2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE - HokieSports

1993 Independence Bowl
Virginia Tech 45, Indiana 20
SHREVEPORT, La. — In a stunning turn of
events, Virginia Tech scored two touchdowns
in the final 35 seconds of the first half to
spark an unforgettable 45-20 victory over No.
20 Indiana in the Poulan Weed
Eater Independence Bowl.
Tech led the New year’s Eve
bowl game by one point (14-13)
just before the half, but Indiana
was rallying. With 35 seconds left
and the ball on the Tech 49, IU
quarterback John Paci dropped
back to pass and was hit by Hokie
defenders George DelRicco and
DeWayne Knight. The ball popped
loose and eventually bounced into
the hands of Tech end Lawrence Lewis who
sprinted the final 20 yards to the end zone.
Suddenly, the Tech lead was 21-13 and
the Hokies had a big momentum boost going
into the locker room. But the half wasn’t quite
over.
Indiana returned the ensuing kickoff to
the Tech 42, then Paci completed a 9-yard
pass. The Hokies thought time expired and
started trotting off the field. The officials
ruled, however, that IU had called timeout
with one second remaining.
The Hoosiers lined up for a 51-yard field
goal. When the ball was snapped, Tech’s
Jeff Holland pushed through the line and
tipped the kick. The ball caromed in the
air and Hokie defensive back
Antonio Banks settled under it
at the 20. Banks started to his
right, then reversed his field
as blockers formed. A block by
teammate Torrian Gray at the
IU 15 cleared the last obstacle,
and Banks strutted into the
end zone untouched with an
80-yard return.
Just like that, the No. 22
Hokies sealed a win in their
first bowl appearance of the Frank Beamer
era. Tech’s 21 points were the most ever
scored in the second quarter of the 18-year
bowl game.
Tech quarterback Maurice DeShazo won
the Outstanding Offensive Player award after
completing 19 of 33 passes for 193 yards
and two touchdowns. One of his scoring
tosses was a 42-yard strike to split end
Antonio Freeman, who finished the day with
five catches for 66 yards.
Banks, who had an interception, a
fumble recovery and nine tackles to go
with his touchdown return, was named the
Outstanding Defensive Player. The Hokies
were credited with seven quarterback sacks
in the game and allowed an Independence
Bowl record-low 11 first downs, including
just six during the first three quarters.
BOWL HISTORY
December 31, 1993 • Shreveport, La.
Independence Stadium • Att: 33,819
Virginia Tech 7 21 0 17 — 45
Indiana 7 6 0 7 — 20
IU (5:36 re 1st) — Lewis 75 pass from Paci
(Manolopoulos kick)
VT (0:09 re 1st) — D. Thomas 13 pass from DeShazo
(Williams kick)
VT (11:14 re 2nd) — Swarm 6 run (Williams kick)
IU (8:47 re 2nd) — FG Manolopoulos 26
IU (5:25 re 2nd) — FG Manolopoulos 40
VT (0:23 re 2nd) — Lewis 20 fumble return
(Williams kick)
VT (0:00 re 2nd) — Banks 80 blocked FG return
(Williams kick)
VT (9:37 re 4th) — Freeman 42 pass from DeShazo
(Williams kick)
VT (9:21 re 4th) — Edwards 5 run (Williams kick)
VT (6:00 re 4th) — FG Williams 42
IU (4:26 re 4th) — Lewis 42 pass from Dittoe
(Manolopoulos kick)
Team Statistics VT IU
First downs 17 11
Rushes-yds. 48-125 31-20
Passing yds. 193 276
Return yds. 38 61
Passes 19-33-2 17-37-2
Punts-avg. 8-39 7-38
Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-2
Penalties-yds. 8-84 7-55
Time of poss. 32:48 27:12
Sacks by 7-42 2-12
Individual Leaders
Rushing — VT, Thomas 24-65, Swarm 9-40, Edwards
5-15, R. White 4-3, DeShazo 5-1, Druckenmiller 1-1; IU,
Thurman 1-37, Chaney 11-34, Batts 3-10, Glover 3-6, Thomas
1-(-4), Paci 5-(-26), Dittoe 7-(-37).
Passing — VT, DeShazo 19-33-2-193; IU, Paci
10-22-1-171, Dittoe 7-14-1-105, DiGuilio 0-1-0-0.
Receiving — VT, Freeman 5-66, Thomas 4-27, Burke
3-26, C. White 2-35, Sanders 2-15, Swarm 1-13, Edmonds
1-6, Still 1-5; IU, Lewis 6-177, Hales 2-49, Matthews
2-35, Glover 2-1, Chaney 2-(-1), Baety 1-9, Hobbs 1-4,
Eggebrecht 1-2.
A blocked field goal by Jeff Holland (74, left) led to a key 80-yard touchdown return for the Hokies.
J.C. Price (above) and his defensive teammates held the Hoosiers in check much of the game.
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2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE