2001 Gator Bowl The 2001 Gator Bowl was a post - season American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Clemson Tigers at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville , Florida on January 1 , 2001 . The game was the final contest of the 2000 NCAA Division I - A football season for both teams , and ended in a 41 – 20 victory for Virginia Tech . Virginia Tech entered the game headed by star quarterback Michael Vick , who led the Hokies to a 10 – 1 regular - season record despite being injured for a part of the season . Clemson entered the game with a regular - season record of 9 – 2 under the command of head coach Tommy Bowden , who was in the second year of his tenure . The contest featured two high - scoring offenses that emphasized different aspects of the game . These aspects were exemplified in the game , which saw Clemson pass for more yards than Virginia Tech , while the Hokies ran for more yards than the Tigers . Virginia Tech jumped out to an early lead and maintained it throughout the game . Vick had a 23 - yard touchdown run on the game ' s opening drive , then helped the Hokies expand their lead to 14 – 0 by the end of the first quarter . The Tigers narrowed Tech ' s lead to 14 – 10 in the second quarter , but the Hokies scored another touchdown before halftime and went into the second half with a 21 – 10 lead . Injuries knocked Clemson ' s two leading running backs out of the game , and starting Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler was removed from the game after he proved ineffective against the Virginia Tech defense . Despite these changes , the Tigers were unable to reduce Virginia Tech ' s lead , which stood at 34 – 13 at the end of the third quarter . A late Clemson touchdown moved the Tigers within two touchdowns , but Virginia Tech answered with a touchdown of its own , making the final score 41 – 20 . In recognition of his performance in leading his team to a victory , Vick was named the game ' s most valuable player . It was his final collegiate game , and four months after the Gator Bowl , he was selected with the first overall selection in the 2001 NFL Draft . A handful of other players who participated in the Gator Bowl also were selected in the draft . Team selection . For the 2000 – 2001 college football season , the Gator Bowl had the right to select the No . 2 bowl - eligible team from both the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ) and the Big East Conference . The bowl game ' s administrators also had a contract to include Notre Dame if that school met certain entry requirements . The conference champions of the ACC and Big East were guaranteed a spot in a Bowl Championship Series game , and there also was the possibility of an at - large BCS selection for any team in each conference if it finished high enough in the BCS Poll but did not win the conference championship . Virginia Tech . During the 1999 – 2000 college football season , Virginia Tech went undefeated during the regular season but lost to Florida State in the 2000 BCS National Championship Game . In the offseason following the championship - game loss , Tech fans and pundits anticipated a possible repeat of the Hokies ' undefeated regular season and national championship run . In the annual preseason poll of media members covering Big East Conference football , Virginia Tech was picked to finish second ; Tech received nine first - place votes to Miami ' s 15 . In the preseason Associated Press college football poll , Virginia Tech was 11th . When games for the 2001 college football season were scheduled , Virginia Tech was picked to host the annual Black Coaches & Administrators Classic , the opening game of the national Division I - A season . Georgia Tech was picked as the opponent , but on the day of the game , severe lightning storms hit the Blacksburg , Virginia area . ESPN commentator Lee Corso ' s rental car was struck by lightning , and the game was postponed due to severe weather . It was never rescheduled and eventually was canceled . After the BCA Classic was canceled , Virginia Tech opened the regular season with a 52 – 23 blowout win over Akron . This was followed by a 45 – 28 win over East Carolina and a 49 – 0 shutout of Rutgers . The three wins typified the early part of Virginia Tech ' s schedule , which also featured wins against Boston College , Temple , West Virginia , Syracuse , and Pittsburgh . By virtue of winning its first eight games of the season , Tech rose to a No . 2 national ranking prior to facing No . 3 Miami on November 4 . Virginia Tech star quarterback Michael Vick suffered a severely sprained ankle in the game against Pittsburgh , and strong - performing wide receiver Andre Davis was temporarily crippled by bursitis in his left foot . Despite these injuries , commentators predicted a high - scoring game that was sometimes referred to as " the Big East ' s game of the year " . It was predicted that the winner likely would be a shoo - in for that year ' s national championship game . With Vick injured , backup quarterback Dave Meyer started the game for the Hokies , who fell behind 14 – 0 in the first quarter . In desperation , Vick tried to play despite his injury , but he participated in only 19 plays before leaving the game for good . Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey threw three long touchdown passes , and Miami won the game , 41 – 21 . The loss knocked Tech out of contention for the national championship and the conference championship , since Miami was a fellow member of the Big East . The Hokies also fell to No . 8 in the AP Poll during the week after the game . In that week , they rebounded by beating the University of Central Florida , 44 – 21 . Ranked No . 6 after the win , Tech defeated in - state rival Virginia , 42 – 21 , in the annual battle for the Commonwealth Cup . Though the loss to Miami knocked the Hokies out of contention for the Big East championship and its accompanying automatic BCS bid , there was the possibility that Tech could receive an at - large BCS game bid if it scored high enough in the final BCS poll and the administrators of a BCS game wanted to invite the Hokies . Tech was considered a long shot due to the availability of Oregon State and Notre Dame , two teams with large followings that would attract greater television revenue and ticket sales . Gator Bowl officials made plans based on different possibilities . If Virginia Tech was selected for a BCS bowl but Notre Dame was not , the Fighting Irish would play in the Gator Bowl . If both were selected , Big East No . 3 Pittsburgh would be given the nod for the Gator Bowl . On December 3 , the BCS selections were announced : The Fiesta Bowl selected No . 5 Oregon State and No . 10 Notre Dame instead of No . 6 Virginia Tech . This left the Hokies available for the Gator Bowl , which picked them on the next day . Clemson . The Clemson Tigers entered the 2000 – 2001 college football season after a 6 – 6 season in 1999 under first - year head coach Tommy Bowden . Fans and college football analysts predicted Bowden would continue Clemson ' s resurgence from a 3 – 8 season during the year before Bowden was hired . Some pointed to Bowden ' s undefeated season in the second year after assuming the head coaching job at Tulane University as a sign of what to expect from Clemson . Most analysts , however , anticipated a more moderate improvement over the previous year . In the annual preseason poll of media who covered Atlantic Coast Conference football , Clemson tied for second with Georgia Tech . Both teams were far behind perennial favorite Florida State , however . Nationally , Clemson debuted at No . 17 in the preseason AP Poll and No . 20 in the preseason coaches ' poll . The Tigers opened their season against Division I - AA opponent The Citadel , whom they beat handily , 38 – 0 . That victory was followed by two blowout wins : 62 – 9 against Missouri and 55 – 7 against ACC opponent Wake Forest . Those three games were typical of Clemson ' s first eight , which the Tigers won in succession . After the win against Wake Forest , Clemson beat Virginia , Duke , North Carolina State , Maryland , and North Carolina . In the final win of that streak , starting quarterback Woodrow Dantzler was replaced by backup Willie Simmons in the second quarter due to an injury to Dantzler . With an 8 – 0 record and a No . 5 national ranking , Clemson hosted Georgia Tech . In the game , the Yellow Jackets posted a school - record offensive effort in an upset victory over the Tigers . Clemson took a 28 – 24 lead with 1 : 52 remaining in the game , but the Yellow Jackets drove 80 yards in 11 plays before ending with a one - handed catch for a touchdown , giving Clemson its first loss of the season . The defeat eliminated the Tigers from national championship contention , but they still had a chance to win the conference championship if they defeated Florida State the following week . The Florida State Seminoles are coached by Bobby Bowden , father of Tommy Bowden . Their 2001 matchup marked only the second time that a father and son had faced each other as opposing head football coaches . The only other meeting had been the previous year , when Tommy lost by three points to his father . In the 2001 meeting , No . 4 Florida State dominated No . 10 Clemson from the start of the game . In an effort to impress BCS voters , Florida State ran up the score and the game ended with the Seminoles on top , 52 – 7 . The Seminoles ' win gave them the ACC football championship and dropped Clemson to a No . 16 ranking . With its spot as the No . 2 ACC team assured , Clemson accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl on November 14 , prior to its annual in - state rivalry game against South Carolina . In that game , South Carolina took a one - point lead with 59 seconds remaining , but Clemson drove the length of the field and kicked a field goal as time expired , giving the Tigers a 16 – 14 win to end the regular season . Pregame buildup . In the weeks before the Gator Bowl , media and fan attention focused on Virginia Tech ' s possible disappointment at not being selected for a BCS game , the coaching situations at the two schools , and the issue of whether or not Tech quarterback Michael Vick would return for another year of collegiate football . After the Virginia Tech - Clemson matchup was announced for the Gator Bowl , spread bettors favored Virginia Tech to win by 6 . 