2006 Gator Bowl
Encyclopedia
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 victory. Louisville represented the Big East Conference
(Big East), and Virginia Tech represented the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) in the competition.
Virginia Tech was selected as a participant in the 2006 Gator Bowl following a 10–2 regular season
that included wins over 15th-ranked Georgia Tech
and traditional rivals Virginia
and West Virginia
. A loss to Florida State
in the inaugural ACC Championship Game
gave Tech a position in the Gator Bowl instead of the more prestigious Bowl Championship Series
-run Orange Bowl
game. Facing the 12th-ranked Hokies were the 15th-ranked Louisville Cardinals, who finished 9–2 during the regular season of their first year in the Big East Conference. Louisville won its last five games before the Gator Bowl and participated in the Liberty Bowl
at the end of the previous season. Pre-game media coverage of the game focused on Virginia Tech's fall from being a contender for the national championship, Louisville's loss of star quarterback
Brian Brohm
to injury, the fact that both teams were playing under new conference affiliations, and the rise of Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick
, younger brother of NFL star Michael Vick
.
The 2006 Gator Bowl began on January 2, 2006 at 12:30 p.m. EST
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's offense replied with a field goal
, but Louisville was able to add another touchdown before the end of the quarter, extending its lead to 14–3. 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, 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.
Tailback
Cedric Humes
was named the most valuable player
of the game for Virginia Tech, and quarterback Hunter Cantwell was named the Cardinals' most valuable player. Tech punter Nic Schmitt set Gator Bowl records for punt
yardage and average punt distance, kicking the ball six times for 300 yards, an average of 50 yards per kick. Virginia Tech's win was marred by excessive penalties and unsportsmanlike conduct that resulted in the ejection of one player. Following the game, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was released from the team as a result of several incidents of misconduct, including a stomp on Louisville defender Elvis Dumervil
's leg during the game. Several players who participated in the game, including Dumervil, later went on to careers in the National Football League
.
, the Atlantic Coast Conference
had an automatic bid
to the Gator Bowl. By contract, the Gator Bowl Association—which produces the game—possessed the first pick of bowl-eligible
ACC teams after the winner of the ACC Championship Game
was given a spot in a Bowl Championship Series
(BCS) game. This was the final year that the Gator Bowl had first pick of eligible ACC teams, as contract renegotiations later resulted in the Gator Bowl slipping to the third selection, beginning with the 2006 college football season
. Virginia Tech, losers of the 2005 ACC Championship Game
, were chosen by the Gator Bowl Association to participate as the ACC's representative to the 2006 Gator Bowl.
The other half of the matchup (according to the selection guidelines used in the 2005 season) would consist of either Notre Dame
or the first selection from the Big East Conference
after that conference's automatic BCS bid. Because Notre Dame was selected to play in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl
, a BCS game, the Gator Bowl Association was required to select the Big East's Louisville Cardinals, which, like Virginia Tech, finished second in their conference.
against the third-ranked Auburn Tigers
, losing 16–13 in a close contest. Expectations were high for the Hokies to repeat their ACC championship performance the next year, and a preseason poll of media covering ACC football resulted in Virginia Tech being picked to face Florida State in the inaugural ACC Championship Game.
In its first game of the season, however, eighth-ranked Virginia Tech almost let those expectations fall short. At North Carolina State, the Hokies trailed at halftime and were tied at the beginning of the fourth quarter before eking out a 20–16 win in the final minutes. The Hokies bounced back from the close contest in their second game of the season—against the Duke Blue Devils
—as Tech raced to a 45–0 victory. The Hokies held Duke to just 35 yards of total offense, Tech's best defensive performance in the modern era.
The win over Duke was followed by several others in succession. Heading into their ninth game of the season, the Hokies were 8–0 record and the third-ranked college football team in the country. Against the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes
, however, Virginia Tech suffered its first defeat of the season, falling 27–7. Tech recovered by winning its next two games, earning a spot in the inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game, held in Jacksonville, Florida
. There, the Hokies lost, 27–22, to the Florida State Seminoles
. The Seminoles earned an automatic bid to a Bowl Championship Series
game by virtue of the victory—had Virginia Tech won the game, it would have been awarded the bid. The day after Tech lost the ACC Championship Game, the Gator Bowl extended a formal invitation to Virginia Tech, which the Hokies accepted. Ninth-ranked Miami, the same team that beat the Hokies 27–7 earlier in the season, was considered for selection, but the Gator Bowl Association took into consideration Virginia Tech's history of having a large fan base travel to its bowl games, and selected the Hokies on those grounds.
in the 2004 Liberty Bowl
. In addition, Louisville was also entering a new conference—the Big East—after departing Conference USA
following the end of the 2004 season. In a poll of media members covering the Big East prior to the 2005 season, Louisville was predicted to win the Big East championship its first year in the conference.
In their first and second games of the season, the Cardinals lived up to that expectation. At in-state rival Kentucky
, Louisville earned a 31–24 victory to win the Governor's Cup
. This was followed the next week by a 63–27 victory over non-conference opponent Oregon State
. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their first Big East conference game of the season—and of school history—did not go as well. At South Florida
, the ninth-ranked Cardinals were outscored 45–14, the first time in 13 games Louisville's offense was held to less than 30 points.
Following the loss, Louisville recovered, scoring 61 points and 69 points, respectively, in non-conference wins over Florida Atlantic University
and North Carolina
, returning to their previous offensive success. Again, however, Louisville faltered against a Big East opponent. The Cardinals' second Big East game, at West Virginia University
, was another Louisville loss, 46–44. West Virginia later went on to finish 11–1 for the season, winning the Big East championship and defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2006 Sugar Bowl
.
Louisville, meanwhile, returned to its winning ways. The Cardinals, following their loss to the Mountaineers, won their first Big East game in school history the next week, over the Cincinnati Bearcats
, 46–22. The rout of Cincinnati sparked a five-game winning streak, which concluded on December 3 with a 30–20 victory over the University of Connecticut Huskies
. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, starting quarterback
Brian Brohm
, who had the sixth-best season (in terms of passing yards) in Louisville history, suffered a season-ending knee injury. With West Virginia having won the Big East championship and an automatic Bowl Championship Series game bid, Big East second-place Louisville was selected by the Gator Bowl even before the victory over Connecticut.
, who replaced starter Brian Brohm after Brohm suffered a season-ending knee injury; and Virginia Tech's Marcus Vick
, brother of National Football League
star Michael Vick
. Also a concern for Louisville was the health of star running back
Michael Bush
, who missed two games in November due to an injury. On a wider note, there was also interest in the conference-level showdown between a new Big East team (Louisville) and a team that left the Big East for the ACC after the 2003 season (Virginia Tech). For Virginia Tech, there was also the hope of overcoming the disappointment of a season that saw the Hokies ranked third in the country and in the hunt for the national championship before failing to even win the Atlantic Coast Conference and missing a bid to a Bowl Championship Series game.
When betting on the game opened, spread bettors
favored Virginia Tech by 10 points. Five days after betting opened, the point spread narrowed to 7.5, still in favor of Virginia Tech. Two weeks later, the point spread remained at 7.5 in favor of Virginia Tech.
With star quarterback Brian Brohm having undergone surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament
, there were some questions as to how backup Hunter Cantwell would perform under pressure. Cantwell played well in the Cardinals' season-ending contest against Connecticut, but some commentators predicted that Virginia Tech's quicker defense would pose problems for him. In that contest, Cantwell completed 16 of 25 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown. In high school
, Cantwell passed for 7,272 yards and 70 touchdowns. His .606 career completion percentage ranked 11th in Kentucky
state history.
