- 2008 Orange Bowl
NCAAFootballSingleGameHeader
Name=2008 Orange Bowl
Date=January 3, 2008
Year=2007
Visitor School=University of Kansas
Visitor Name Short=Kansas
Visitor Nickname=Jayhawks
Visitor Record=11–1
Visitor
Visitor Coaches=8
Visitor BCS=8
Visitor Coach=Mark Mangino
Visitor1=7
Visitor2=10
Visitor3=0
Visitor4=7
Home School=Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Home Name Short=Virginia Tech
Home Nickname=Hokies
Home Record=11–2
Home
Home Coaches=5
Home BCS=3
Home Coach=Frank Beamer
Home1=0
Home2=7
Home3=7
Home4=7
Type=bg
Stadium=Dolphin Stadium
City=Miami Gardens,Florida
Attendance=74,111
Odds= Va Tech by 3½
MVP=Aqib Talib , Kansas
Anthem=Katharine McPhee
Halftime=ZZ Top , DJ Irie,
VariousHigh School marching bands
US Network=FOX
US Announcers=Kenny Albert ,Darryl Johnston andBarry Alvarez cite web |url=http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=750671 |title=Rivals.com Bowl Viewer's Guide |author=Fox, David |accessdate=2007-12-17 |date=2007-12-13 |work=Rivals.com]
Ratings=7.4The 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season
college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks on January 3, 2008, atDolphins Stadium in Miami Gardens,Florida . Spread bettors favored Virginia Tech by three points, but in a game dominated by defensive andspecial teams play, Kansas defeated Virginia Tech 24–21. The game was part of the 2007–2008Bowl Championship Series (BCS) of the2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. This 74th edition of the Orange Bowl was televised in the United States on FOX and was watched by more than eight million viewers.The game between the third-ranked ACC champion Virginia Tech Hokies and the eighth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks from the
Big 12 Conference (Big 12) was played at neutral-site Dolphins Stadium. Tech served as the home team in the contest. Virginia Tech automatically qualified for the Orange Bowl by virtue of the ACC's tie-in with the bowl, while Orange Bowl selected Kansas over West Virginia—which had been upset by then 4–7 Pittsburgh—and conference rival Missouri. Two weeks after Kansas's selection, controversy erupted when a deal was revealed to put 4th-ranked Oklahoma against Virginia Tech. The deal was vetoed by BCS commissioners, and Kansas was selected for the Orange Bowl.The game marked the first time the Jayhawks had been to the Orange Bowl since 1969 and was their first bowl game since the 2005
Fort Worth Bowl , when they defeated Houston 41–13. Virginia Tech last played in the Orange Bowl game in December 1996, losing to Nebraska 21–41. The 2008 Orange Bowl was Virginia Tech's 15th consecutive season with a bowl game, a streak dating to the1993 Independence Bowl .Kansas
quarterback Todd Reesing had an excellent game, completing 20 of his 37 passes for 227 yards, onetouchdown , and oneinterception . On the opposite side of the ball, Virginia Tech quarterbackSean Glennon finished the game 13 for 28 passing, earning 160 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Despite both teams' offensive performances, the game'sMost Valuable Player was a defensive player, Kansas cornerbackAqib Talib , whose 60-yard interception return for a touchdown gave Kansas its first lead of the game. After the game, Talib was one of several players from both teams to announce an intention to enter the2008 NFL Draft .Team selection
As champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Virginia Tech was awarded an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl game. [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20071202aaa.html Hokies to face Kansas in FedEx Orange Bowl] Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, December 3, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.] The automatic ACC bid was the result of an off-season deal following the inaugural ACC Championship Game which granted the winner of the ACC Championship Game an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl unless it was ranked high enough in the
Bowl Championship Series standings to play in the National Championship Game. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/25/AR2006072501258.html ACC, Orange Bowl Make a Deal] "The Washington Post", July 26, 2006, E02. Accessed December 16, 2007.]Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech Hokies began their 2007 football season with emotion and remembrance. As Virginia Tech recovered from the worst school shooting in American history, football served as a way to help the university community emotionally heal. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=2993515 East Carolina adjusts to uncomfortable role in Virginia Tech's comeback story] The Associated Press, ESPN.com, August 27, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.] The opening game of the season, on September 1, 2007, was against
East Carolina University and featured numerous remembrance ceremonies and commemorations. Buoyed by the emotion of the day, the Hokies earned a 17–7 victory. [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20070901aaa.html Hokies hold off East Carolina, 17-7, in season opener] Matt Kovatch, "Hokiesports.com the Newspaper", September 1, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.] Their next game would not be as easy. One week later, Virginia Tech traveled to Baton Rouge,Louisiana to face the No. 2 Louisiana State University Tigers. The Tigers were widely regarded in pre-season polls as favorites to play in the National Championship Game and overwhelmed the Hokies in front of a home crowd, 48–7. [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20070909aaa.html Tigers swarm Hokies in Death Valley, 48-7] Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, September 9, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.]In the wake of the Hokies's defeat, Virginia Tech chose to start a new quarterback and a new offensive plan. Behind
freshman Tyrod Taylor , the Hokies rolled to five straight victories, including a win over No. 22 Clemson by 18 points. [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20071006aaa.html Hokies 'special' in 41-23 win over Clemson] Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, October 6, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.] During the winning streak,Sean Glennon , who had started at quarterback for the Hokies during the first two games of the season, returned to alternate possessions with Taylor in an unusual two-quarterback system. On October 25, the Hokies had a chance to make up for their early-season loss to LSU when they faced No. 2 Boston College on a Thursday night in Blacksburg,Virginia . Though the Hokies dominated for most of the game, Boston College quarterbackMatt Ryan managed a late-game comeback to win the game 14–10 with 11 seconds remaining. [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20071025aaa.html BC rains on Hokies' parade with 14-10 victory] Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, October 25, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.]With four consecutive victories after the loss, including a win over then-No. 16 Virginia, the Hokies won the Coastal division and secured a bid to the