5 points . The betting line remained there throughout the month of December and until the game began . There were almost no off - field incidents involving players from either team : The only notable event involved two backup players from Clemson who were indicted for money counterfeiting and were suspended for the Gator Bowl . In exchange for appearing in the game , the teams were guaranteed to split a payout of $ 3 , 313 , 610 . Virginia Tech disappointment . Immediately after the Fiesta Bowl bypassed Virginia Tech in favor of lower - ranked Notre Dame , protests from Tech fans and opponents of the BCS system erupted . Some said the selection was " unfair " , that Virginia Tech was " hosed " , or that the pick of Notre Dame was a " snub " of the Hokies . In an interview immediately after the selection , Vick said the Gator Bowl bid provided motivation to win the Gator Bowl . " We ' re going to go out there and make a statement , play a great game and show the nation , " he said . Clemson , on the other hand , was enthusiastic about the Gator Bowl bid . A win in the game would have given the Tigers their first 10 - win season since 1990 , and the Gator Bowl appearance marked a continued improvement over its showing the previous year . Clemson players viewed the game as a reward for a successful season , while Virginia Tech players perceived it from a more workmanlike point of view . Due to revenue - sharing agreements among Big East schools , Virginia Tech ' s selection by the Gator Bowl resulted in a payment of $ 1 . 7 million less than if it had been selected by a BCS bowl game . Instead of receiving about $ 3 . 5 million from the revenue agreement and bowl payout , Tech received about $ 1 . 8 million . Coaching changes . Both Virginia Tech and Clemson endured questions about their coaching staffs in the weeks and months prior to the Gator Bowl . Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer was interviewed by North Carolina prior to the end of the regular season , and he debated whether or not to accept that school ' s head football coaching job . On November 27 , one week before Tech ' s selection by the Gator Bowl , Beamer announced that he would not be departing for North Carolina or any other school . Beamer also was considered for the vacant head - coaching position with the NFL ' s Washington Redskins , but he also declined that position . Other Virginia Tech football coaches were targeted by teams to fill vacant head - coaching positions . Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle was interviewed for a job at Toledo , but he declined the position . Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster was interviewed for the head - coaching job at Virginia , but he likewise declined the job . Tech ' s situation was not reflected at Clemson , where offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez announced that he was leaving the team for the head football coach job at West Virginia University , where he competed as a player in the 1980s . Rodriguez did not participate in Clemson ' s practices prior to the Gator Bowl , and he did not coach during the game . Replacing Rodriguez as temporary offensive coordinator was Brad Scott . Joining him in the press box during the Gator Bowl was Mike O ' Cain , who was hired as Clemson ' s new quarterbacks coach . In an effort to prevent further defections , Clemson awarded head coach Tommy Bowden a seven - year contract extension worth $ 1 . 1 million annually plus incentives . Michael Vick debate . Throughout the regular season , a constant question hanging over the Virginia Tech Hokies football team was whether or not star quarterback Michael Vick would return for another year at the school . The National Football League requires that players be at least three years out of high school before they are eligible for the NFL Draft . Vick , who had not played during his freshman year at the school , would be three years out of high school in the spring following the Gator Bowl . Vick attempted to defuse the discussion when he announced on December 15 that he would be returning for his fourth year with the team . But in late December , Vick wavered on that decision when it became clear that if he left the team , he would be selected as the No . 1 overall pick in the draft . Heading into the Gator Bowl , his decision was still up in the air . Clemson offense . During the regular season , Clemson was No . 10 in rushing yards , averaging 236 . 4 per game . Its passing offense was somewhat weaker , ranked No . 63 and averaging 210 . 1 yards per game . In total , however , Clemson ' s offense ranked No . 10 when the two amounts were added together . In scoring offense , the Tigers averaged 36 . 0 points per game , good enough for No . 14 in the country in that category . < ref name = " CNN / SI stat comparison " > CNN / SI . " Comparing 2000 Team Stats : Gator - Clemson vs . Virginia Tech " , sportsillustrated . cnn . com . Accessed June 20 , 2009 . < / ref > Clemson ' s offense was led by quarterback Woodrow Dantzler , who finished the regular season having completed 58 percent of his passes for 1 , 691 yards , 10 touchdowns , and six interceptions . He also ran the ball extremely successfully , gaining 947 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground . In the running game , Dantzler had the second - most yards on the team . No . 