Running back Michael Bush was predicted to return to form after suffering a foot injury that kept him out of two games in November. Bush ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns against Connecticut, his first game back from the injury. Heading into the Gator Bowl, Bush earned a school-record 24 touchdowns and led the country in scoring. He ran for 1,049 yards in nine games. He was also a capable receiver, catching 20 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown. But with Brohm on the sidelines, it was expected the Cardinals would rely on Bush's legs more than usual, in an effort to minimize the need for the inexperienced Cantwell to pass the ball.
Louisville wide receiver
Mario Urrutia
, who caught 31 passes for 702 yards and six touchdowns during the regular season, stirred a bit of controversy in the final days leading up to the Gator Bowl after he declared that Virginia Tech's first-ranked defense was "mostly hype".
pick Michael Vick—who also played for Tech—Marcus led the league in passing efficiency (141.6 rating), completed 166 of 268 passes (60.3 percent) for 2,190 yards and 15 touchdowns, with ten interceptions. On the ground, he ran for 370 yards and six touchdowns. Prior to the Gator Bowl, he pledged that he would return for another season at Virginia Tech before entering the NFL draft. "The NFL is tough. It's the real deal. You've got to be ready for it. You just don't want to rush into just throwing yourself out there because of the money or anything like that. You've got to really be prepared for it", he said.
On the ground, two different Tech players were predicted to share time running the ball. Senior running back Cedric Humes was predicted to get the bulk of the carries in the game, but redshirt
freshman Branden Ore was also predicted to see some plays at times. Humes rushed the ball 140 times for 639 yards and ten touchdowns during the regular season. Ore, meanwhile, ran the ball for 591 yards and six touchdowns.
Wide receiver Josh Morgan
was also considered a key component of the Hokie offense. Morgan finished the season with 28 receptions for 471 yards and four touchdowns. Prior to the game, Morgan predicted that if the Hokies executed their plays well, they would emerge the victors.
Backup guard
Brandon Gore broke his ankle during the Hokies' loss to Florida State and would not be able to participate. Senior Tech running back Mike Imoh
, who shared time running the ball during the regular season with Ore and Humes, was also out after undergoing surgery to repair an injured ankle. Adding to the injury situation for Virginia Tech was offensive tackle Jimmy Martin
, who suffered a sprained knee ligament in practice leading up to the game. Martin started 45 consecutive games prior to the Gator Bowl, a streak that was broken when he was replaced by Brandon Frye
on the day of the game.
Elvis Dumervil
was awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
, given annually to the top defensive college football player in the United States. Dumervil also earned several other honors in the weeks leading up to the game, including being named Big East Defensive Player of the Year, an Associated Press All-American
and earning the Ted Hendricks Award
, given annually to the best defensive end in the country. Dumervil led the nation in sacks (20) and forced fumbles (10) during the regular season. Prior to the game, he announced that he was looking forward to the contest, saying, "To me, I wanted to play the best possible team in the Gator Bowl, and I think that's what we've got".
A week and a half after Dumervil won the Nagurski Trophy, senior defensive tackle Montavious Stanley
, who was a leader on defense for Louisville, underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle
. Stanley was the Cardinals' best run-stopper on defense, amassing 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks
during the season.
, a first-team All-ACC pick, an American Football Coaches Association
(AFCA) All-American, a finalist for the Lott Trophy
, and a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award. Tapp was considered a natural leader both on and off the field and led the Hokies' defensive workouts during practice. Tapp finished the regular season with 45 tackles (including 12.5 for a loss) and ten sacks. He was also named a second-team Associated Press
All-American, and he won the Dudley Award, given annually to the best college football player in the state of Virginia.
Tech cornerback Jimmy F. Williams, considered a cornerstone of the Hokie defense, was a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy that season, but lost to Louisville's Elvis Dumervil. Williams was Tech's sole first-team Associated Press All-American and also was named to the American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of American and Walter Camp All-America teams. He recorded 44 tackles and an interception for the Hokies in the regular season. Williams had foregone entering the NFL draft after the 2004 college football season
in order to return to Virginia Tech for his senior season, and he was expected to be a high draft pick upon graduation.
The 2006 Gator Bowl kicked off
at 12:30 p.m. EST
on January 2, 2006 in Jacksonville, Florida
. Official attendance for the game was listed as 63,780, placing it at 34th (out of 62) on the list of Gator Bowls in terms of attendance. At kickoff, the weather was mostly cloudy with a temperature of approximately 76 degrees. The wind was from the south-southwest at 11 miles per hour (17.7 km/h). Approximately 4.14 million American households watched the game on television, earning the game a Nielsen rating of 3.93. The pre-game show featured the Marching Virginians
, the Cardinal Marching Band, and the Wachovia Dance Team, a collection of Jacksonville-area entertainers. Also before kickoff, the stadium was overflown by a flight of U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA-103
, based in Virginia. The national anthem was sung by Monty Lane Allen, member of a Gospel
singing group.
rushed
for 12 yards on the game's opening play, netting the game's first first down. Subsequent plays, however, saw Louisville struggle to gain another. Facing fourth down and six yards at their own 34-yard line, the Cardinals seemingly prepared to punt
. Instead, the Cardinals executed a trick play
by running back
Kolby Smith, who ran with the ball. Smith surprised the Tech defense and broke free for a 30-yard run, converting the first down and continuing the Louisville drive. Eight plays later, Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell connected on an 11-yard pass
to Mario Urrutia for a touchdown
and the game's first points. The extra point
kick was good, and with 10:42 remaining in the first quarter, Louisville took a 7–0 lead.
Virginia Tech's first possession of the game began at its own 32-yard line after Louisville's post-touchdown kickoff. Tech running back Cedric Humes
gained 12 yards and a first down on the Hokies' first play of the game, and quarterback Marcus Vick
completed a 24-yard pass to wide receiver Josh Hyman three plays later to get another first down and drive the Hokies into Louisville territory. After Vick was stopped for losses on two consecutive rushing plays, he completed another long pass to Hyman for a first down. Subsequent plays saw Tech advance into the Louisville red zone but fail to gain another first down. Kicker Brandon Pace entered the game to attempt a 36-yard field goal
kick, which was successful. With six minutes remaining in the first quarter, Tech cut Louisville's lead to 7–3.
Louisville's second drive of the game was much quicker than the Cardinals' first. After beginning at their own 20-yard line, it took the Cardinals just seven plays to travel 80 yards and earn a touchdown. Louisville was helped throughout the drive by repeated Virginia Tech personal foul penalties. Tech players committed three separate 15-yard personal fouls during the drive, one of which came after Louisville's successful extra point kick when cornerback Jimmy Williams bumped a game official. Williams was ejected from the game for the contact and was removed from the field after watching the next series from the sidelines. The touchdown and extra point extended Louisville's first-quarter lead to 14–3.
Tech received the ball at its 20-yard line with 2:44 remaining in the first quarter. Three quick rushes picked up 22 yards and two first downs, pushing the ball to the Tech 42-yard line. On the next play, however, wide receiver Justin Harper committed a 15-yard pass interference
penalty, which negated much of the previous plays' gains. Marcus Vick rushed for five yards, threw two incomplete passes, and was unable to get another first down after the penalty. With time winding down in the quarter, Tech was forced to punt
the ball away. The game's first punt traveled 53 yards, and Louisville took over on offense at its 40-yard line following a 25-yard punt return as time expired in the quarter. At the end of the first quarter, Louisville led Virginia Tech, 14–3.
on several occasions. By the quarter's halfway point, Virginia Tech punted the ball twice in the period. Louisville punted the ball three times after kicking no punts at all in the first quarter.
