The Virginia Tech Hokies football team, since its creation in 1892, has played 34 post-season bowl games in 19 different stadiums across ten states. This includes five Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game appearances and one appearance in the BCS National Championship Game. From 1993 to 2019, the Hokies were invited to a bowl game every year. Though bowl-eligible in 2020, the team's players opted out of accepting a potential invitation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This 27-year active streak of consecutive bowl appearances was, at its conclusion, the longest streak in the nation and is the fifth longest all-time bowl appearance streak.Current Consecutive Bowl Appearances College Football Data Warehouse, Accessed December 7, 2010.Orange Bowl Media Guide Virginia Tech Sports Information, December 2007, Blacksburg, Virginia. Page 4. Accessed February 7, 2008.
Dozens of National Football League draft picks have played for Virginia Tech in bowl games, including two first overall selections: Bruce Smith and Michael Vick. Smith participated in the 1984 Independence Bowl, while Vick quarterbacked the Hokies to their first national championship appearance during the 2000 Sugar Bowl, and followed that performance by leading the Hokies to the 2001 Gator Bowl, his final collegiate game. Following the game, Vick entered the 2001 NFL draft and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons.San Diego opted to pass on the No. 1 selection, agreeing to a trade with Atlanta Falcons for their No. 5 selection. The Falcons took Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick to begin the 246-player draft.
Former head coach Frank Beamer (1987–2015) led Virginia Tech to 23 consecutive bowl games starting in 1993 and the Independence Bowl, posting a record of 11–12. Beamer earned national coach of the year honors several times from various organizations and had the most wins of any active Division I college football coach at the time of his retirement.Frank Beamer Virginia Tech Athletics department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 26, 2008. Following Beamer's retirement in 2015, new Hokies head coach Justin Fuente continued the streak by winning the Belk Bowl in 2016, leading the team to a 10–4 season.
Virginia Tech's first post-season bowl game was in 1947, when the Hokies participated in the 1947 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas on New Year's Day against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Summary table Key # Number of bowl games † Attendance record ‡ Former attendance record W Win L Loss
Repeat OpponentsOpponentW-L RecordCincinnati Bearcats2–2Tennessee Volunteers1–1Florida State Seminoles0–2Miami Hurricanes0–2
Appearances per BowlBowl gameAppearancesGator Bowl5Peach Bowl*4Orange Bowl4Sugar Bowl4Independence Bowl3Military Bowl3Duke's Mayo Bowl***3Camping World Bowl**2Liberty Bowl2Sun Bowl2Music City Bowl1San Francisco Bowl1Insight Bowl1Pinstripe Bowl1 * The 2009 Peach Bowl was known as the Chick-fil-A Bowl. ** Prior to 2017 game, the Camping World Bowl was known as the Russell Athletic Bowl. *** Prior to 2020 game, the Duke's Mayo Bowl was known as the Belk Bowl.
Individual bowl game attendance records are correct as of the end of the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season."Bowl/All-Star Game Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 20, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2010. Overall bowl appearance record as of the end of the 2024 season: 14 wins, 22 losses.
