1999 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 1999 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the 1999 NCAA Division I-A football season. Virginia Tech competed as a member of the Big East Conference. The Hokies were led by Frank Beamer in his 13th year as head coach. Virginia Tech finished the regular season undefeated but lost in the national championship game to the Florida State Seminoles. Regular season summary. Michael Vick led the Hokies to an 11–0 regular season and to the Bowl Championship Series national title game in the Sugar Bowl against  Florida State. Although Virginia Tech lost 46–29, Vick was able to bring the team back from a 21-point deficit to take a 29–28 lead into the fourth quarter. During the season, Vick appeared on the cover of an "ESPN The Magazine" issue. Vick led the NCAA in passing efficiency that year, setting a record for a freshman (180.4), which was also good enough for the third-highest all-time mark (Colt Brennan holds the record at 185.9 from his 2006 season at Hawaii). Vick was awarded an ESPY Award as the nation's top college player, and won the  first-ever Archie Griffin Award as college football's most valuable player. He was invited to the 1999 Heisman Trophy presentation and finished third in the voting behind Ron Dayne and Joe Hamilton. Vick's third-place finish matched the highest finish ever by a freshman up to that point, first set by Herschel Walker in 1980 (Adrian Peterson later broke that mark, finishing second in 2004). Game summaries. James Madison. Michael Vick ran for three touchdowns in the first 22 minutes of the game, but left due to an injury after he somersaulted into the end zone on the  third score. The freshman had run for 54 yards, and thrown for 110 yards in leading the Hokies to a 21-0 lead that turned into a 47-0 win. Players in the NFL. The following players were drafted into professional football following the season.