2007 ACC Championship Game inJacksonville, Florida . [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20071124aaa.html Hokies win Coastal division with 33–21 defeat of UVa] Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, November 24, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2007.] There, they faced a rematch with Boston College, champions of the Atlantic Division. As in the previous matchup, defense dominated, but unlike in the earlier matchup, Matt Ryan was unable to seize the victory. Two fourth-quarterinterception s by Virginia Tech sealed the Hokie win and an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl game. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=273350103 Hokies ride Glennon's arm, Taylor's legs to ACC crown] ESPN.com, December 1, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2007.]Kansas
Kansas began its 2007 football season unregarded and without much consideration from the national media. In the opening
Associated Press football poll of the 2007 season, Kansas did not receive a single vote.cite web | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankings?pollId=1&seasonYear=2007&weekNumber=1 | title=2007 NCAA Football Rankings - Preseason | date=2007-08-18 | accessdate=2007-09-09 | publisher=Associated Press] From their opening game of the year, however, the Jayhawks began to impress voters with their offensive efficiency. AgainstMid-American Conference ChampionCentral Michigan University , Kansas scored 52 points while only allowing a singletouchdown . [ [http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/sep/02/flyin_high/?football Flyin’ high] Ryan Wood, "Lawrence Journal-World", September 2, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.]Over the next three games, Kansas outscored its opponents 162–16. [ [http://www2.kusports.com/football/schedule/2007/ 2007 Football Schedule] "Lawrence Journal-World". Accessed December 19, 2007.] As Kansas's Big 12 schedule began, the Jayhawks' winning ways continued, as they proved themselves against legitimate competition. On October 6, Kansas traveled to Manhattan,
Kansas , home of then-ranked No. 24Kansas State University for the opening game of its Big 12 schedule. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teams/schedule?teamId=2305 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule - 2007] ESPN.com, Accessed February 4, 2008.] In front of 50,924 hostile fans, Kansas quarterbackTodd Reesing struggled for the first time in the season. [http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/oct/07/beyond_doubt/?football Beyond a doubt] Ryan Wood, "Lawrence Journal-World", October 7, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.] Late in the fourth quarter, Reesing threw a ball that bounced off the facemask ofwide receiver Dexton Fields before being intercepted. The interception set up a Kansas State touchdown that put Kansas into a 24–21 hole with seven and a half minutes remaining. Reesing and the Jayhawks struck back quickly, however, and scored a 30-yard touchdown to take the lead for good.With the win, Kansas broke into the rankings of the top 25 college football teams in the country for the first time since 1996, [ [http://kuathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102907aab.html Eighth-Ranked Kansas Football To Host Nebraska Saturday At 11:30 a.m.] Kansas Athletics Department, kusports.com, October 29, 2007. Accessed February 18, 2008.] entering the
AP Poll at No. 20.cite web | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankings?pollId=1&seasonYear=2007&weekNumber=5 | title=2007 NCAA Football Rankings - Week 4 | date=2007-09-23 | accessdate=2007-09-23 | publisher=Associated Press] Over the next six weeks, Kansas continued to find ways to win. Traditional Jayhawk rivals such as Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M were defeated during the course of the season, and Kansas climbed the national rankings. By the 13th week of the season, the stage had been set for an epic game against Kansas's traditional rival, Missouri.Due to prior agreement, the 2007 edition of the Border War was held in Kansas City,
Missouri , atArrowhead Stadium , home of theNational Football League 'sKansas City Chiefs . In front of over 80,000 fans, No. 4 Missouri defeated No. 2 Kansas 36–28 to hand the Jayhawks their first loss of the season. [http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/nov/25/kus_perfect_season_spoiled_tigers/?football KU’s perfect season spoiled by Tigers] Ryan Wood, "Lawrence Journal-World", November 25, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.] Missouri, with the win, earned a trip to the Big 12 Championship Game. In that game, Oklahoma defeated Missouri 38–17 to earn an automatic bid to the2008 Fiesta Bowl . [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=3160608 Oklahoma's dominance, Big 12 North's resurgence highlight season] Tim Griffin, ESPN.com, December 14, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.] Due to the fact that the loss gave Missouri its second of the year, Kansas, which lost to the Tigers, was selected as an at-large pick by the BCS and earned a trip to the Orange Bowl. [cite web|url=http://www.topix.net/content/kri/2007/12/blair-kerkhoff-colleges-border-war-spills-into-bcs|title=Border War spills into BCS|last=Kerkhoff|first=Blair|publisher=The Kansas City Star|date=2007-12-02|accessdate=2007-12-04] [ [http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/dec/02/ku_play_virginia_tech_orange_bowl_jan_3/?football KU to play Virginia Tech in Orange Bowl on Jan. 3] "Lawrence Journal-World", December 2, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2007.]Controversy
Although Virginia Tech's selection via automatic bid was relatively quiet, Kansas' selection caused a great deal of controversy. Kansas had lost to Big 12 runner-up Missouri and had a lower Bowl Championship Poll ranking than the Tigers. [http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2007/12/04/orange-bowl-one-loss-better-two/ Orange Bowl: One loss is better than two] Dan Angell, the "Missourian", December 4, 2007. Accessed December 18, 2007.] Some believed that Missouri should have been selected ahead of Kansas because they had defeated Kansas and because they had played in the Big 12 Championship Game. According to BCS officials, however, Missouri's two losses were more of a detriment than Kansas's one loss and subsequent championship game absence.
