Virginia Tech Hokies football The Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the sport of American football . The Hokies compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ) . They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC . Their home games are played at Lane Stadium , which seats over 65 , 000 fans and has been dubbed as the most exciting entrance in college football . Lane Stadium is considered to be one of the loudest stadiums in the country , being voted number one in ESPN ' s " Top 20 Scariest Places to Play " . Also , it was recognized in 2005 by Rivals . com as having the best home - field advantage in the country . With a career record of 240 – 118 – 4 following the 2010 season , head coach Frank Beamer is the winningest active head coach in Division I - FBS . The Hokies currently have the third - longest bowl game streak in the country , having participated in the postseason every year since 1993 . Only Florida State and Florida have longer current streaks . In program history , the Hokies have finished with a Top - 10 ranking six times , won eight conference championships ( one Southern Conference three Big East and four ACC ) , and played once for the national championship , losing to Florida State University 46 – 29 in the 2000 Sugar Bowl . Tech currently holds the nation ' s longest streak of 10 + win seasons at 8 and have a combined record since the 2004 season of 65 - 16 - 0 , 3rd best to only Boise State and LSU . History . Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College ( now Virginia Tech ) first played football on October 21 , 1892 against St . Albans Lutheran Boys School ( Radford , VA ) . The game took place on a plowed off wheat field that was " about as level as a side of Brush Mountain " . The Hokies won their first game 14 - 10 , but were defeated 10 - 0 eight days later on a return trip to Radford . The first several VAMC teams wore cadet gray and black , but in 1896 the colors were changed to Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon – a color combination that was unique among educational institutions at the time . Virginia Tech ' s first post - season bowl appearance was in the 1947 Sun Bowl against the University of Cincinnati . Tech had a 3 - 3 - 3 record that year , and was the third choice after Border Conference champions Hardin - Simmins University and runner - up Texas Tech both declined the bowl invitation . Tech lost that game 18 - 6 . Another first for the Hokies came in 1954 when they had their first , and only , unbeaten season in school history . The team was 8 - 0 - 1 and finished ranked 16th in the Associated Press post - season football poll . The team ' s lone blemish was a 7 - 7 tie against William & Mary in Blacksburg , VA . Despite the team ' s success , it did not appear in a post - season bowl game . Big East years . Virginia Tech joined the Big East Conference for football play in 1991 . The 13th ranked Hokies defeated the 9th ranked Texas Longhorns in the 1995 Sugar Bowl . Virginia Tech ' s most successful football season was in 1999 . The Hokies , led by redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick went 11 – 0 through the regular season . On November 3 , the Hokies came from behind to win over the West Virginia Mountaineers when Vick led a desperate last minute drive that culminated in a dramatic Shayne Graham game winning field goal . The 22 – 20 victory has since become known as the " Miracle in Morgantown . " On January 4 , the Hokies faced the Florida State Seminoles in the 2000 Sugar Bowl for the national championship . A back and forth game , the Hokies trailed 28 – 7 late in the second quarter but came back to take a 29 – 28 lead at the start of the fourth . However they were not able to hold on and the Seminoles won 46 – 29 . The following season the Hokies were again contenders for the national championship , but a loss to # 3 Miami Hurricanes in early November , in a game in which Michael Vick did not play because of an injury , cost them a trip to the Orange Bowl . The Hokies later went on to defeat the Clemson Tigers 41 – 20 in the 2001 Gator Bowl . ACC years . At the start of the 2004 season , the Hokies faced the # 1 and eventual national champion USC Trojans in the BCA Classic played at FedEx Field in Landover , MD . The Hokies kept the game close , but eventually lost 24 – 13 . The regular season ended with the Hokies winning the ACC championship in their first year in the conference and a return to the Sugar Bowl and a match - up with the Auburn Tigers . Auburn , the SEC champion and one of three undefeated teams ( USC and Oklahoma