#SeasonBowl gameResultOpponentHead coachStadiumLocationAttendance11946L 18–6Cincinnati BearcatsJimmy KittsKidd FieldEl Paso, TX10,00021966L 14–7Miami HurricanesJerry ClaiborneMemphis Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN39,101‡31968L 34–17Ole Miss RebelsJerry ClaiborneMemphis Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN46,206‡41980L 20–10Miami HurricanesBill DooleyFulton County StadiumAtlanta, GA45,38451984L 23–7Air Force FalconsBill DooleyIndependence StadiumShreveport, LA41,10061986W 25–24NC State WolfpackBill DooleyFulton County StadiumAtlanta, GA53,66871993W 45–20Indiana HoosiersFrank BeamerIndependence StadiumShreveport, LA33,81981994L 45–23Tennessee VolunteersFrank BeamerBen Hill Griffin StadiumGainesville, FL62,20091995W 28–10Texas LonghornsFrank BeamerLouisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA70,283101996L 41–21Nebraska CornhuskersFrank BeamerPro Player StadiumMiami Gardens, FL51,212111997L 42–3North Carolina Tar HeelsFrank BeamerAlltel StadiumJacksonville, FL54,116121998W 38–7Alabama Crimson TideFrank BeamerVanderbilt StadiumNashville, TN41,600‡131999(BCS National Championship Game)L 46–29Florida State SeminolesFrank BeamerLouisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA79,280142000W 41–20Clemson TigersFrank BeamerAlltel StadiumJacksonville, FL68,741152001L 30–17Florida State SeminolesFrank BeamerAlltel StadiumJacksonville, FL72,202162002W 20–13Air Force FalconsFrank BeamerPacific Bell ParkSan Francisco, CA25,966‡172003L 52–49California Golden BearsFrank BeamerBank One BallparkPhoenix, AZ42,364182004L 16–13Auburn TigersFrank BeamerLouisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA77,349192005W 35–24Louisville CardinalsFrank BeamerAlltel StadiumJacksonville, FL63,780202006L 31–24Georgia BulldogsFrank BeamerGeorgia DomeAtlanta, GA75,406212007L 24–21Kansas JayhawksFrank BeamerPro Player StadiumMiami Gardens, FL74,111222008W 20–7Cincinnati BearcatsFrank BeamerPro Player StadiumMiami Gardens, FL57,821232009W 37–14Tennessee VolunteersFrank BeamerGeorgia DomeAtlanta, GA73,777242010 2011 Orange BowlL 40–12Stanford CardinalFrank BeamerSun Life StadiumMiami Gardens, FL65,453252011 2012 Sugar BowlL 23–20Michigan WolverinesFrank BeamerMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA64,512 262012 2012 Russell Athletic BowlW 13–10Rutgers Scarlet KnightsFrank BeamerFlorida Citrus Bowl StadiumOrlando, FL48,127272013 2013 Sun BowlL 42–12UCLA BruinsFrank BeamerSun Bowl StadiumEl Paso, TX 47,912282014 2014 Military BowlW 33–17Cincinnati BearcatsFrank BeamerNavy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumAnnapolis, MD 34,277292015 2015 Independence BowlW 55–52Tulsa Golden HurricaneFrank BeamerIndependence StadiumShreveport, LA 31,289302016 2016 Belk BowlW 35–24Arkansas RazorbacksJustin FuenteBank of America StadiumCharlotte, NC 46,902312017 2017 Camping World Bowl L 30–21 Oklahoma State CowboysJustin FuenteCamping World StadiumOrlando, FL39,610322018 2018 Military Bowl L 35–31 Cincinnati BearcatsJustin FuenteNavy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumAnnapolis, MD32,832332019 2019 Belk BowlL 37–30Kentucky WildcatsJustin FuenteBank of America StadiumCharlotte, NC44,138342021 2021 Pinstripe BowlL 54–10Maryland TerrapinsJ. C. PriceYankee StadiumBronx, NY29,653352023 2023 Military BowlW 41–20Tulane Green WaveBrent PryNavy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumAnnapolis, MD35,849362024 2025 Duke's Mayo BowlL 24–10Minnesota Golden GophersBrent PryBank of America StadiumCharlotte, NC31,027
Game capsules
1947 Sun Bowl
The first bowl game in Virginia Tech history came at the conclusion of the 1946 college football season as the Hokies earned a bid to the 1947 Sun Bowl. The Hokies, led by coach James Kitts, finished the regular season with three losses, three wins, and three ties (3–3–3). The team also recorded Virginia Tech's first win over an Associated Press Top 25 team in school history,The Hokies and the AP Ratings (PDF) Virginia Tech Sports Information, 2004 Football Media Guide Page 42. Accessed December 30, 2007. the Washington and Lee University Generals, and the Hokies' traditional rivals, the Virginia Military Institute Keydets.Year-by-Year Scores and Results (PDF) "1946", Virginia Tech Sports Information, 2004 Football Media Guide Page 37. Accessed December 30, 2007. Despite those victories, Tech's bid to the Sun Bowl only came about because the bowl's first and second picks had declined the bid and because an influential Tech alumnus on the selection committee had suggested Virginia Tech.Colston, Chris. Tales from the Virginia Tech Sidelines. Sports Publishing LLC, 2003. Page 26. Opposing the Hokies were the Cincinnati Bearcats, who had gone 8–2 during the regular season.Year-by-Year Records Cincinnati Athletics Department, gobearcats.cstv.com. Accessed February 21, 2008.