1 was running back Travis Zachery , who ran 201 times for 1 , 012 yards and 13 touchdowns . Zachery also was one of Dantzler ' s favorite passing targets . He caught 27 passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season . Wide receivers Rod Gardner and Jackie Robinson were the No . 1 and No . 3 recipients , respectively , of Dantzler ' s passes . Gardner caught 51 passes for 956 yards and six touchdowns . Robinson , unrelated to the baseball player of the same name , caught 24 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns . Virginia Tech offense . Virginia Tech ' s offense was No . 5 nationally in rushing yards , averaging 270 . 5 per game . Their passing offense was abysmal , however . The Hokies were ranked No . 100 in that category after averaging 155 . 9 yards per game during the regular season . Combined , Tech was ranked No . 20 in total offense . In scoring offense , they found success comparable to their rushing game . After averaging 40 . 3 points per game , they were ranked No . 5 . Virginia Tech ' s offense was led by quarterback Michael Vick , who carried the ball 104 times for 617 yards and eight touchdowns despite an ankle injury that limited his mobility in the final six games of the regular season . Tech also had two successful running backs : Lee Suggs and Andre Kendrick . Suggs had 222 carries for 1 , 207 yards and 27 touchdowns during the regular season , while Kendrick had 102 rushes for 547 yards and three touchdowns . Suggs was the No . 1 rusher in the Big East in terms of touchdowns and rushing yards . In recognition of his accomplishments , he was given the Dudley Award , which recognizes the top college football player in Virginia . One of Vick ' s favorite targets in the limited Tech passing attack was wide receiver Andre Davis , who caught 24 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns . Davis was limited by the fact that he played in only nine of Tech ' s 11 games , but he still finished as the Hokies ' No . 2 receiver in terms of yardage . Tech ' s No . 1 receiver was Emmett Johnson , who caught 34 passes for 574 yards and three touchdowns . Clemson defense . Clemson ' s defense was strongest against the rush . During the regular season , the Tigers allowed an average of 101 . 8 yards per game on the ground , good enough for No . 18 nationally . Their passing defense was not nearly as successful . On average , the Tigers allowed 238 . 6 yards per game through the air , making their pass defense the 97th best in division I - A football during the regular season . With both categories combined , the defense was ranked No . 37 . In terms of points allowed , rather than yardage , the Tigers were ranked No . 23 after giving up an average of 19 . 3 yards per game . Linebacker Chad Carson was the team ' s defensive leader . He had 146 tackles ( the most on the team ) , two pass breakups , and one forced fumble during the regular season . Fellow linebacker Keith Adams was No . 2 on the team in tackles with 138 , including five sacks . He also had one interception , three forced fumbles , and three pass breakups . In pass defense , the Tigers ' highest achiever was cornerback Alex Ardley , who led the team in interceptions with five . He also had seven pass breakups . One notable absence from the Tigers ' defense during the Gator Bowl was defensive end Nick Eason , who led the team in sacks but suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a mid - December practice . Backup defensive end Marcus Lewis also missed the game due to injury . He tore an anterior cruciate ligament in a pregame practice . Virginia Tech defense . Virginia Tech ' s defense likewise was more successful against opponents ' rushing offense than their passing attack . Tech permitted an average of 99 . 3 yards per game on the ground ( 16th ) , but allowed 224 . 4 yards per game through the air ( 79th ) . In total , Tech was ranked the No . 27 defense in the country — slightly better than Clemson . In scoring defense , the Hokies allowed 22 . 6 points per game on average , good enough for No . 45 . In this category , they were worse than the Tigers . Linebacker Ben Taylor was the Hokies ' defensive leader . He was No . 1 on the team in tackles with 103 . That figure included 1 . 5 sacks . He also had two interceptions , five pass breakups , and one forced fumble . Fellow linebacker Jake Houseright was the team ' s No . 2 tackler . He had 75 , including five tackles for loss . He also had five pass breakups and recovered one fumble . Free safety Willie Pile , who was in his first year as a starter on the defense , was Tech ' s leading performer in pass coverage . He had six interceptions — the most on the team — broke up 10 passes , forced one fumble , and recovered one fumble . Game summary . The 2001 Gator Bowl kicked off on January 1 , 2001 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville , Florida . At kickoff , the weather was partly cloudy at degrees , with 41 percent humidity and a wind from the northwest . Virginia Tech won the traditional pregame coin toss to determine first possession and elected to kick off to Clemson to begin the game . First quarter . Clemson fielded the opening kickoff at the two - yard line and returned it to their 25 - yard line , where the Tigers ' offense performed the game ' s first offensive play , a one - yard scramble by Dantzler . A