After the third Louisville punt, Virginia Tech took over at its 46-yard line. Unlike the previous second-quarter possessions, which saw the Tech offense struggle to move the ball effectively, Tech began its drive with a five-yard rush. After losing seven yards on the next play, Marcus Vick completed a 19-yard pass to tight end
Jeff King, driving the Hokies into Louisville territory for the first time in the quarter. Two plays later, Vick connected with wide receiver Justin Harper on a 33-yard pass that resulted in the Hokies' first touchdown of the game. With 4:56 remaining in the first half of the game, Tech trimmed Louisville's lead to 14–10.
Following the Tech touchdown, Louisville attempted to answer with points of its own before halftime. After starting on his own 20-yard line, Hunter Cantwell completed two quick passes that resulted in 26 yards. Two plays later, Michael Bush broke free for a 34-yard run, driving Louisville deep into the Virginia Tech side of the field. Despite having a first down at the Virginia Tech 18-yard line, Louisville was unable to gain any yards on three consecutive plays. Bush was stopped for no gain on a rushing attempt, and two Cantwell passes fell incomplete. Kicker Arthur Carmody came in to complete a 35-yard field goal, and with 2:16 remaining in the first half, Louisville led by a score of 17–10.
After receiving Louisville's kickoff, Virginia Tech elected to run out the clock
and bring the first half to an end. During the process, Marcus Vick ran the ball on a designed play and was tackled by Cardinals defensive end Elvis Dumervil after Vick gained nine yards. Following the play, Vick paused, then stomped
on Dumervil's leg. Though referees failed to observe the stomp, television commentators replayed the action, and Tech coaches considered pulling Vick from the game as punishment. At the end of the first half of play, Louisville held a 17–10 lead.
by the Louisville defense, he recovered by throwing a 29-yard pass for another first down. Following the pass, Vick and Ore rushed for six consecutive plays, alternating carries at various intervals. Inside the Louisville red zone, however, the Cardinals' defense stiffened and the Tech offense began to falter. After Tech successfully gained a first down on fourth and one, the Hokies were unable to gain another. Tech kicker Brandon Pace was forced to make his second field goal of the game, this one a 28-yarder, to make the game 17–13 with 2:52 remaining in the quarter. The Tech drive began with 11:17 remaining in the quarter and took eight minutes and 25 seconds off the clock.
Louisville received the post-field goal kickoff, but again went three and out, punting the ball back to Virginia Tech. Louisville did not pick up a first down in the third quarter, and Tech began yet another drive as time ran out in the quarter. With one quarter remaining in the game, Tech narrowed the Louisville lead to 17–13.
. Virginia Tech and Louisville committed offsetting 15-yard personal foul penalties before the play, to no effect on the Hokie offense. On the next play after the long pass, Cedric Humes rushed for 24 yards and the answering Hokie touchdown. It took just 28 seconds for Virginia Tech to answer the Louisville touchdown. Having done that, Tech went Louisville one better, successfully scoring a two-point conversion
on a pass from Vick to Morgan. The touchdown and two-point conversion cut the Louisville lead to 24–21.
The Cardinals began their second drive of the quarter at their own 25-yard line. In fits and starts, the Louisville offense advanced down the field. Kolby Smith ran for a yard, Michael Bush for two, then six yards, and Cantwell completed two passes of seven yards each. The Cardinals were also helped by a defensive pass interference penalty against Virginia Tech, which gave Louisville a first down by penalty. As Louisville began to enter Tech territory in earnest, however, the Cardinals suffered their first turnover of the game. Facing third down and three yards from the Virginia Tech 40-yard line, Cantwell was sacked and fumble
d the ball. Tech defender Xavier Adibi
scooped up the loose ball, and Tech gained the initiative. Following the fumble, the Hokies began a drive at their 47-yard line. On the first play, Tech was aided by a pass interference penalty on Louisville. The penalty was followed by a three-yard Cedric Humes rush and yet another pass interference penalty against Louisville. Humes rushed twice more for five yards, and Vick completed a 16-yard pass to David Clowney before Vick completed a five-yard touchdown pass to Jeff King. The score and subsequent extra point gave Virginia Tech a 28–24 lead—its first of the game—with 6:03 remaining.
Louisville took over on offense needing to get a touchdown to regain a lead before the waning clock finally ran out of time. After the Tech kickoff and a touchback
, the Cardinals took over at their 20-yard line. Michael Bush ran for 10 yards and a first down, and Hunter Cantwell scramble
d for six more on a rushing play. Facing third down and needing four yards, Cantwell dropped back to pass for the first down. As the pass soared through the air, Tech defender James Anderson jumped and caught the ball, intercepting it. Still on his feet, Anderson quickly rushed the other way and, unimpeded, ran 39 yards into the end zone for a Virginia Tech touchdown. The score and extra point energized Virginia Tech's offense and defense and gave the Hokies an 11-point lead—35–24—with 4:45 remaining in the game.
Louisville returned on offense, needing to score quickly, make a stop on defense, then score a second time to take the lead. The energized Tech defense was disinclined to allow any such thing. Though Cantwell completed two short passes for 16 yards and a first down, he was sacked on first down and the Tech defense prevented him from completing another pass. Two passes were knocked down by Hokie defenders, while another fell short. After Louisville failed to convert a fourth down, Virginia Tech took over on offense. The Hokies proceeded to run out the clock
, executing two short rushes and an incomplete pass. Louisville had one final chance on offense after a Tech punt, but three consecutive desperation Hail Mary pass
es were unsuccessful. Two fell incomplete, and the third was intercepted by Tech cornerback
Brandon Flowers
. With time almost gone, Tech finished running out the clock and secured the victory. As time expired, Virginia Tech held a 35–24 lead and won the 2006 Gator Bowl.
Cedric Humes
was named the game's most valuable player for Virginia Tech, and quarterback
Hunter Cantwell was named the Cardinals' most valuable player. Tech punter Nic Schmitt set Gator Bowl record for punt yardage and average punt distance, kicking the ball six times for 300 yards, an average of 50 yards per kick.
Despite being more highly promoted in pregame media coverage, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was outperformed statistically by Louisville's Hunter Cantwell. Vick completed 11 of 21 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 10 yards on 13 carries. Cantwell, meanwhile, completed 15 of his 37 passes for 216 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
On the ground, Tech running back Cedric Humes led all rushers
with 22 carries for 113 yards and one touchdown. Louisville's leading rusher, Michael Bush, had 16 carries for 94 yards and one fumble
. The third-leading rusher in the game was Tech's Branden Ore, who carried the ball 11 times for 56 yards. Louisville's Kolby Smith
carried the ball three times for 32 yards, including a 30-yard run that was the game's second-longest rushing play.
Defensively, Virginia Tech dominated, intercepting the ball three times, forcing a fumble once, and earning one defensive touchdown. Two Louisville defenders had the best individual performances during the game, however. Brandon Johnson
and Abe Brown had six tackles apiece, and Brown sacked Marcus Vick once for a loss of ten yards. The sack was one of three earned by the Louisville offense during the game. Virginia Tech's defense earned two sacks during the game, and the Hokies' leading tackler was Vince Hall, who recorded four and two assists on sacks of Louisville's Hunter Cantwell.
