game . Facing the 12th - ranked Hokies were the 15th - ranked Louisville Cardinals , who had gone 9 – 2 during their first season in the Big East Conference . Louisville had won its last five games before the Gator Bowl and had participated in the Liberty Bowl during the previous season . The 2006 Gator Bowl was played on January 2 , 2006 at 12 : 30 p . m . EST in Jacksonville , Florida . Louisville led for much of the game , beginning with an 11 - yard touchdown pass in the first quarter by quarterback Hunter Cantwell . Tech was only able to answer with a field goal while Louisville was able to add another touchdown before the end of the quarter . In the second quarter , Virginia Tech fought back and narrowed Louisville ' s lead to a single touchdown . At halftime , the score was 17 – 10 in Louisville ' s favor . In the second half , Virginia Tech ' s offense began to have success . Tech earned the only points of the third quarter — a 28 - yard field goal from kicker Brandon Pace — to narrow Louisville ' s lead to 17 – 13 . In the fourth quarter , however , the game fully turned in the Hokies ' favor . Though Louisville scored a touchdown early in the quarter , the Hokies ' scored 22 unanswered points in the final 13 minutes of the game to take a 35 – 24 lead and earn the win . The Hokie win was marred by excessive penalties and unsportsmanlike conduct that resulted in the ejection of one player . Following the game , Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was released from the team as a result of several incidents of misconduct , including a stomp on Louisville defender Elvis Dumervil ' s leg during the game . 2006 Chick - fil - A Bowl . No . 14 Virginia Tech was invited to the 2006 Chick - fil - A Bowl after a 10 – 2 record during the regular season , being pitted against the Georgia Bulldogs , a tough Southeastern Conference team that finished 8 – 4 during the regular season . Thanks to their better record , various casinos and betting organizations favored Virginia Tech by 2 . 5 – 3 points when setting their point spread . The Hokies lived up to their favored status in the first half , running up a 21 - 3 lead before halftime , thanks in part to a well - executed pass by wide receiver Eddie Royal on a trick play . Royal also performed well during punt and kick returns , putting Virginia Tech in good field position throughout the half . During the second half , however , things began to fall apart for Virginia Tech . Hokie quarterback Sean Glennon threw three interception s and fumble d the ball once , giving Georgia excellent field position and many chances to score . Tech clung to a 21 – 13 lead at the end of the third quarter , but halfway through the fourth quarter , Georgia took a 31 – 21 lead over Virginia Tech . The Hokies closed the gap to 31 – 24 with a late field goal , but Georgia ' s defense held and the Bulldogs clinched the victory . 2008 Orange Bowl . No . 5 Virginia Tech entered the Bowl Championship Series ( BCS ) 2008 Orange Bowl following a successful 11 – 2 season that culminated with a 30 – 16 win over Boston College in the 2007 ACC Championship Game . The game , which was played on January 3 , 2008 , also featured the No . 8 Kansas Jayhawks , who had finished 11 – 1 during the regular season and had been selected via an at - large bid to play in the Orange Bowl . Various betting organizations favored Virginia Tech to win the game by 3½ points . From the beginning of the game , the Hokies struggled on offense and were held scoreless until well into the second quarter . Kansas , however , was able to get on the board several times , jumping to a 17 – 0 lead before Virginia Tech scored its first points . Kansas ' s broke the game open in the first quarter after All - American cornerback Aqib Talib intercepted a pass by backup Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor and returned the ball 60 yards for the game ' s opening points . Early in the second half , Virginia Tech regained much of the game ' s momentum after wide receiver Justin Harper returned a Kansas punt 84 yards for a touchdown , pulling the Hokies within three points . Tech stopped Kansas ' s offense on the subsequent possession and drove down the field , seemingly for the tying score . Kansas defender Joe Mortensen rushed through the Virginia Tech line and blocked the kick , denying the Hokies three points and preserving a 17 – 14 Kansas lead . The two teams traded touchdowns during the fourth quarter , but Virginia Tech was unable to get the go - ahead score it needed . Kansas earned the victory , 24 – 21 , in one of the highest - rated bowl games of the 2007 – 2008 bowl season . 2009 Orange Bowl . No . 