subsequent running play and an incomplete pass caused Clemson to go three - and - out before punting . Clemson punter Jamie Somaini mishandled the ball , however , and Virginia Tech ' s defense tackled him at the Tigers ' 23 - yard line . On Tech ' s first play after the turnover , quarterback Michael Vick completed a 23 - yard pass to Jared Ferguson for a touchdown . The extra point kick by Carter Warley was successful , and Virginia Tech had a 7 – 0 lead with 13 : 23 remaining in the first quarter . Virginia Tech ' s post - touchdown kickoff was downed at the Clemson 26 - yard line , where the Tigers began their second offensive possession . It began no better than the first , as Dantzler was tackled for a three - yard loss by defensive tackle Lamar Cobb . A rush for no gain and a short pass forced Clemson to again punt before gaining a first down . Somaini ' s second punt was kicked cleanly , and the Hokies returned the punt to their 42 - yard line . Two rushes and a pass to the 50 - yard line were not enough for a first down , and Tech punted to the Clemson 17 - yard line . The Tigers ' third possession didn ' t produce anything more than their first two possessions did . A running play was stopped for no gain , Dantzler was sacked for a loss of three yards by David Pugh , and a scramble by Dantzler gained only four yards . Clemson ' s punt was downed at the Tech 41 - yard line , and the Hokies had another chance on offense . On the first play of the drive , Vick scrambled for a nine - yard gain . On the next play , Tech gained a first down on a run by backup running back Andre Kendrick to the Clemson 46 - yard line . After an incomplete pass , Vick completed a six - yard toss to Kendrick . A five - yard offsides penalty gave Tech a first down at the Clemson 35 - yard line , then Vick completed a six - yard throw to wide receiver Emmett Johnson . This was followed by Vick scrambling for a first down at the Clemson 19 - yard line . A reverse run by Johnson picked up five yards , then a run up the middle gained a first down at the Clemson nine - yard line . Two rushes by Kendrick failed to reach the five - yard line , then Vick ran six yards for Tech ' s second touchdown of the game . The extra point was good , and Tech extended its lead to 14 – 0 with 1 : 08 remaining in the quarter . Virginia Tech ' s kickoff was returned to the Clemson 26 - yard line , and the drive began with an incomplete pass from Dantzler . After that , the Tigers gained their first down of the game with a pass from Dantzler to wide receiver Rod Gardner at the 38 - yard line . A run by Dantzler gained three yards , then Zachery gained five more with a run to the left side . Zachery ' s run ran the final seconds off the clock in the first quarter , which ended with Virginia Tech leading , 14 – 0 . Second quarter . The second quarter began with Clemson in possession of the ball and facing third and two at its 46 - yard line . The Tigers gained a first down with the first play of the quarter , a four - yard rush by Zachery . From midfield , Dantzler threw an incomplete pass then ran for no gain . On third down , Dantzler completed a long pass to Justin Watts , who gained a first down at the Tech 23 - yard line . On the next play , Dantzler completed a pass to Zachery , who ran into the end zone for Clemson ' s first points of the game . During the play , Zachery broke his foot and was kept out of the rest of the game . The extra point was good , and the Tigers narrowed Tech ' s lead to 14 – 7 with 13 : 34 remaining in the first half . Clemson ' s post - touchdown kickoff was bobbled by kick returner Andre Kendrick at the Tech one - yard line , but Kendrick broke free of the Clemson defense for a 34 - yard return to the 35 - yard line . Tech ' s first play after the return was an 11 - yard run by Lee Suggs up the right side of the field . After the first down , Suggs ran straight ahead for a short gain , then Vick scrambled to the Clemson 37 - yard line and another first down . Suggs then gained 18 yards on a run to the left side of the field . At the Clemson 19 - yard line , Suggs was stopped for a loss of one yard , then Vick was sacked for a loss of five yards . The third - down play was an incomplete pass , and Carter Warley entered the game to attempt a 42 - yard field goal . The kick bounced off the field goal crossbar but did not cross it , thus denying the Hokies three points . With 10 : 33 remaining in the half , Tech still had a 14 – 7 lead . Following the missed field goal , Clemson ' s offense started at its 25 - yard line . On the first play of the drive , Dantzler completed a pass to wide receiver Rod Gardner , who ran for 25 yards and a first down at the 50 - yard line . A nine - yard shovel pass play was followed by a run up the middle for a first down at the Tech 37 - yard line . Dantzler completed an eight - yard pass , then a running play was stopped short of the first - down marker . On third down , Dantzler faked a quarterback sneak in order to attempt a long pass downfield . Dantzler was unable to pass , however , and was sacked for a four - yard loss . Rather than attempt a field goal or punt the ball , Clemson coach Tommy Bowden had his team attempt to gain a first down . Dantzler scrambled forward , but didn ' t gain the five yards needed . The Tigers