Virginia Tech quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers
announced after the game that he would be leaving the team in order to become an assistant coach with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
. Rogers was replaced by new hire Mike O'Cain. Tech offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring
's second job as offensive line coach was filled by James Madison University
assistant coach Curt Newsome.
stormed off the field, refusing to talk to reporters following the loss. Vick, who picked up a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in that game, also earned several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the 2006 Gator Bowl, where post-game replays revealed he purposefully stomped on the leg of Louisville Cardinals' defensive end
Elvis Dumervil
. Vick claimed he apologized to Dumervil after the game, but Dumervil stated that no apology was made. In the wake of the incident, Virginia Tech officials announced that they would be conducting a review of Vick's conduct on and off the field.
On January 6, 2006, just a few days after the Gator Bowl, Virginia Tech officials dismissed Vick from the Virginia Tech football team, citing a December 17 traffic stop
in which Vick was cited for speeding and driving with a revoked or suspended license. Vick hid the information from the team and the infraction was not discovered until January. The traffic stop, an earlier suspension from the team, and his unsportsmanlike conduct during the 2005 ACC Championship Game and 2006 Gator Bowl were used as grounds for his dismissal. In response to being dismissed from the team, Vick was quoted as saying, "It's not a big deal. I'll just move on to the next level, baby". Vick appeared in one regular-season NFL game for the Miami Dolphins
in 2006. The Dolphins did not renew his contract, and he has been out of football ever since.
(155th), Jonathan Lewis (177th), Justin Hamilton
(222nd), Jimmy Martin (227th), Will Montgomery
(234th), and Cedric Humes (240th) were the other Tech players selected. Louisville had four players selected in the draft. Offensive guard Jason Spitz
was selected 75th overall and was the first Cardinals' offensive lineman to be drafted since 1996. Elvis Dumervil was selected with the 126th selection, linebacker
Brandon Johnson
was selected 142nd, and defensive tackle Montavious Stanley was selected 182nd.
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...
bowl game
Bowl game
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between the Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
and the Virginia Tech Hokies
2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season...
at Alltel Stadium
Alltel Stadium
EverBank Field is an American football stadium in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, and the home stadium facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . It also hosts the annual Florida vs...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
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on January 2, 2006. The game was the final contest of the 2005 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...
for each team and resulted in a 35–24 Virginia Tech victory. Louisville represented the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
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(Big East), and Virginia Tech represented 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...
(ACC) in the competition.
Virginia Tech was selected as a participant in the 2006 Gator Bowl following a 10–2 regular season
Season (sports)
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that included wins over 15th-ranked Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
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and traditional rivals Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
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and West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
. A loss to Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in the inaugural ACC Championship Game
2005 ACC Championship Game
The 2005 Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game was the inaugural contest of the game. It was a regular-season ending American college football contest at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Florida State Seminoles. The...
gave Tech a position in the Gator Bowl instead of the more prestigious Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
-run Orange Bowl
2006 Orange Bowl
The 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
game. Facing the 12th-ranked Hokies were the 15th-ranked Louisville Cardinals, who finished 9–2 during the regular season of their first year in the Big East Conference. Louisville won its last five games before the Gator Bowl and participated in the Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
at the end of the previous season. Pre-game media coverage of the game focused on Virginia Tech's fall from being a contender for the national championship, Louisville's loss of star quarterback
Quarterback
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Brian Brohm
Brian Brohm
Brian Joseph Brohm is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
to injury, the fact that both teams were playing under new conference affiliations, and the rise of Virginia Tech quarterback 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...
, younger brother of NFL star Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
.
The 2006 Gator Bowl began on January 2, 2006 at 12:30 p.m. EST
Eastern 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, Florida. 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's offense replied 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...
, but Louisville was able to add another touchdown before the end of the quarter, extending its lead to 14–3. 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, 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.
Tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
Cedric Humes
Cedric Humes
Cedric Akeem Humes is an American football running back who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Steelers placed Humes on the practice squad/injured reserve list, ending his season. He attended Virginia Tech and was instrumental in their 2005 ACC...
was named the most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the game for Virginia Tech, and quarterback Hunter Cantwell was named the Cardinals' most valuable player. Tech punter Nic Schmitt set Gator Bowl records for punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
yardage and average punt distance, kicking the ball six times for 300 yards, an average of 50 yards per kick. Virginia Tech's win was marred by excessive penalties and unsportsmanlike conduct that resulted in the ejection of one player. Following the game, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was released from the team as a result of several incidents of misconduct, including a stomp on Louisville defender 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....
's leg during the game. Several players who participated in the game, including Dumervil, later went on to careers in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Team selection
In the 2005 college football season2005 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 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...
had an automatic bid
Automatic bids to non-BCS bowls
I dont know how to edit this at all. But info on this page is incorrect. The Insight Bowl alternates choices with the Gator Bowl. One year one a bowl gets choice #4 from the Big10 and Big12 and one bowl gets #3. The following year the 3 and 4 are switched. This year the Ingsight will get choice 3...
to the Gator Bowl. By contract, the Gator Bowl Association—which produces the game—possessed the first pick of bowl-eligible
Bowl eligible
Bowl eligibility in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision College Football is the standard through which teams become available for selection to participate in postseason bowl games. When a team achieves this state, it is described as "bowl-eligible"...
ACC teams after the winner of the ACC Championship Game
ACC Championship Game
The Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game is an American college football game held on the first Saturday in December by the Atlantic Coast Conference each year to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Coastal Division against the champion of the Atlantic Division in a game...
was given a spot in a Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
(BCS) game. This was the final year that the Gator Bowl had first pick of eligible ACC teams, as contract renegotiations later resulted in the Gator Bowl slipping to the third selection, beginning with the 2006 college football season
2006 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 31, 2006 and, aside from all-star exhibition games that followed, concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game on January 8, 2007 in Glendale, Arizona, where the #2 Florida...
. Virginia Tech, losers of the 2005 ACC Championship Game
2005 ACC Championship Game
The 2005 Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game was the inaugural contest of the game. It was a regular-season ending American college football contest at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Florida State Seminoles. The...
, were chosen by the Gator Bowl Association to participate as the ACC's representative to the 2006 Gator Bowl.
The other half of the matchup (according to the selection guidelines used in the 2005 season) would consist of either Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
or the first selection from the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
after that conference's automatic BCS bid. Because Notre Dame was selected to play in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl
2006 Fiesta Bowl
The 2006 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, played on January 2, 2006, was the 35th edition of the Fiesta Bowl, featuring Notre Dame and Ohio State. Ohio State won the game 34–20....
, a BCS game, the Gator Bowl Association was required to select the Big East's Louisville Cardinals, which, like Virginia Tech, finished second in their conference.
Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team began the 2005 college football season as reigning Atlantic Coast Conference football champions. The Hokies also played in the 2005 Sugar Bowl2005 Sugar Bowl
The 2005 Sugar Bowl was a postseason American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Auburn Tigers at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 3, 2005. It was the 71st edition of the annual Sugar Bowl football contest...
against the third-ranked Auburn Tigers
2004 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2004 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. Auburn compiled a record of 13–0, winning the Southeastern Conference championship and finishing the season ranked #2 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll...
, losing 16–13 in a close contest. Expectations were high for the Hokies to repeat their ACC championship performance the next year, and a preseason poll of media covering ACC football resulted in Virginia Tech being picked to face Florida State in the inaugural ACC Championship Game.
In its first game of the season, however, eighth-ranked Virginia Tech almost let those expectations fall short. At North Carolina State, the Hokies trailed at halftime and were tied at the beginning of the fourth quarter before eking out a 20–16 win in the final minutes. The Hokies bounced back from the close contest in their second game of the season—against the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
—as Tech raced to a 45–0 victory. The Hokies held Duke to just 35 yards of total offense, Tech's best defensive performance in the modern era.
The win over Duke was followed by several others in succession. Heading into their ninth game of the season, the Hokies were 8–0 record and the third-ranked college football team in the country. Against the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes
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:...
, however, Virginia Tech suffered its first defeat of the season, falling 27–7. Tech recovered by winning its next two games, earning a spot in the inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game, held in Jacksonville, Florida
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...
. There, the Hokies lost, 27–22, to the Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
. The Seminoles earned an automatic bid to a Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
game by virtue of the victory—had Virginia Tech won the game, it would have been awarded the bid. The day after Tech lost the ACC Championship Game, the Gator Bowl extended a formal invitation to Virginia Tech, which the Hokies accepted. Ninth-ranked Miami, the same team that beat the Hokies 27–7 earlier in the season, was considered for selection, but the Gator Bowl Association took into consideration Virginia Tech's history of having a large fan base travel to its bowl games, and selected the Hokies on those grounds.
Louisville
The Louisville Cardinals football team came into the 2005 season having gone 11–1 the previous season, including a season-ending 44–40 victory over Boise StateBoise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
in the 2004 Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
. In addition, Louisville was also entering a new conference—the Big East—after departing Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
following the end of the 2004 season. In a poll of media members covering the Big East prior to the 2005 season, Louisville was predicted to win the Big East championship its first year in the conference.
In their first and second games of the season, the Cardinals lived up to that expectation. At in-state rival Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
, Louisville earned a 31–24 victory to win the Governor's Cup
Kentucky-Louisville rivalry
The Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals, athletic programs for the most prominent universities in Kentucky, are intense sport rivals. The teams first played each other in 1912 and 1913 but both rivalries were largely dormant for several decades until the teams started playing regularly in...
. This was followed the next week by a 63–27 victory over non-conference opponent Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their first Big East conference game of the season—and of school history—did not go as well. At South Florida
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
, the ninth-ranked Cardinals were outscored 45–14, the first time in 13 games Louisville's offense was held to less than 30 points.
Following the loss, Louisville recovered, scoring 61 points and 69 points, respectively, in non-conference wins over Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
and North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
, returning to their previous offensive success. Again, however, Louisville faltered against a Big East opponent. The Cardinals' second Big East game, at West Virginia University
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
, was another Louisville loss, 46–44. West Virginia later went on to finish 11–1 for the season, winning the Big East championship and defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2006 Sugar Bowl
2006 Sugar Bowl
The 2006 Nokia Sugar Bowl game was played on January 2, 2006, as part of the Bowl Championship Series. This 72nd edition of the Sugar Bowl featured the West Virginia Mountaineers, champions of the Big East, and the Southeastern Conference Champion Georgia Bulldogs...
.
Louisville, meanwhile, returned to its winning ways. The Cardinals, following their loss to the Mountaineers, won their first Big East game in school history the next week, over the Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
, 46–22. The rout of Cincinnati sparked a five-game winning streak, which concluded on December 3 with a 30–20 victory over the University of Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Brian Brohm
Brian Brohm
Brian Joseph Brohm is an American football quarterback for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, who had the sixth-best season (in terms of passing yards) in Louisville history, suffered a season-ending knee injury. With West Virginia having won the Big East championship and an automatic Bowl Championship Series game bid, Big East second-place Louisville was selected by the Gator Bowl even before the victory over Connecticut.
Pregame buildup
Pregame media and fan interest surrounding the game focused largely on Louisville's top-ranked offense and Virginia Tech's first-ranked scoring defense. Other major points of media coverage included the two teams' quarterbacks: Louisville's Hunter CantwellHunter 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 replaced starter Brian Brohm after Brohm suffered a season-ending knee injury; and Virginia Tech's 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...
, brother of National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
star Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
. Also a concern for Louisville was the health of star running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Michael Bush
Michael Bush
Michael Bush is an American football running back for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, who missed two games in November due to an injury. On a wider note, there was also interest in the conference-level showdown between a new Big East team (Louisville) and a team that left the Big East for the ACC after the 2003 season (Virginia Tech). For Virginia Tech, there was also the hope of overcoming the disappointment of a season that saw the Hokies ranked third in the country and in the hunt for the national championship before failing to even win the Atlantic Coast Conference and missing a bid to a Bowl Championship Series game.
When betting on the game opened, spread bettors
Spread betting
Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event, where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as fixed-odds betting or parimutuel betting. A spread is a range of outcomes and the bet is whether the outcome...
favored Virginia Tech by 10 points. Five days after betting opened, the point spread narrowed to 7.5, still in favor of Virginia Tech. Two weeks later, the point spread remained at 7.5 in favor of Virginia Tech.
Louisville offense
Heading into the Gator Bowl, Louisville's scoring offense was ranked third in the country—averaging 45.2 points per game—and was held under 30 points just once in their preceding 21 games. The high-powered Cardinals' offense was predicted to pose a challenge for the Virginia Tech defense.With star quarterback Brian Brohm having undergone surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
, there were some questions as to how backup Hunter Cantwell would perform under pressure. Cantwell played well in the Cardinals' season-ending contest against Connecticut, but some commentators predicted that Virginia Tech's quicker defense would pose problems for him. In that contest, Cantwell completed 16 of 25 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown. In high school
Paducah Tilghman High School
Paducah Tilghman High School is a public secondary school in Paducah, Kentucky, and is the only high school of the Paducah Independent School District....
, Cantwell passed for 7,272 yards and 70 touchdowns. His .606 career completion percentage ranked 11th in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
state history.
Running back Michael Bush was predicted to return to form after suffering a foot injury that kept him out of two games in November. Bush ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns against Connecticut, his first game back from the injury. Heading into the Gator Bowl, Bush earned a school-record 24 touchdowns and led the country in scoring. He ran for 1,049 yards in nine games. He was also a capable receiver, catching 20 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown. But with Brohm on the sidelines, it was expected the Cardinals would rely on Bush's legs more than usual, in an effort to minimize the need for the inexperienced Cantwell to pass the ball.
Louisville wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Mario Urrutia
Mario Urrutia
Mario Urrutia, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, who caught 31 passes for 702 yards and six touchdowns during the regular season, stirred a bit of controversy in the final days leading up to the Gator Bowl after he declared that Virginia Tech's first-ranked defense was "mostly hype".
Virginia Tech offense
Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was considered the key player for the Virginia Tech offense heading into the Gator Bowl. The younger brother of first-overall NFL DraftNFL 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...
pick Michael Vick—who also played for Tech—Marcus led the league in passing efficiency (141.6 rating), completed 166 of 268 passes (60.3 percent) for 2,190 yards and 15 touchdowns, with ten interceptions. On the ground, he ran for 370 yards and six touchdowns. Prior to the Gator Bowl, he pledged that he would return for another season at Virginia Tech before entering the NFL draft. "The NFL is tough. It's the real deal. You've got to be ready for it. You just don't want to rush into just throwing yourself out there because of the money or anything like that. You've got to really be prepared for it", he said.
On the ground, two different Tech players were predicted to share time running the ball. Senior running back Cedric Humes was predicted to get the bulk of the carries in the game, but redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman Branden Ore was also predicted to see some plays at times. Humes rushed the ball 140 times for 639 yards and ten touchdowns during the regular season. Ore, meanwhile, ran the ball for 591 yards and six touchdowns.
Wide receiver Josh Morgan
Josh Morgan
Joshua Lewis Morgan is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech.-High school career:Morgan played quarterback, wide receiver...
was also considered a key component of the Hokie offense. Morgan finished the season with 28 receptions for 471 yards and four touchdowns. Prior to the game, Morgan predicted that if the Hokies executed their plays well, they would emerge the victors.
Backup guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
Brandon Gore broke his ankle during the Hokies' loss to Florida State and would not be able to participate. Senior Tech running back Mike Imoh
Mike Imoh
Mike Imoh is a running back free agent. In college, Imoh played wide receiver and tailback for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. Prior to coming to Tech, he played for Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia.-College career:Imoh, a former high school tailback, moved to receiver in his...
, who shared time running the ball during the regular season with Ore and Humes, was also out after undergoing surgery to repair an injured ankle. Adding to the injury situation for Virginia Tech was offensive tackle Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin (American football)
James Mercer Martin, III is an American football guard and tackle for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, who suffered a sprained knee ligament in practice leading up to the game. Martin started 45 consecutive games prior to the Gator Bowl, a streak that was broken when he was replaced by Brandon Frye
Brandon Frye
Brandon Lee Frye is a former American football offensive tackle. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech....
on the day of the game.
Louisville defense
Shortly after Louisville was selected to the 2006 Gator Bowl, Cardinals defensive endDefensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
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....
was awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
, given annually to the top defensive college football player in the United States. Dumervil also earned several other honors in the weeks leading up to the game, including being named Big East Defensive Player of the Year, an Associated Press All-American
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
and earning the Ted Hendricks Award
Ted Hendricks Award
The Ted Hendricks Award is given annually to college football's top defensive end. The award is named after Ted Hendricks, who is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is presented by his own 501 foundation, called the Ted Hendricks...
, given annually to the best defensive end in the country. Dumervil led the nation in sacks (20) and forced fumbles (10) during the regular season. Prior to the game, he announced that he was looking forward to the contest, saying, "To me, I wanted to play the best possible team in the Gator Bowl, and I think that's what we've got".
A week and a half after Dumervil won the Nagurski Trophy, senior defensive tackle Montavious Stanley
Montavious Stanley
Montavious Stanley is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville....
, who was a leader on defense for Louisville, underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle
Pectoralis major muscle
The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped muscle, situated at the chest of the body. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles in the male and lies under the breast in the female...
. Stanley was the Cardinals' best run-stopper on defense, amassing 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
during the season.
Virginia Tech defense
Coming into the Gator Bowl, the Virginia Tech defense was ranked first in total defense, second in pass defense, fourth in rushing defense, and third in scoring defense, allowing an average of just over 12 points per game. The Virginia Tech defense was led by defensive end Darryl TappDarryl Tapp
-Seattle Seahawks:Tapp was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Tapp was a special teamer and part of the Seahawks' DE rotation. He recorded 33 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, and one defensive touchdown...
, a first-team All-ACC pick, an American Football Coaches Association
American Football Coaches Association
The American Football Coaches Association is an association of over 11,000 football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and the profession of...
(AFCA) All-American, a finalist for the Lott Trophy
Lott Trophy
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as...
, and a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award. Tapp was considered a natural leader both on and off the field and led the Hokies' defensive workouts during practice. Tapp finished the regular season with 45 tackles (including 12.5 for a loss) and ten sacks. He was also named a second-team Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-American, and he won the Dudley Award, given annually to the best college football player in the state of Virginia.
Tech cornerback Jimmy F. Williams, considered a cornerstone of the Hokie defense, was a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy that season, but lost to Louisville's Elvis Dumervil. Williams was Tech's sole first-team Associated Press All-American and also was named to the American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of American and Walter Camp All-America teams. He recorded 44 tackles and an interception for the Hokies in the regular season. Williams had foregone entering the NFL draft after the 2004 college football season
2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
in order to return to Virginia Tech for his senior season, and he was expected to be a high draft pick upon graduation.
Game summary
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
at 12:30 p.m. EST
Eastern 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...
on January 2, 2006 in Jacksonville, Florida
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...
. Official attendance for the game was listed as 63,780, placing it at 34th (out of 62) on the list of Gator Bowls in terms of attendance. At kickoff, the weather was mostly cloudy with a temperature of approximately 76 degrees. The wind was from the south-southwest at 11 miles per hour (17.7 km/h). Approximately 4.14 million American households watched the game on television, earning the game a Nielsen rating of 3.93. The pre-game show featured the Marching Virginians
Marching Virginians
The Marching Virginians are one of two collegiate marching bands at Virginia Tech . Established in 1974, their shows feature standard DCI techniques...
, the Cardinal Marching Band, and the Wachovia Dance Team, a collection of Jacksonville-area entertainers. Also before kickoff, the stadium was overflown by a flight of U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA-103
VFA-103
Strike Fighter Squadron 103 , nicknamed the Jolly Rogers is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1952. VFA-103 flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia...
, based in Virginia. The national anthem was sung by Monty Lane Allen, member of a Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singing group.
First quarter
Virginia Tech won the ceremonial pre-game coin toss to select first possession and deferred its option to the second half; Louisville elected to receive the opening kick. The Cardinals began the game's opening drive at their own 18-yard line after the opening kickoff. Running back Michael BushMichael Bush
Michael Bush is an American football running back for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
rushed
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
for 12 yards on the game's opening play, netting the game's first first down. Subsequent plays, however, saw Louisville struggle to gain another. Facing fourth down and six yards at their own 34-yard line, the Cardinals seemingly prepared to punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
. Instead, the Cardinals executed a trick play
Trick play
A trick play, also known as a gadget play or a gimmick play, is a play in American football that uses deception and unorthodox strategies to fool the opposing team. A trick play is often risky, offering the potential for a large gain or a touchdown if it is successful, but with the chance of a...
by running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Kolby Smith, who ran with the ball. Smith surprised the Tech defense and broke free for a 30-yard run, converting the first down and continuing the Louisville drive. Eight plays later, Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell connected on an 11-yard 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...
to Mario Urrutia for a 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:...
and the game's first points. The extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
kick was good, and with 10:42 remaining in the first quarter, Louisville took a 7–0 lead.
Virginia Tech's first possession of the game began at its own 32-yard line after Louisville's post-touchdown kickoff. Tech running back Cedric Humes
Cedric Humes
Cedric Akeem Humes is an American football running back who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Steelers placed Humes on the practice squad/injured reserve list, ending his season. He attended Virginia Tech and was instrumental in their 2005 ACC...
gained 12 yards and a first down on the Hokies' first play of the game, and quarterback 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...
completed a 24-yard pass to wide receiver Josh Hyman three plays later to get another first down and drive the Hokies into Louisville territory. After Vick was stopped for losses on two consecutive rushing plays, he completed another long pass to Hyman for a first down. Subsequent plays saw Tech advance into the Louisville red zone but fail to gain another first down. Kicker Brandon Pace entered the game to attempt a 36-yard 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...
kick, which was successful. With six minutes remaining in the first quarter, Tech cut Louisville's lead to 7–3.
Louisville's second drive of the game was much quicker than the Cardinals' first. After beginning at their own 20-yard line, it took the Cardinals just seven plays to travel 80 yards and earn a touchdown. Louisville was helped throughout the drive by repeated Virginia Tech personal foul penalties. Tech players committed three separate 15-yard personal fouls during the drive, one of which came after Louisville's successful extra point kick when cornerback Jimmy Williams bumped a game official. Williams was ejected from the game for the contact and was removed from the field after watching the next series from the sidelines. The touchdown and extra point extended Louisville's first-quarter lead to 14–3.
Tech received the ball at its 20-yard line with 2:44 remaining in the first quarter. Three quick rushes picked up 22 yards and two first downs, pushing the ball to the Tech 42-yard line. On the next play, however, wide receiver Justin Harper committed a 15-yard pass interference
Pass interference
In American and Canadian gridiron football, pass interference is a penalty that occurs when a player interferes with an eligible receiver's ability to make a fair attempt to catch a forward pass. Pass interference may include tripping, pushing, pulling, or cutting in front of the receiver or...
penalty, which negated much of the previous plays' gains. Marcus Vick rushed for five yards, threw two incomplete passes, and was unable to get another first down after the penalty. With time winding down in the quarter, Tech was forced to punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
the ball away. The game's first punt traveled 53 yards, and Louisville took over on offense at its 40-yard line following a 25-yard punt return as time expired in the quarter. At the end of the first quarter, Louisville led Virginia Tech, 14–3.
Second quarter
Louisville began the second quarter in possession of the ball at its 40-yard line. Despite having good field position, the Cardinals were unable to gain more than four yards on three plays and were forced into their first punt of the game. Throughout much of the second quarter, both teams traded punts as each went three and outThree and Out
Three And Out is a 2008 British comedy film directed by Jonathan Gershfield. It premiered in London on the 21 April 2008 and was released in the UK and Ireland on 25 April 2008.-Plot:...
on several occasions. By the quarter's halfway point, Virginia Tech punted the ball twice in the period. Louisville punted the ball three times after kicking no punts at all in the first quarter.
After the third Louisville punt, Virginia Tech took over at its 46-yard line. Unlike the previous second-quarter possessions, which saw the Tech offense struggle to move the ball effectively, Tech began its drive with a five-yard rush. After losing seven yards on the next play, Marcus Vick completed a 19-yard pass to tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Jeff King, driving the Hokies into Louisville territory for the first time in the quarter. Two plays later, Vick connected with wide receiver Justin Harper on a 33-yard pass that resulted in the Hokies' first touchdown of the game. With 4:56 remaining in the first half of the game, Tech trimmed Louisville's lead to 14–10.
Following the Tech touchdown, Louisville attempted to answer with points of its own before halftime. After starting on his own 20-yard line, Hunter Cantwell completed two quick passes that resulted in 26 yards. Two plays later, Michael Bush broke free for a 34-yard run, driving Louisville deep into the Virginia Tech side of the field. Despite having a first down at the Virginia Tech 18-yard line, Louisville was unable to gain any yards on three consecutive plays. Bush was stopped for no gain on a rushing attempt, and two Cantwell passes fell incomplete. Kicker Arthur Carmody came in to complete a 35-yard field goal, and with 2:16 remaining in the first half, Louisville led by a score of 17–10.
After receiving Louisville's kickoff, Virginia Tech elected to run out the clock
Running out the clock
In sports, running out the clock refers to the practice of a winning team allowing the clock to expire through a series of pre-selected plays, either to preserve a lead or hasten the end of a one-sided contest.- American football :...
and bring the first half to an end. During the process, Marcus Vick ran the ball on a designed play and was tackled by Cardinals defensive end Elvis Dumervil after Vick gained nine yards. Following the play, Vick paused, then stomped
Stomp (strike)
A stomp is a downwards strike with the heel of the foot from the stand-up position, and is usually directed at the head or body of a downed opponent...
on Dumervil's leg. Though referees failed to observe the stomp, television commentators replayed the action, and Tech coaches considered pulling Vick from the game as punishment. At the end of the first half of play, Louisville held a 17–10 lead.
Third quarter
The second half of play began with Virginia Tech receiving the ball, going three and out, and punting the ball back to Louisville. The Cardinals reciprocated by also going three and out and punting the ball back to Virginia Tech. The Hokies began their second drive of the quarter at their one-yard line. Despite beginning deep in their own end of the field, Virginia Tech mounted a successful drive. Tailback Branden Ore and quarterback Marcus Vick alternated rushes, picking up 18 yards and a first down. After Vick was sackedQuarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
by the Louisville defense, he recovered by throwing a 29-yard pass for another first down. Following the pass, Vick and Ore rushed for six consecutive plays, alternating carries at various intervals. Inside the Louisville red zone, however, the Cardinals' defense stiffened and the Tech offense began to falter. After Tech successfully gained a first down on fourth and one, the Hokies were unable to gain another. Tech kicker Brandon Pace was forced to make his second field goal of the game, this one a 28-yarder, to make the game 17–13 with 2:52 remaining in the quarter. The Tech drive began with 11:17 remaining in the quarter and took eight minutes and 25 seconds off the clock.
Louisville received the post-field goal kickoff, but again went three and out, punting the ball back to Virginia Tech. Louisville did not pick up a first down in the third quarter, and Tech began yet another drive as time ran out in the quarter. With one quarter remaining in the game, Tech narrowed the Louisville lead to 17–13.
Fourth quarter
Shortly after the fourth quarter began, the Virginia Tech drive that began in the waning moments of the third quarter came to an end. The Hokies were forced to punt, and Louisville began its first drive of the fourth quarter. The Cardinals' Harry Douglas ran for 29 yards on the their first play of the drive. On the second, Hunter Cantwell completed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Gary Barnidge. It took Louisville just 33 seconds and two plays to travel 58 yards and earn a touchdown. The score gave Louisville a 24–13 lead with 13:32 remaining to play. But just as it took Louisville just two plays to score, so too did it take Virginia Tech two plays to answer the Louisville touchdown. After taking over at his team's 22-yard line, Marcus Vick completed a 54-yard pass to wide receiver David ClowneyDavid 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....
. Virginia Tech and Louisville committed offsetting 15-yard personal foul penalties before the play, to no effect on the Hokie offense. On the next play after the long pass, Cedric Humes rushed for 24 yards and the answering Hokie touchdown. It took just 28 seconds for Virginia Tech to answer the Louisville touchdown. Having done that, Tech went Louisville one better, successfully scoring a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
on a pass from Vick to Morgan. The touchdown and two-point conversion cut the Louisville lead to 24–21.
The Cardinals began their second drive of the quarter at their own 25-yard line. In fits and starts, the Louisville offense advanced down the field. Kolby Smith ran for a yard, Michael Bush for two, then six yards, and Cantwell completed two passes of seven yards each. The Cardinals were also helped by a defensive pass interference penalty against Virginia Tech, which gave Louisville a first down by penalty. As Louisville began to enter Tech territory in earnest, however, the Cardinals suffered their first turnover of the game. Facing third down and three yards from the Virginia Tech 40-yard line, Cantwell was sacked and fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d the ball. Tech defender Xavier Adibi
Xavier Adibi
Xavier Oyekola Adibi is an American football linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
scooped up the loose ball, and Tech gained the initiative. Following the fumble, the Hokies began a drive at their 47-yard line. On the first play, Tech was aided by a pass interference penalty on Louisville. The penalty was followed by a three-yard Cedric Humes rush and yet another pass interference penalty against Louisville. Humes rushed twice more for five yards, and Vick completed a 16-yard pass to David Clowney before Vick completed a five-yard touchdown pass to Jeff King. The score and subsequent extra point gave Virginia Tech a 28–24 lead—its first of the game—with 6:03 remaining.
