2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer
.
Virginia Tech began the season ranked #7 in the USA Today
Coaches Poll and #8 in the Associated Press Poll after going 10-3 (7-1 ACC) in 2004
and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference
title.
The 2005 Hokies compiled a 11-2 overall record, including a 7-1 mark during the regular season in Atlantic Coast Conference
. The lone regular season conference loss came at home in a 27-7 loss to Miami
. Miami was upset late in the season by Georgia Tech
, in a game that had previously been postponed due to Hurricane Wilma
and so Virginia Tech won the Coastal Division of the ACC outright.
Following the regular season, the Hokies faced Atlantic Division champion Florida State
in the ACC football championship game. After a defensive struggle in the first half and a 3-3 halftime tie, Florida State broke the game open in the third quarter, piling up 24 unanswered points. A fourth quarter Tech rally fell short and the Hokies lost 27-22.
The Hokies concluded the season at the 2006 Gator Bowl
against Louisville
, scoring 22 unanswered fourth quarter points to defeat the #16 Cardinals 35-24.
ESPN's College GameDay visited Blacksburg
twice during the season - for the Georgia Tech
game on September 24, after Hurricane Rita
forced the program to move from Baton Rouge
, and for the Miami game on November 5.
Tech's defense began the season with question marks in the secondary, having lost three starters and one key backup to graduation. Depth became a critical issue when two backup cornerbacks were arrested in the spring Despite the question marks, Tech finished third nationally in pass defense (154.23 yards per game) and first nationally in total defense (247.62 yards per game).
With the departure of three-year starting quarterback Bryan Randall
, the Hokies found themselves with questions at the quarterback position. Marcus Vick, who had seen limited action in 2003, before being suspended for the 2004 season
for off-field transgressions, entered spring practice as the #3 quarterback on the depth chart behind Sean Glennon
and Cory Holt.
In the spring game, Vick completed 9 of his 17 passes for 107 yards and he was named the starter the next day.
After a rough first start against NC State
, in which the offense managed just 232 yards, Vick showed improved poise and numbers through the next several games.
During the West Virginia
game, Vick made an obscene gesture towards the Mountaineer fans who had been chanting "rapist" and "child molester" at him. He later apologized for his conduct. Despite the incident, Vick was a near-perfect 15 of 17 passing against the Mountaineers and added 74 yards on the ground, including a 23-yard scramble as part of a fourth quarter touchdown drive that would put the game out of reach.
Against Miami
, Vick had the worst game of his career, turning the ball over six times and managing only one first half completion.
Following the loss to Florida State
in the ACC championship game, the Hokies earned a trip to the Gator Bowl
to face Louisville
. During the second quarter of the game, as players were returning to the huddle after a play, Vick stomped on the left calf of Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil
. He later claimed that the stomp was accidental, though replays show Vick appearing to deliberately aim for the leg. Vick stated that he apologized to Dumervil after the game, though Dumervil denied that any apology had been offered.
Steve Usecheck, the Big 12 Conference
referee who headed the Gator Bowl officiating crew, stated that the officiating crew missed the stomp and would have ejected Vick if it had been seen.
The following week, it was revealed that Vick had been cited for speeding and driving with a suspended license. University President Charles Steger decided to dismiss Vick from the team and Vick then decided to declare for the NFL draft
.
, this game set a new record for the most-watched college football
game in the history of ESPN2. (That mark was eclipsed later that month by a Monday-night broadcast of @ LSU
.) Marcus Vick
made his first start for the Hokies, completing 10 of 21 passes for 108 yards. Tech's offense managed only 232 yards of total offense (State piled up 438), but Nic Schmitt, in his debut game as starting punter, kept the Hokies in good field position, averaging 46.5 yards per punt. Special teams, penalties (the Wolfpack were penalized 12 times for 105 yards), and turnovers (State committed three turnovers while Tech committed none) were the difference in the game.
Leading 13-10 at halftime, the Wolfpack drove into Tech territory on their first possession of the second half, then pinned the Hokies at the 1-yard-line. With third down and 3 yards to go from his own 8, Vick threw an incomplete pass and the Hokies would have had to punt, but an NC State personal foul allowed the drive to continue. The Hokies went on to march 88 yards down the field, eating up the bulk of the time remaining in the third quarter, and capped the drive with a field goal from Brandon Pace.
In the fourth quarter, after a 21-yard punt return by Eddie Royal
, Tech found itself starting at the NC State 20 and Marcus Vick hit David Clowney
for the winning touchdown.