thus turned the ball over on downs at the Tech 28 - yard line . Tech began its drive with an incomplete pass , which was followed by a short run . On third down , Vick prepared to throw the ball , but he was hit by Clemson defender Keith Adams and fumbled the ball . Fellow Clemson defender Terry Jolly recovered the loose football and returned it to the Tech 14 - yard line before he was tackled . Following the turnover , Dantzler was stopped on a short run then threw two incomplete passes . Rather than again attempt to convert a fourth down , Bowden sent in kicker Aaron Hunt to attempt a 28 - yard field goal . The kick soared through the uprights , and Clemson narrowed Virginia Tech ' s lead to 14 – 10 with 5 : 45 remaining in the quarter . Kendrick returned Clemson ' s post - score kickoff to the Tech 23 - yard line . A two - yard run by Suggs was followed by a pass to Davis at the Tech 39 - yard line for a first down . Two running plays set up third down and two , then Vick completed a 50 - yard pass to Kendrick , who picked up a first down at the Clemson four - yard line . From there , it took Suggs two rushes to pass the goal line for Virginia Tech ' s third touchdown of the game . The extra point was good , and Tech extended its lead to 21 – 10 with 2 : 26 before halftime . Tech ' s post - touchdown kickoff bounced to the Clemson two - yard line before it was returned to the Clemson 12 - yard line . An incomplete pass on first down was followed by a first - down pass to Gardner at the 22 - yard line . Dantzler then completed a pass to Watts at the 34 - yard line for another first down . After an incomplete pass , Dantzler scrambled for a first down at the Clemson 47 - yard line , where he completed a 17 - yard pass to Robinson as time ticked below one minute remaining . From the Tech 36 - yard line , Dantzler completed a pass to Gardner at the Tech 29 - yard line . After a time out with 33 seconds remaining , Dantzler threw an incomplete pass . This was followed by another incomplete pass , and Clemson converted the first down with a pass to the Tech 24 - yard line . An incomplete pass on first down was followed by another on second down . Following the play , there was only eight seconds left on the clock , and coach Bowden ordered Hunt into the game to attempt a 41 - yard field goal . The kick was short and to the right , and Clemson turned the ball over with two seconds remaining . Vick took a knee to run the final seconds off the clock , and Virginia Tech entered halftime with a 21 – 10 lead . Third quarter . Because Clemson received the ball to begin the game , Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the second half . Kendrick received the kickoff at the Tech goal line and returned it to the 20 - yard line , where the Hokies started the first possession of the second half . On the first play , Virginia Tech committed a 10 - yard holding penalty . Suggs gained five yards with a run up the middle , then Vick completed a pass to tight end Browning Wynn at the 28 - yard line . On third down , the Hokies were stopped short of the first down marker and punted for only the second time in the game . During the kick , Clemson committed a 15 - yard roughing the kicker penalty . The penalty allowed the Hokies to retain the football and gave them a first down at their 44 - yard line . On the first play after the penalty , Vick completed a 55 - yard pass to Davis at the Clemson one - yard line . After the pass , Suggs ran straight ahead for his second touchdown of the game . The extra point was missed by Warley , but Tech still extended its lead to 27 – 10 with 12 : 19 remaining in the quarter . Virginia Tech ' s kickoff was recovered and Clemson ' s kick returner ran out of bounds at the Tigers ' 12 - yard line . Dantzler scrambled for two yards , but Virginia Tech linebacker Jake Houseright was injured during the play and left the game . After a delay while the injured Houseright was helped off the field , Dantzler scrambled for six yards . Bernard Rambert gained a first down with a two - yard run , then he gained five yards on a run up the middle . Dantzler followed the gain with a 13 - yard run of his own and a first down at the Clemson 40 - yard line . Rambert caught a five - yard pass from Dantzler , then he ran for one yard up the left side of the field . During the play , Rambert was injured and had to be helped off the field . He was replaced by third - string freshman running back Keith Kelly . Dantzler threw an incomplete pass on third down , then Somaini punted the ball to Virginia Tech . The kick bounced off the chest of the Virginia Tech kick returner , and the loose ball was scooped up by Robert Carswell of Clemson . Following the turnover , Clemson ' s offense had a first down at the Tech 20 - yard line with 8 : 44 remaining in the quarter . Kelly gained one yard on first down , then Dantzler picked up 11 yards and a first down on a run up the middle of the field . An incomplete pass was followed by a run for no gain and another incomplete pass . Facing fourth and goal at the eight - yard line , Bowden sent in his field - goal kicker . After the Tigers called a time out , Hunt completed a 27 - yard field goal attempt and cut Virginia Tech ' s lead to 27 – 13 with 7 : 19 remaining in the quarter . Clemson ' s post - score kickoff was fielded at the five - yard line by Kendrick and returned to the Tech 25 - yard line . The first play of the drive was an option run with Vick and Kendrick , who broke free of the Clemson defense for a 45 - yard run and a first down at the Clemson 29 - yard line . Two short rushes were followed by a pass to fullback Cullen Hawkins at the 10 - yard line for a first down . Clemson committed a five - yard offsides penalty , then Ferguson ran straight ahead for a touchdown . The extra point kick was good , and Tech took a 34 – 13 lead with 5 : 14 left in the quarter . The post - touchdown kickoff was returned to the Clemson 30 - yard line , where it was fumbled . The loose football jetted forward and was recovered by a Clemson player at the 34 - yard line , where the Tigers ' offense began another drive . The first play of the possession was a nine - yard pass from Dantzler to Kelly , and it was followed by a shovel pass to Kelly , who gained a first down at the Tech 47 - yard line . From there , Kantzler ran straight ahead for 27 yards and a first down at the Tech 20 - yard line . After two incomplete passes , Clemson completed a five - yard false - start penalty . A one - yard run by Dantzler was followed by an unsuccessful fourth - down conversion attempt . Dantzler attempted a pass downfield , but the ball was intercepted by Ronyell Whitaker , who returned the ball to the Tech 32 - yard line . In possession of the ball and a large lead , Virginia Tech proceeded to start running out the clock by executing running plays , which do not halt the game clock at their conclusion as do incomplete passing plays . Suggs gained nine yards on a run up the middle , then Ferguson was tackled for a loss after an incomplete pass by Vick . Tech punted , and the ball was downed at the 26 - yard line . Following the punt , Clemson put backup quarterback Willie Simmons into the game . On his first play , Simmons was sacked by Jim Davis for a five - yard loss . The second play was a repeat of the first , as Davis again sacked Simmons , this time for an 11 - yard loss . On third down , Simmons threw an incomplete pass , and Clemson punted after going three and out . The kick bounced out of bounds at the Clemson 44 - yard line , and Virginia Tech ' s offense returned to the field . On the first play , Vick attempted a pass into the end zone . The throw was intercepted by Clemson defender Robert Carswell , who downed the ball in the end zone for a touchback . The interception was the final play of the third quarter , which ended with Virginia Tech in the lead , 34 – 13 . Fourth quarter . The fourth quarter began with Clemson in possession of the ball and starting a drive at its 20 - yard line following a touchback . On the first play of the drive , Simmons threw an interception to Virginia Tech defender Willie Pile at the 50 - yard line . Following the turnover , the Hokies continued running out the clock with rushing plays up the middle of the field . A short gain by Suggs was followed by a five - yard offsides penalty against Clemson , which advanced the Hokies to the Clemson 45 - yard line . Ferguson then gained a first down on a run to the 32 - yard line . On first down , Vick was slightly injured after attempting to pitch the ball forward . He left the game and was replaced by backup quarterback Dave Meyer . Tech advanced the ball on short runs , setting up fourth down and seven . Tech coach Frank Beamer called a time out , allowing Vick to re - enter the game . The fourth - down play was an incomplete pass , and Tech turned the ball over on downs with 11 : 49 remaining in the game . Following the turnover , Clemson received the ball at its 28 - yard line . Simmons ran the ball straight ahead for an eight - yard gain , gained one yard on a run , then Kelly ran for a first down at the 40 - yard line . On first down , Simmons completed an 18 - yard pass to Gardner at the Tech 42 - yard line . Simmons then completed a six - yard pass before throwing a shovel pass to Kelly for a first down at the Tech 32 - yard line . An incomplete pass was followed by six - yard toss and a pass to Watts at the 12 - yard line . Simmons ran out of bounds for a two - yard loss , then completed a touchdown pass to Gardner . The extra point kick was good , and Clemson closed Virginia Tech ' s lead to 34 – 20 with 7 : 19 remaining . With limited time remaining , Clemson attempted an onside kick in an effort to retain possession and have a chance to make up some of the scoring deficit . The kick was recovered by Virginia Tech , however , and the Vick - led Tech offense returned to the field at the Clemson 44 - yard line . Suggs was stopped for no gain on a run up the middle , Vick threw an incomplete pass , then he completed a 14 - yard pass to Wynn for a first down at the Clemson 30 - yard line . After the first down , Ferguson gained a few yards on a run up the middle , then Suggs advanced the ball to just short of the first - down marker . On third down , Suggs gained the first down with a run up the middle . Following the first down , Clemson defender Alex Ardley was called for a personal foul and ejected from the game . The penalty gave Virginia Tech a first down at the Clemson 10 - yard line . From there , Clemson was called for a five - yard offsides penalty . On the first