19 Virginia Tech earned a bid to the 2009 Orange Bowl via an automatic bid , courtesy of a 30 – 12 victory against Boston College in the 2008 ACC Championship Game that saw the Hokies named champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The game was played on January 1 , 2009 , and also featured the No . 12 Cincinnati Bearcats , champions of the Big East Conference . 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 , and despite their bowl - game inexperience , the Bearcats were favored to win by two and a half points on the eve of the game . Cincinnati gained a 7 – 0 lead in the first quarter , but Virginia Tech scored 10 unanswered points to take a 10 – 7 lead into halftime . In the second half , Virginia Tech extended its lead as its defense kept the Bearcats scoreless . A Tech field goal in the third quarter was followed by a touchdown in the fourth quarter , and the game ended with Virginia Tech on top , 20 – 7 . In recognition of his performance during the game , Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans was named the game ' s most valuable player . Evans 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 . 2009 Chick - Fil - A Bowl . The Virginia Tech Hokies ( 10 - 3 ) , led by redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams and Junior Quarterback Tyrod Taylor , met in Atlanta with the Tennessee Volunteers ( 7 - 6 ) at the Georgia Dome to end their season right where it had begun against Alabama , who would win the National Championship a week later . Williams , who had only moved to number 1 on the depth charts when Darren Evans was injured in the offseason , was looking for 109 yards rushing to pass Kevin Jones ’ school - record of 1 , 647 set in 2003 . In the first quarter , Rashad Carmichael intercepted a pass by Jonathan Crompton leading to a Williams third - down run from the 1 to give the Hokies a 7 - 0 lead . Williams scored again , this time from the 3 , to push the lead to 14 - 0 in the second quarter . Tennessee then took the momentum . Montario Hardesty ran through 301 - pound defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson ’ s tackle for a 4 - yard run to cap an 80 - yard drive . Janzen Jackson ’ s interception set up Crompton ’ s 2 - yard touchdown pass to Moore with 18 seconds remaining in the first half . Instead of running out the clock , Taylor threw from his 33 to Jarrett Boykin , who was stopped inside the Volunteers ’ 5 as the clock apparently expired . Tennessee players left the field but were summoned back and reluctantly returned as a video review showed that Boykin ’ s knee hit the ground with 2 seconds remaining . Matt Waldron kicked a 21 - yard field goal as the first half ran out to give Virginia Tech a 17 - 14 halftime lead . Tyrod Taylor scored in the third quarter with 8 : 32 remaining from the 1 for a 24 - 14 lead one play after Williams broke Jones record with the seventh carry of the drive . Waldron added a 46 - yarder — the longest of his career — to push the lead to 27 - 14 early in the fourth quarter . Tennessee had a chance to get back into the game , but wide - open Denarius Moore dropped a deep pass from Crompton on the Volunteers ’ next drive . Williams sat out the fourth quarter after an apparent left ankle injury . Virginia Tech fans cheered when Williams left the trainer ’ s table and ran on the sideline , but Beamer gave the fourth - quarter carries to Josh Oglesby and David Wilson . Wilson had a 3 - yard touchdown run with 5 : 14 remaining extending the lead to 34 - 14 . Crompton fumbled when sacked by Nekos Brown late in the fourth quarter which John Graves recovered at the Tennessee 13 to set up Matt Waldron ’ s third field goal , a 22 - yarder putting the game out of reach with 2 : 38 remaining . As the clock expired , Virginia Tech players dumped a cooler of water on coach Frank Beamer as the Virginia Tech fans in the sellout crowd of 73 , 777 cheered . Ryan Williams capped a brilliant first season with a record - setting game , running for two touchdowns and 117 yards to become Virginia Tech ’ s single - season rushing leader with 1 , 655 yards . Williams had long runs of 21 and 32 yards in the drive before setting the record on a 6 - yard run to the 3 . Williams also set Atlantic Coast Conference records with 21 rushing touchdowns and 22 total touchdowns this season breaking North Carolina ’ s Don McCauley ACC marks of 19 rushing touchdowns and 21 total in 1970 . Tennessee ’ s star running back , Montario Hardesty , could not keep up with Williams as the Volunteers ’ senior had 18 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown . The Hokies outrushed Tennessee 229 - 5 . Taylor completed 10 of 17 passes for 201 yards with an interception . Crompton completed 15 of 26 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown and an interception . The Hokies , who won the Orange Bowl the previous season , have back - to - back bowl wins for the first time in school history and continued the streak of 10 - win seasons to six . The only team with a longer active streak is Texas with nine . 