In their second straight game in the Triangle
, Hokie fans packed Wallace Wade Stadium
and accounted for at least two-thirds of the 25,014-strong crowd.
The Hokies had little trouble defeating the Blue Devils, holding Duke to 35 yards of total offense - the fewest yards they have allowed in any game since before 1950. Duke managed over five yards on only two drives and their deepest penetration was to Virginia Tech's 48-yard line, whereas the Hokies started all but three drives at their own 43 or better.
Marcus Vick threw for 172 yards and three touchdowns, going 12-of-19 (three of his incomplete passes were dropped by receivers). Brandon Ore
, who would become the Hokies' featured tailback in 2006
, made his debut, rushing for 51 yards and one touchdown.
expansion, the Hokie defense turned in its second straight shutout. Ohio's defense, which had scored two touchdowns the previous week in an upset win over Pitt
, stifled the Hokies early, allowing only 158 first half yards and twice forcing three-and-out drives.
In their only scoring threat of the first half, Ohio penetrated deep into Tech territory, but the drive stalled at the 20 and kicker Jonathon Greene missed a field goal. The Hokies scored two touchdowns off of turnovers and took a 17-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the second half, the Hokies scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions, with drives of 65, 80, 56, and 97.
On a day when ESPN's College GameDay visited Blacksburg, the Hokies dominated Georgia Tech in every phase of the game. The Hokies scored three non-offensive touchdowns, including D.J. Parker's return of a blocked field goal. The Hokies' kicking game kept Georgia Tech bottled up with Nic Schmitt averaging 49.2 yards per punt - including a 61-yarder that was downed at the one-yard-line - and with Jared Develli kicking touchbacks on four of his eight kickoffs.
Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball
, who had missed the previous week's game against Connecticut due to viral meningitis
was not 100%. Ball completed only 11 of his 27 passes and threw two touchdowns. The lone score for the Yellow Jackets came on a third quarter 11-yard touchdown pass from Ball to Calvin Johnson
.
.
Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick put on one of his best performances of the season against the Mountaineers - a near-perfect 15 of 17 passing against the Mountaineers. Vick added 74 yards on the ground, including a 23-yard scramble as part of a fourth quarter touchdown drive that would put the game out of reach. The Hokies held onto the ball, committing no turnovers to WVU's two, and ran 70 plays compared with only 48 for the Mountaineers. Tech's defense held serve, holding West Virginia without a first down on their first three possessions.
After West Virginia starting quarterback was knocked out of the game, backup Pat White came in and threw two second quarter touchdown passes, including a 46-yarder to Dorrell Jalloh to cut the Hokies' lead to three points, but the Mountaineers' only score after that point was a field goal and Tech would go on to win 34-17.
in Jacksonville
, Florida
. Louisville led for much of the game, beginning with an 11-yard touchdown
pass
in the first quarter by backup quarterback Hunter Cantwell
, who filled in for the injured Brohm. Tech was only able to answer with a field goal
, and 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, Virginia Tech scored 22 unanswered points in the final 13 minutes of the game to take a 35–24 lead and earn the win.
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. 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...
represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer
Frank Beamer
Frank Beamer is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , a position he has held since 1987. From 1981 to 1986, Beamer served as the head coach at Murray State University...
.
Virginia Tech began the season ranked #7 in the USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
Coaches Poll and #8 in the Associated Press Poll after going 10-3 (7-1 ACC) in 2004
2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in its inaugural year in the conference, running off a streak of eight straight wins to end the regular season after a 2-2 start. Tech finished 10th in the final Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record...
and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
title.
The 2005 Hokies compiled a 11-2 overall record, including a 7-1 mark during the regular season in Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
. The lone regular season conference loss came at home in a 27-7 loss to Miami
2005 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2005 Miami Hurricanes football team began the 2005 season ranked #8/9 after a 9-3 campaign in 2004 that ended with a 27-10 win over rival Florida in the 2005 Peach Bowl.-Season:...
. Miami was upset late in the season by Georgia Tech
2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2005-2006. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
, in a game that had previously been postponed due to Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the twenty-second storm , thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and fourth Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season...
and so Virginia Tech won the Coastal Division of the ACC outright.
Following the regular season, the Hokies faced Atlantic Division champion Florida State
2005 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2005 Florida State Seminoles football team won the 2005 ACC Championship Game over the Virginia Tech Hokies by a score of 27-22. With the victory, they were a selection to go to the 2006 Orange Bowl as the ACC representative in the BCS.-Schedule:...
in the ACC football championship game. After a defensive struggle in the first half and a 3-3 halftime tie, Florida State broke the game open in the third quarter, piling up 24 unanswered points. A fourth quarter Tech rally fell short and the Hokies lost 27-22.