play after the consecutive penalties , Vick pitched the ball to Suggs , who ran into the end zone untouched . The extra point kick was good , and Virginia Tech extended its lead to 41 – 20 with 3 : 41 remaining in the game . Virginia Tech ' s post - touchdown kickoff was returned to the 23 - yard line , and Clemson went three and out after Simmons threw three incomplete passes . The Tigers ' punt was returned to the Tech 30 - yard line , and the Hokies began another possession . Vick was again replaced by Meyer at the quarterback position , and running back Dwayne Ward ran up the middle of the field for a short gain . Third - string running back Keith Burnell gained more yardage with a run up the middle , then Ward picked up a first down with a run up the left side of the field . During the play , Tech committed a 10 - yard penalty , but the resulting yardage was still enough for a first down . Tech proceeded to run out the remaining seconds on the clock , and the Virginia Tech Hokies earned a 41 – 20 victory . Statistical summary . In recognition of his success in leading the Hokies to a bowl game win , Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick was named the most valuable player of the winning team . Vick finished the game having completed 10 of 18 passes for 205 yards , one touchdown , and one interception . Vick also ran the ball nine times for a gain of 21 yards and a touchdown . He was sacked twice , resulting in a loss of two yards . On the opposite side of the ball , Clemson wide receiver Rod Gardner was named the MVP of the losing team . He caught seven passes for 94 yards and a touchdown during the game . Virginia Tech outgained Clemson on the ground by a nearly 3 : 1 margin . Tech running back Lee Suggs carried the ball 20 times for 73 yards and three touchdowns . At the time , Suggs ' three touchdowns were a Virginia Tech bowl game record and tied the Gator Bowl record for most touchdowns by a player . Fellow running backs Andre Kendrick and Jarrett Ferguson gained 52 yards and 26 yards , respectively . Suggs ' scores and the two by Ferguson also marked the first time the Hokies had two players with two or more touchdowns in a bowl game . On the other side of the ball , Clemson ' s 44 pass attempts and 21 pass completions were the most allowed by Virginia Tech in any bowl game to that point . The Tigers outgained Virginia Tech through the air by almost 40 yards , and Clemson ' s two quarterbacks performed consistently throughout the game . Dantzler completed 15 of 32 passes for one touchdown and 180 yards , while Simmons completed six of 12 passes for 63 yards , one touchdown , and two interceptions . On the ground , Dantzler led all rushers with 18 carries for 81 yards . Clemson ' s No . 2 rusher was Zachery , who had five carries for 15 yards . Defensively , Virginia Tech intercepted two Clemson passes and sacked Clemson quarterbacks six times for a loss of 28 yards . The Tech defense held Clemson without a first down and to - 2 yards of total offense until less than two minutes were left in the first quarter . Clemson ' s defense sacked Vick twice for a total loss of two yards . Postgame effects . Virginia Tech ' s win brought it to a final record of 11 – 1 , while Clemson ' s loss lowered it to a final record of 9 – 3 . Despite the Hokies ' win , they did not advance in either the Associated Press or Coaches ' polls . Tech ended the year ranked No . 6 in both polls and No . 5 in the BCS . Clemson also remained relatively stationary in the polls . The Tigers remained at No . 16 in the Associated Press poll and dropped from No . 13 to No . 14 in the Coaches ' Poll . The victory was the first in three bowl trips for the Hokies . The loss was Clemson ' s fifth straight in a bowl game and fourth in eight trips to the Gator Bowl at that point . Michael Vick . Immediately after the conclusion of the Gator Bowl , Vick was asked by an NBC broadcaster if he intended to return to Virginia Tech for another year of collegiate football . He responded that he would discuss matters with his family and Tech head coach Frank Beamer before making a decision . That announcement sparked a fresh round of speculation from sports pundits and fans wondering if Vick would choose to return to school or enter the 2001 NFL Draft . Virginia Tech , through its football coaching staff , began an intensive lobbying campaign in an effort to convince Vick to stay . On January 11 , 2001 , Vick held a press conference to announce that he would be forgoing his final two years of collegiate eligibility to enter the NFL Draft . Immediately after the announcement , he was predicted to be the No . 1 pick in the draft , a hypothesis realized on April 21 , when he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons , who had traded draft picks in order to have the right to select Vick . 2001 NFL Draft . Vick was not the only player for whom the 2001 Gator Bowl was the final collegiate contest . Virginia Tech had two other players selected in the draft , and Clemson had three . From the Hokies , defensive back Cory Bird was selected with the 91st pick and center Matt Lehr was taken with the 137th selection . Clemson ' s first NFL draft selection was wide receiver Rod Gardner , who was taken 15th . Also picked was defensive back Robert Carswell ( 244th ) .