2011 Orange Bowl . Virginia Tech was selected to participate in the 2011 Orange Bowl after an 11 - 2 regular season that culminated with a 44 - 33 win in the 2010 ACC Championship Game , clinching the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and an automatic BCS bid . Stanford was picked as the other half of the matchup following an 11 - 1 campaign that included the school ' s best - ever regular - season record . That performance earned the Cardinal a No . 4 ranking in the BCS Poll and the automatic bid to a BCS game that accompanies that status . In the weeks before the game , media attention focused on both teams ' turnarounds from historical difficulties and the performance of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck . The game kicked off at 8 : 39 p . m . in warm weather , and Stanford scored first , a touchdown , with its third offensive possession . Virginia Tech briefly took the lead with a defensive score and a touchdown of its own , but Stanford restored a 13 - 12 advantage before halftime . In the second half , Stanford pulled away from Virginia Tech as it scored 13 points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth while holding the Hokies scoreless . In recognition of his performance during the game , Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was named the game ' s most valuable player . He set a Stanford bowl - game record for touchdowns , and threw three of those scores to tight end Coby Fleener , who set a Stanford and Orange Bowl record with 173 receiving yards . Both teams made coaching changes after the game , as Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh left the team to coach the National Football League ' s San Francisco 49ers and Virginia Tech replaced several assistant coaches . 2012 Sugar Bowl . The 2012 Sugar Bowl Game ( known via sponsorship as the Allstate Sugar Bowl ) was the 78th edition of the annual postseason college football bowl game known as the Sugar Bowl . It featured the Michigan Wolverines and the Virginia Tech Hokies on Tuesday , January 3 , 2012 , at the Mercedes - Benz Superdome in New Orleans , Louisiana . The game was the final contest of the 2011 football season for both teams and was the third game of the 2011 – 2012 Bowl Championship Series ( BCS ) . The game ended with 23 – 20 Michigan victory in overtime . Michigan represented the Big Ten Conference ( Big Ten ) as the at - large team from the conference , while Virginia Tech represented the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ) as its at - large team . The game was televised in the United States on ESPN and an estimated 9 . 6 million viewers watched the broadcast live . This was the first Sugar Bowl since 2000 , as well as only the sixth since World War II and the tenth overall , not to feature a Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) team . Michigan was offered a berth after it finished the season with a 10 – 2 record — its highest win total since the 2006 season — that ended with a 40 – 34 win against arch - rival Ohio State . Virginia Tech was offered a berth after it finished its season 11 – 2 , which culminated in a 38 – 10 loss in the 2011 ACC Championship Game to Clemson . Media attention focused on the quality of the bowl selection , as both teams were criticized for not having strong schedules . Attention also focused on how Virginia Tech ' s defense would contain Michigan QB Denard Robinson . The game kicked off at 8 : 32 pm Eastern Standard Time , and Virginia Tech scored first , converting the its first possession into on a field goal . Virginia Tech added another field goal in the second quarter , but Michigan scored a touchdown in the final minute to take a 7 – 6 lead , and then recovered a Virginia Tech fumble on the ensuing kickoff . Michigan kicked a field goal as time expired in the first half to take a 10 – 6 lead . Michigan converted its first possession of the second half into a touchdown to take a 17 – 6 lead , but Virginia Tech added a field goal to narrow the lead to 17 – 9 . In the fourth quarter , Virginia Tech scored a touchdown to narrow Michigan ' s lead to two points , and then converted a two - point conversion to tie the game . Michigan responded with a field goal , but Virginia Tech tied the game with a field goal with two seconds remaining . In overtime , Virginia Tech appeared to score the go - ahead touchdown , but the call on the field was overturned upon video review . On the next play , Virginia Tech missed a crucial field goal . Michigan converted its field goal opportunity to win the game 23 – 20 in overtime . In recognition of his performance , Michigan ' s Junior Hemingway was named the game ' s most valuable player .