2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE - HokieSports

2008 ORANGE BOWL GUIDE
BOWL HISTORY
2005 Sugar Bowl
Auburn 16, Virginia Tech 13
NEW ORLEANS, La. — The No. 9 Virginia
Tech Hokies took the undefeated and No.
3-ranked Auburn Tigers to the final two minutes
of the game, but could not pull off the upset in
the 71st Nokia Sugar Bowl. The Hokies fell to the
Tigers 16-13 in front of 77,349
fans at the Superdome.
With the Hokies trailing
16-6 late in the game and 2:13
showing on the clock, Tech took
over at its 20. Quarterback Bryan
Randall took the snap, got the
safety to bite on a pump fake
to Josh Morgan, and then hit
Morgan deep for the 80-yard
strike to bring Tech within three
points with 2:01 remaining.
The touchdown pass
gave Randall sole possession of Tech’s career
touchdown passes record with 48. He surpassed
Maurice DeShazo’s 47 with the final pass of his
collegiate career.
Tech still had life after the touchdown, but
Auburn recovered the onsides kick and ran out
the clock.
After the Hokies punted on their first series
of the game, Auburn took over at its 24 and
quickly put the pressure on Tech. A 35-yard
play-action pass from Jason Campbell to tight
end Cooper Wallace on the Tigers’ first play,
followed immediately by Ronnie Brown rumbling
31 yards straight up the gut, put Auburn at the
Tech 8. Tech’s defense stiffened and Auburn
settled for a 23-yard John Vaughn field goal and
92 VIRGINIA TECH FOOTBALL 2007
a 3-0 lead. The Tigers would add a 19-yard field
goal with 1:10 remaining in the quarter for a 6-0
advantage.
The Hokies threatened Auburn in the second
quarter, starting on their own 24 and reaching
the Auburn 3-yard line in just
five plays. A 30-yard strike from
Randall to Josh Hyman put Tech
in position to tie the game or
take the lead. However, Auburn’s
defense stopped Tech and took
over on downs.
Auburn took over at its 1
and proceeded to march down
the field. The Tech defense
once again kept the Hokies in
the game, though, by forcing a
24-yard field goal. Auburn took
its 9-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Auburn gained a 16-0 advantage on a
touchdown by Devin Aromasodu, the Tech
defense stiffened. Facing a second-and-11 from
the 20, Campbell rolled out and threw to the
sideline, but was intercepted by Jimmy Williams
at the 33. The Hokies once again had an
opportunity to resurrect their chances, but came
up short on the 6-yard line. Brandon Pace missed
a 23-yard field goal attempt.
The Hokies finally got on the scoreboard with
6:58 remaining in the game. After a Cadillac
Williams fumble gave Tech the ball at its own
22, the Hokies marched 78 yards in six plays
and reached paydirt when Randall found Morgan
in the left flat. Morgan picked up a block from
January 3, 2005 • New Orleans, La.
Louisiana Superdome • Att: 77,349
Virginia Tech 0 0 0 13 — 13
Auburn 6 3 7 0 — 16
AU (8:44 re 1st) — FG Vaughn 23
AU (1:10 re 1st) — FG Vaughn 19
AU (1:50 re 2nd) — FG Vaughn 24
AU (10:39 re 3rd) — Aromashodu 5 pass from Campbell
(Vaughn kick)
VT (6:58 re 4th) — Morgan 29 pass from Randall (pass failed)
VT (2:01 re 4th) — Morgan 80 pass from Randall (Pace kick)
Team Statistics VT AU
First downs 19 14
Rushes-yds. 22-76 43-110
Passing yds. 299 189
Return yds. 71 39
Passes 21-38-2 11-16-1
Punts-avg. 5-35.2 4-43.0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1
Penalties-yds. 7-57 4-35
Time of poss. 26:26 33:34
Sacks by 2-17 1-11
Individual Leaders
Rushing — VT, Randall 9-45, Imoh 6-16, Humes 6-10,
Hamilton 1-5; AU, Brown 14-68, C. Williams 19-61, Campbell
6-(-3).
Passing — VT, Randall 21-38-2-299; AU, Campbell
11-38-1-189.
Receiving — VT, Hyman 5-71, Morgan 3-126, Royal
3-37, King 3-12, Clowney 2-23, Mazetta 1-20, Humes 1-10,
Hamilton 1-6, Harper 1-2, Imoh 1-(-8); AU, Taylor 5-87, Mix
2-68, C. Willilams 2-(-6), Wallace 1-35, Aromashodu 1-5.
Hyman and went 29 yards for the score. The
two-point pass to Richard Johnson was ruled a
trap and the Hokies trailed 16-6.
Randall’s pass kept Tech’s scoring streak
alive, which was in jeopardy up until that
point. The Hokies have not been shut out since
September 16, 1995 when they lost 16-0 to
Cincinnati.
The Hokies take the field (left) for their fourth BCS bowl —
the 2005 Sugar Bowl. Josh Morgan (above) runs for one of
two touchdowns he scored on passes from Bryan Randall.