The Hokies concluded the season at the 2006 Gator Bowl
2006 Gator Bowl
The 2006 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Virginia Tech Hokies at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on January 2, 2006. The game was the final contest of the 2005 football season for each team and resulted in a 35–24 Virginia Tech...
against Louisville
2005 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2005 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2005 college football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his third year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...
, scoring 22 unanswered fourth quarter points to defeat the #16 Cardinals 35-24.
ESPN's College GameDay visited Blacksburg
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
twice during the season - for the Georgia Tech
2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2005 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2005-2006. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
game on September 24, after Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
forced the program to move from Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, and for the Miami game on November 5.
Tech's defense began the season with question marks in the secondary, having lost three starters and one key backup to graduation. Depth became a critical issue when two backup cornerbacks were arrested in the spring Despite the question marks, Tech finished third nationally in pass defense (154.23 yards per game) and first nationally in total defense (247.62 yards per game).
Schedule
Coaching Staff
| Position | Name | First year at VT | First year in current position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Frank Beamer Frank Beamer Frank Beamer is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , a position he has held since 1987. From 1981 to 1986, Beamer served as the head coach at Murray State University... |
1987 | 1987 |
| Associate Head Coach and Running Backs Coach | Billy Hite | 1978 | 2001 |
| Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line | Bryan Stinespring Bryan Stinespring Bryan Stinespring is the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team in Blacksburg, Virginia. Stinespring replaced Rickey Bustle as offensive coordinator and has been relieved of his play calling duties on February, 21 2011... |
1990 | 2002 |
| Defensive Coordinator and Inside Linebackers | Bud Foster Bud Foster Bud Foster is a college football assistant coach. He went to high school in Nokomis, Illinois. He is the current defensive coordinator for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. Following the 2006 season, he received the Frank Broyles Award, which is annually given to the top assistant coach in... |
1987 | 1995 |
| Wide Receivers | Tony Ball | 1998 | 1998 |
| Strong Safety, Outside Linebackers, and Recruiting Coordinator | Jim Cavanaugh | 1996 | 2002 |
| Quarterbacks | Kevin Rogers | 2002 | 2002 |
| Tight Ends and Offensive Tackles | Danny Pearman | 1998 | 1998 |
| Defensive backs | Lorenzo Ward | 1999 | 1999 |
| Defensive Line | Charley Wiles | 1996 | 1996 |
| Source: http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/ | |||
Roster
Quarterback
Tailback
Flanker
Split end
Fullback
Tight end
Offensive guard
|
Offensive tackle
Center
Defensive tackle
Defensive end
Linebacker
|
Free Safety
Rover
Cornerback
Long Snapper
Punter
Place Kicker
|
||||
Source: http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/ Starters are in bold and players who left the team are  |
||||||
Marcus Vick
| Marcus Vick's statistics | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game | Passing | TDs | Int | Rushing | TDs | |||
| NC State | 10-21 (139 yards) | 1 | 0 | 21 - 31 | 0 | |||
| Duke | 12-19 (172 yards) | 3 | 1 | 4 - (-12) | 0 | |||
| Ohio | 12-16 (200 yards) | 2 | 0 | 13 - 38 | 1 | |||
| Georgia Tech | 13-18 (223 yards) | 1 | 0 | 7 - 0 | 0 | |||
| West Virginia | 15-17 (177 yards) | 2 | 0 | 12 - 74 | 1 | |||
| Marshall | 11-16 (163 yards) | 1 | 1 | 6 - 3 | 0 | |||
| Maryland | 14-23 (211 yards) | 0 | 3 | 16 - 133 | 1 | |||
| Boston College | 22-28 (280 yards) | 1 | 0 | 13 - 52 | 0 | |||
| Miami | 8-22 (90 yards) | 0 | 2 | 17 - 7 | 1 | |||
| Virginia | 15-21 (170 yards) | 2 | 1 | 9 - 32 | 0 | |||
| North Carolina | 8-15 (61 yards) | 1 | 1 | 7 - 1 | 0 | |||
| Florida State | 26-52 (335 yards) | 1 | 1 | 17 - 11 | 2 | |||
| Louisville | 11-22 (203 yards) | 2 | 0 | 13 - 10 | 0 | |||
| Source: NCAA Player Statistics | ||||||||
With the departure of three-year starting quarterback Bryan Randall
Bryan Randall
Bryan Randall is a professional gridiron football quarterback who currently plays for the Richmond Raiders of the Southern Indoor Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
, the Hokies found themselves with questions at the quarterback position. Marcus Vick, who had seen limited action in 2003, before being suspended for the 2004 season
2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2004 Virginia Tech Hokies football team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in its inaugural year in the conference, running off a streak of eight straight wins to end the regular season after a 2-2 start. Tech finished 10th in the final Associated Press poll with a 10-3 record...
for off-field transgressions, entered spring practice as the #3 quarterback on the depth chart behind Sean Glennon
Sean Glennon
Sean Glennon is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent in the National Football League....
and Cory Holt.
In the spring game, Vick completed 9 of his 17 passes for 107 yards and he was named the starter the next day.
After a rough first start against NC State
2005 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2005 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's Head Coach was Chuck Amato. N.C. State has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since the league's inception in 1953, and participated in...
, in which the offense managed just 232 yards, Vick showed improved poise and numbers through the next several games.
During the West Virginia
2005 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2005 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the season with an 11–1 record. The Mountaineers won their third consecutive Big East Title with a conference record of 7–0...
game, Vick made an obscene gesture towards the Mountaineer fans who had been chanting "rapist" and "child molester" at him. He later apologized for his conduct. Despite the incident, Vick was a near-perfect 15 of 17 passing against the Mountaineers and added 74 yards on the ground, including a 23-yard scramble as part of a fourth quarter touchdown drive that would put the game out of reach.
Against Miami
2005 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2005 Miami Hurricanes football team began the 2005 season ranked #8/9 after a 9-3 campaign in 2004 that ended with a 27-10 win over rival Florida in the 2005 Peach Bowl.-Season:...
, Vick had the worst game of his career, turning the ball over six times and managing only one first half completion.
Following the loss to Florida State
2005 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2005 Florida State Seminoles football team won the 2005 ACC Championship Game over the Virginia Tech Hokies by a score of 27-22. With the victory, they were a selection to go to the 2006 Orange Bowl as the ACC representative in the BCS.-Schedule:...
in the ACC championship game, the Hokies earned a trip to the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
to face Louisville
2005 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2005 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2005 college football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his third year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...
. During the second quarter of the game, as players were returning to the huddle after a play, Vick stomped on the left calf of Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil
Elvis Dumervil
-Denver Broncos:Dumervil was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan stated that he planned to keep Dumervil at defensive end....
. He later claimed that the stomp was accidental, though replays show Vick appearing to deliberately aim for the leg. Vick stated that he apologized to Dumervil after the game, though Dumervil denied that any apology had been offered.
Steve Usecheck, the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
referee who headed the Gator Bowl officiating crew, stated that the officiating crew missed the stomp and would have ejected Vick if it had been seen.
The following week, it was revealed that Vick had been cited for speeding and driving with a suspended license. University President Charles Steger decided to dismiss Vick from the team and Vick then decided to declare for the NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
.
North Carolina State
The eighth highest-rated broadcast in the history of ESPN2ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
, this game set a new record for the most-watched college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game in the history of ESPN2. (That mark was eclipsed later that month by a Monday-night broadcast of @ LSU
2005 LSU Tigers football team
The 2005 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2005–2006. Coached by Les Miles in his first season at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
.) Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick
Marcus Vick is a former college and professional football player. He is the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also began playing high school football in Newport News Public Schools. After accepting a full scholarship to attend Virginia Tech, Marcus played...
made his first start for the Hokies, completing 10 of 21 passes for 108 yards. Tech's offense managed only 232 yards of total offense (State piled up 438), but Nic Schmitt, in his debut game as starting punter, kept the Hokies in good field position, averaging 46.5 yards per punt. Special teams, penalties (the Wolfpack were penalized 12 times for 105 yards), and turnovers (State committed three turnovers while Tech committed none) were the difference in the game.
Leading 13-10 at halftime, the Wolfpack drove into Tech territory on their first possession of the second half, then pinned the Hokies at the 1-yard-line. With third down and 3 yards to go from his own 8, Vick threw an incomplete pass and the Hokies would have had to punt, but an NC State personal foul allowed the drive to continue. The Hokies went on to march 88 yards down the field, eating up the bulk of the time remaining in the third quarter, and capped the drive with a field goal from Brandon Pace.
In the fourth quarter, after a 21-yard punt return by Eddie Royal
Eddie Royal
William Edward "Eddie" Royal is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
, Tech found itself starting at the NC State 20 and Marcus Vick hit David Clowney
David Clowney
David Cortez Clowney IV is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech....
for the winning touchdown.