Louisville took over on offense needing to get a touchdown to regain a lead before the waning clock finally ran out of time. After the Tech kickoff and a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
, the Cardinals took over at their 20-yard line. Michael Bush ran for 10 yards and a first down, and Hunter Cantwell scramble
Quarterback scramble
A quarterback scramble or scramble is an impromptu maneuver or run in American football and Canadian football by a quarterback. If a quarterback is under pressure by an opposing team's defense, he may run forward, backward, or laterally in an attempt to avoid being tackled behind the line of...
d for six more on a rushing play. Facing third down and needing four yards, Cantwell dropped back to pass for the first down. As the pass soared through the air, Tech defender James Anderson jumped and caught the ball, intercepting it. Still on his feet, Anderson quickly rushed the other way and, unimpeded, ran 39 yards into the end zone for a Virginia Tech touchdown. The score and extra point energized Virginia Tech's offense and defense and gave the Hokies an 11-point lead—35–24—with 4:45 remaining in the game.
Louisville returned on offense, needing to score quickly, make a stop on defense, then score a second time to take the lead. The energized Tech defense was disinclined to allow any such thing. Though Cantwell completed two short passes for 16 yards and a first down, he was sacked on first down and the Tech defense prevented him from completing another pass. Two passes were knocked down by Hokie defenders, while another fell short. After Louisville failed to convert a fourth down, Virginia Tech took over on offense. The Hokies proceeded to run out the clock
Running out the clock
In sports, running out the clock refers to the practice of a winning team allowing the clock to expire through a series of pre-selected plays, either to preserve a lead or hasten the end of a one-sided contest.- American football :...
, executing two short rushes and an incomplete pass. Louisville had one final chance on offense after a Tech punt, but three consecutive desperation Hail Mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
es were unsuccessful. Two fell incomplete, and the third was intercepted by Tech cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers (American football)
Brandon Lavar Flowers is an American football cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft after playing college football at Virginia Tech...
. With time almost gone, Tech finished running out the clock and secured the victory. As time expired, Virginia Tech held a 35–24 lead and won the 2006 Gator Bowl.
Final statistics
Running backRunning back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Cedric Humes
Cedric Humes
Cedric Akeem Humes is an American football running back who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Steelers placed Humes on the practice squad/injured reserve list, ending his season. He attended Virginia Tech and was instrumental in their 2005 ACC...
was named the game's most valuable player for Virginia Tech, and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Hunter Cantwell was named the Cardinals' most valuable player. Tech punter Nic Schmitt set Gator Bowl record for punt yardage and average punt distance, kicking the ball six times for 300 yards, an average of 50 yards per kick.
Despite being more highly promoted in pregame media coverage, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick was outperformed statistically by Louisville's Hunter Cantwell. Vick completed 11 of 21 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 10 yards on 13 carries. Cantwell, meanwhile, completed 15 of his 37 passes for 216 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
On the ground, Tech running back Cedric Humes led all rushers
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
with 22 carries for 113 yards and one touchdown. Louisville's leading rusher, Michael Bush, had 16 carries for 94 yards and one fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
. The third-leading rusher in the game was Tech's Branden Ore, who carried the ball 11 times for 56 yards. Louisville's Kolby Smith
Kolby Smith
-Kansas City Chiefs:His first career NFL start was on November 25, 2007 due to injuries to Larry Johnson and the retirement of Priest Holmes. He recorded his first career touchdown on that date against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City....
carried the ball three times for 32 yards, including a 30-yard run that was the game's second-longest rushing play.
Defensively, Virginia Tech dominated, intercepting the ball three times, forcing a fumble once, and earning one defensive touchdown. Two Louisville defenders had the best individual performances during the game, however. Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville...
and Abe Brown had six tackles apiece, and Brown sacked Marcus Vick once for a loss of ten yards. The sack was one of three earned by the Louisville offense during the game. Virginia Tech's defense earned two sacks during the game, and the Hokies' leading tackler was Vince Hall, who recorded four and two assists on sacks of Louisville's Hunter Cantwell.
Postgame effects
Virginia Tech's victory in the 2006 Gator Bowl had far-reaching effects for both the Hokies and the Louisville Cardinals. The win pushed Tech to 11–2 on the season, while the Cardinals' loss ensured they ended the 2005 season with a 9–3 overall record. The game itself provided more than $14 million in economic benefit to the Jacksonville area as Louisville and Virginia Tech fans flocked to the region, spending money on food, hotel rooms, transportation, and entertainment.Virginia Tech quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers
Kevin Rogers (American football)
-External links:*-References:...
announced after the game that he would be leaving the team in order to become an assistant coach with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. Rogers was replaced by new hire Mike O'Cain. Tech offensive coordinator 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...
's second job as offensive line coach was filled by James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
assistant coach Curt Newsome.
Marcus Vick
Following the 2005 ACC Championship Game, Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus VickMarcus 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...
stormed off the field, refusing to talk to reporters following the loss. Vick, who picked up a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty late in that game, also earned several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the 2006 Gator Bowl, where post-game replays revealed he purposefully stomped on the leg of Louisville Cardinals' defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
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....
. Vick claimed he apologized to Dumervil after the game, but Dumervil stated that no apology was made. In the wake of the incident, Virginia Tech officials announced that they would be conducting a review of Vick's conduct on and off the field.
On January 6, 2006, just a few days after the Gator Bowl, Virginia Tech officials dismissed Vick from the Virginia Tech football team, citing a December 17 traffic stop
Traffic stop
A traffic stop, commonly called Being pulled over, is a temporary detention of a driver of a vehicle by police to investigate a possible crime or civil infraction. In constitutional law in the United States, a traffic stop is considered to be a subset of the Terry stop; the standard set by the...
in which Vick was cited for speeding and driving with a revoked or suspended license. Vick hid the information from the team and the infraction was not discovered until January. The traffic stop, an earlier suspension from the team, and his unsportsmanlike conduct during the 2005 ACC Championship Game and 2006 Gator Bowl were used as grounds for his dismissal. In response to being dismissed from the team, Vick was quoted as saying, "It's not a big deal. I'll just move on to the next level, baby". Vick appeared in one regular-season NFL game for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 2006. The Dolphins did not renew his contract, and he has been out of football ever since.
2006 NFL Draft
On April 29 and 30, the National Football league held its annual player draft. Over a dozen players who participated in the 2006 Gator Bowl were selected in the draft. Virginia Tech had a record nine players selected in the draft, with Darryl Tapp (31st overall) selected first from the Hokies. Jimmy Williams (37th overall), James Anderson (88th), Jeff KingJeff King (American football)
Jeffery "Jeff" W. King is an American football tight end in the National Football League with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football and basketball for Virginia Tech.-Football:...
(155th), Jonathan Lewis (177th), Justin Hamilton
Justin Hamilton
Justin Lee Hamilton is an American football safety in the National Football League, who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
(222nd), Jimmy Martin (227th), Will Montgomery
Will Montgomery
Will Montgomery is an American football center for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
(234th), and Cedric Humes (240th) were the other Tech players selected. Louisville had four players selected in the draft. Offensive guard Jason Spitz
Jason Spitz
Jason Spitz is an American football offensive guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
was selected 75th overall and was the first Cardinals' offensive lineman to be drafted since 1996. Elvis Dumervil was selected with the 126th selection, linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville...
was selected 142nd, and defensive tackle Montavious Stanley was selected 182nd.