The game kicked off on January 1, 1947, at Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas in freezing temperatures.1947 Sun Bowl Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed December 30, 2007. Defense dominated on both sides in the first half due to the weather and tough play. Neither team scored, but Virginia Tech had the best chance—driving to a first down inside the Cincinnati two-yard line in the first quarter. The Cincinnati defense held, however, and the game went into halftime scoreless.
In the second half, the favored Bearcats managed to find success on offense. Behind All-American Roger Stephens, the Bearcats tallied three touchdowns to Virginia Tech's one.Hokie Bowl #20—1947 Sun Bowl The Hokie Games Blog, December 17, 2007. Accessed December 30, 2007. The Hokies managed to block all three Cincinnati extra point kicks, but without touchdowns of their own, the Hokies had no chance to win. Cincinnati emerged victorious as time ran out, 18–6.Virginia Tech Football Opponent Database: Cincinnati Virginia Tech Athletics Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 21, 2008.
1966 Liberty Bowl
Virginia Tech's second bowl game did not come until nearly 20 years after its first. On December 10, 1966, the Hokies faced off against the No. 9 Miami Hurricanes in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee. Tech came into the game having gone 8–1–1 during the regular season under head coach Jerry Claiborne,Virginia Tech 2007 Football Media Guide "Year-by-Year Scores and Results", p. 180. Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, Blacksburg Virginia. Accessed January 23, 2008. while the Hurricanes boasted a 7–2–1 regular-season record, including wins over Southern California and Florida.2006 Miami Hurricanes Media Guide University of Miami Athletics Department, Miami, Florida. Page 145. Accessed February 20, 2008. The Hokies were led by All-America safety Frank Loria, who caught three interceptions and returned three punts for touchdowns as a junior during the 1966 season.Virginia Tech 2007 Football Media Guide "Hokie All-Americans", p. 174. Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, Blacksburg Virginia. Accessed January 23, 2008. On the opposite side of the ball, the Hurricanes were led by All-American Ted Hendricks.2006 MPC Computers Bowl Media Guide University of Miami Athletics Department, Miami, Florida. Page 80. Accessed February 20, 2008.
The game kicked off in frigid weather, and from the beginning, defense dominated. In the first half, Tech held Miami to just 16 yards of total offense, and Miami set bowl game records for fewest rushing yards allowed and fewest first downs allowed.2006 MPC Computers Bowl Media Guide University of Miami Athletics Department, Miami, Florida. Page 74. Accessed February 20, 2008. The Hokies got the first big break of the game after blocking Miami's first punt of the game. Taking over at the Miami 21-yard line, it took Virginia Tech just five plays to march into the end zone for an early 7–0 lead.1966 Liberty Bowl Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, Blacksburg, Virginia. Accessed February 20, 2008. Virginia Tech and Miami battled to a stalemate for the rest of the first half, and Tech went into halftime still clinging to a 7–0 lead.
In the second half, Tech's fortune turned. Late in the third quarter, the Virginia Tech defense stopped Miami's offense again, but instead of receiving the punt cleanly, the Hokies committed a roughing the kicker penalty that allowed Miami to retain possession of the ball with a first down. A few plays later, Miami scored its first touchdown of the game. In the fourth quarter Miami finally took the lead on a 10-play, 70-yard drive. The Hokies were unable to answer the Hurricanes' score, and Miami won the 1966 Liberty Bowl, 14–7.Opponent History:Miami Opponent history database, Hokiesports.com. Accessed January 23, 2008.
1968 Liberty Bowl