being the other two ) took a 16 – 0 lead into the fourth quarter . Led by senior quarterback Bryan Randall , the Hokies scored 13 points but fell just short of the comeback when the Tigers recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock . The 2005 season saw many ups and downs , but would end in disappointment . Taking over for Bryan Randall was Marcus Vick , younger brother of Tech great Michael . The Hokies started off the season 8 – 0 , including victories over West Virginia and ACC rivals Georgia Tech and Boston College . Going into the tenth week of the season , the Hokies were ranked 3rd in the country behind USC and Texas and would face the 5th ranked Miami Hurricanes at home . In anticipation of the match - up , ESPN ' s College Gameday would broadcast from Blacksburg and the game would be broadcast nationally on ESPN . The Hurricanes controlled the game and limited Marcus Vick to only 90 yards passing to win 27 – 7 . Marcus Vick led the Hokies and went on to win the ACC coastal , but lost in the ACC Championship Game to Florida State . The Hokies again trailed the Seminoles by double digits at halftime , 27 – 3 , but a Vick led comeback brought the score to 27 – 22 with 1 : 45 left in the fourth quarter . The Hokies were unable to recover the onside kick and lost their chance at a BCS Bowl berth . The Hokies closed off the season against the upstart Louisville Cardinals in the 2006 Gator Bowl . Virginia Tech won 35 – 24 , but the game would become infamous for a play that would contribute to Vick ' s expulsion from the team . Late in the first half , with the Hokies trailing 17 – 10 , Vick was tackled by Cardinals defensive end Elvis Dumervil . After the play , Vick stomped on Dumervil ' s leg , apparently out of anger . Four days after the game , Virginia Tech officials learned of two misdemeanor charges of speeding and driving on a suspended or revoked driver ' s license that Vick received on December 17 of the previous year . Vick , who was forced to sit out the 2004 football season by the university due to previous legal incidents in his college career , was dismissed from the team on January 6 , 2006 , with the university citing " a cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play . " . Redshirt sophomore quarterback Sean Glennon was set to take over for Vick in the 2006 season . Although consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College knocked the Hokies out of contention for the ACC Championship Game , the Tech team finished the season strong , winning six in a row and being invited to the 2006 Chick - fil - A Bowl in Atlanta , Georgia . In the annual ACC vs SEC match - up , the Hokies played the Georgia Bulldogs . At halftime the Hokies led 21 – 3 , but four second half Glennon turnovers helped the Bulldogs in coming back and winning 31 – 24 . After the Virginia Tech shootings that stunned the campus and nation , the remainder of Tech ' s spring practice was canceled . The Hokies , led by running back Brandon Ore on offense and linebackers Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi looked to be in contention for a berth in the national Championship . The 2007 home opener against the East Carolina Pirates was the subject of College GameDay , and the Hokies prevailed in an emotional , albeit shaky game 17 – 7 . They then traveled to Baton Rouge , LA to play the LSU Tigers . In a game that saw Glennon replaced by true freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor , the Hokies were completely dominated , only managing 149 total yards against the Tigers ' 598 . Taylor scored the only touchdown of the night after an 8 play , 65 yard drive . Taylor continued to start until an injury removed him from a 43 – 14 blowout of Duke . In a Thursday night match - up with Boston College , Glennon reclaimed his starting position . In a game plagued by rain storms and wet conditions , the Hokies took a 10 – 0 lead late into the fourth quarter . Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan spurred a late Boston College comeback , leading two TD drives in the final five minutes for a 14 – 10 win . Despite the devastating loss , Virginia Tech rebounded to win the remainder of its regular season games and claim the Coastal Division crown . A rematch with Boston College in the ACC Championship Game saw Tech fall behind early , tie the game by halftime , then grind out a tense 30 – 16 win to advance to the Orange Bowl . Championships . Conference championships . Conference Affiliations Bowl games . Virginia Tech has played in 24 bowl games . The Hokies have appeared in several Gator , Peach and Orange Bowl s .