Duke
The Triangle (North Carolina)
The Research Triangle, also known as Raleigh-Durham and commonly referred to as simply "The Triangle", is a region in the Piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by North Carolina State University, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and cities of...
, Hokie fans packed Wallace Wade Stadium
Wallace Wade Stadium
Wallace Wade Stadium is a stadium on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Primarily used for American football, it is the home field of the Duke Blue Devils. It opened in 1929 with a game against Pitt, as the first facility in Duke's new west campus. The...
and accounted for at least two-thirds of the 25,014-strong crowd.
The Hokies had little trouble defeating the Blue Devils, holding Duke to 35 yards of total offense - the fewest yards they have allowed in any game since before 1950. Duke managed over five yards on only two drives and their deepest penetration was to Virginia Tech's 48-yard line, whereas the Hokies started all but three drives at their own 43 or better.
Marcus Vick threw for 172 yards and three touchdowns, going 12-of-19 (three of his incomplete passes were dropped by receivers). Brandon Ore
Brandon Ore
Branden Ore is a college football running back for West Liberty University. He had originally declared for the 2008 NFL Draft, but subsequently withdrew his name....
, who would become the Hokies' featured tailback in 2006
2006 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2006 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
, made his debut, rushing for 51 yards and one touchdown.
Ohio
In the Hokies' home opener and the inaugural game for the Lane StadiumLane Stadium
Lane Stadium/Worsham Field is a stadium located in Blacksburg, Virginia. It is the home field of the Virginia Tech Hokies. It was rated the number one home field advantage in all of college football in 2005 by Rivals.com...
expansion, the Hokie defense turned in its second straight shutout. Ohio's defense, which had scored two touchdowns the previous week in an upset win over Pitt
2005 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 2005 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2005 college football season.-Schedule:-Team Players drafted into in the NFL:...
, stifled the Hokies early, allowing only 158 first half yards and twice forcing three-and-out drives.
In their only scoring threat of the first half, Ohio penetrated deep into Tech territory, but the drive stalled at the 20 and kicker Jonathon Greene missed a field goal. The Hokies scored two touchdowns off of turnovers and took a 17-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the second half, the Hokies scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions, with drives of 65, 80, 56, and 97.
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech quarterback Reggie Ball
Reggie Ball
Reginald Lewis Ball is an American football Quarterback who currently plays for the Bricktown Brawlers of the Indoor Football League He was originally signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, who had missed the previous week's game against Connecticut due to viral meningitis
Viral meningitis
Viral meningitis refers to meningitis caused by a viral infection. It is sometimes referred to as "aseptic meningitis" in contrast to meningitis caused by bacteria.An example is lymphocytic choriomeningitis....
was not 100%. Ball completed only 11 of his 27 passes and threw two touchdowns. The lone score for the Yellow Jackets came on a third quarter 11-yard touchdown pass from Ball to Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
.
West Virginia
The 2005 meeting between West Virginia and Virginia Tech was the final scheduled meeting between two teams that had met annually since 1973. Since 1997, the two teams had competed for the Black Diamond TrophyBlack Diamond Trophy
The Black Diamond Trophy was a college football trophy that annually went to the winner of the West Virginia University and Virginia Tech football game...
.
Hokie quarterback Marcus Vick put on one of his best performances of the season against the Mountaineers - a near-perfect 15 of 17 passing against the Mountaineers. Vick added 74 yards on the ground, including a 23-yard scramble as part of a fourth quarter touchdown drive that would put the game out of reach. The Hokies held onto the ball, committing no turnovers to WVU's two, and ran 70 plays compared with only 48 for the Mountaineers. Tech's defense held serve, holding West Virginia without a first down on their first three possessions.
After West Virginia starting quarterback was knocked out of the game, backup Pat White came in and threw two second quarter touchdown passes, including a 46-yarder to Dorrell Jalloh to cut the Hokies' lead to three points, but the Mountaineers' only score after that point was a field goal and Tech would go on to win 34-17.
Marshall
Maryland
Boston College
Miami
Virginia
North Carolina
Florida State
Louisville
The 2006 Gator Bowl was played on January 2, 2006 at 12:30 p.m. ESTEastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Louisville led for much of the game, beginning with an 11-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
in the first quarter by backup quarterback Hunter Cantwell
Hunter Cantwell
Hunter Cantwell is an American football quarterback who most recently was a member of the practice squad with the Baltimore Ravens and has also played for the Carolina Panthers. He was signed by the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, who filled in for the injured Brohm. Tech was only able to answer with a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
, and 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, Virginia Tech scored 22 unanswered points in the final 13 minutes of the game to take a 35–24 lead and earn the win.