Pundits and fans who opposed Kansas' selection pointed to the Jayhawks' strength of schedule, which at one point during the season was as low as 109th out of 119
Division I teams. [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6657620/ Bowl Breakdowns: Kansas vs. Virginia Tech] MSNBC.com, Accessed January 7, 2008.] By the time of the BCS selection, however, Kansas's strength of schedule had climbed substantially, reaching 88th in the Sagarin rankings and 74th in the CBS rankings. [http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/polls/119 NCAA Football Polls] Sportsline.com, January 7, 2008. Accessed January 7, 2008.] The final rankings rated Kansas' schedule as more difficult than those of both Hawaii and Southern California, who were also selected to BCS games. Aggravating the situation was the fact that Kansas and Missouri have one of the most intense rivalries in college football. Known as the Border War, the rivalry dates to the years before theAmerican Civil War . [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/04/sports/FBC-T25-Missouri-BCS-Snub.php BCS snub, Kansas getting picked for Orange Bowl riles Missouri fans] The Associated Press, December 4, 2007. Accessed December 18, 2007.]Two weeks after the selection of Kansas, yet another controversy arose when it was revealed that Big 12 and ACC officials had worked out an agreement to feature an Oklahoma/Virginia Tech matchup in the Orange Bowl in the hours leading up to the final selection. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/12/17/bcs/ The Orange Bowl that wasn't] Stewart Mandel, SI.com, December 17, 2007. Accessed December 18, 2007.] Oklahoma, which initiated the proposal, requested that it face the highest-ranked BCS opponent then available, which would have been Virginia Tech. Normally, Oklahoma, the 2007 Big 12 Champion, would have played in the Fiesta Bowl, which holds the automatic rights to the Big 12 Champion's BCS bid. A little-known clause in the Bowl Championship Series contract, however, allows for the commissioners of the BCS to override that bid if the automatically-selected team had played in the game the previous year, or to create a more interesting matchup. Oklahoma had played in the
2007 Fiesta Bowl and seemed a perfect candidate for execution of the clause. Big 12, ACC, and Big East officials all concurred with Oklahoma's plan to play in the Orange Bowl and voted in favor of it. However, those officials were overruled by the BCS commissioners, who instead selected Kansas for the Orange Bowl and forced Oklahoma to accept its automatic Fiesta Bowl Bid. The release of this plan upset many fans at both schools and across the country, who perceived that an Oklahoma-Virginia Tech matchup would have been superior to a Kansas-Virginia Tech game. [ [http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/tuesday-kickoff-bcs-intrigue-and-rodriguez-fallout-in-morgantown/ Tuesday Kickoff: B.C.S. Intrigue and Rodriguez Fallout in Morgantown] Pete Thamel, "The Quad", "New York Times" December 18, 2007. Accessed December 18, 2007.]Pre-game buildup
Most pre-game media and popular coverage of the 2008 Orange Bowl focused on the matchup between Kansas's No. 2 scoring offense and Virginia Tech's No. 2 scoring defense. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=280030259 Kansas-Virginia Tech Preview] STATS LLC, ESPN.com. Accessed December 20, 2007.] Outside factors, such as coaching, previous experience, and fan support were also considered in pre-game analysis of the matchup. Outside story lines included Virginia Tech's recovery from the
Virginia Tech Massacre , recovery from late-season losses suffered by each team (against Missouri for Kansas and against Boston College for Virginia Tech). [ [http://www.cjonline.com/stories/122307/haw_228375573.shtml Orange Bowl: Who are they picking?] The Topeka "Capital-Journal", December 23, 2007. Accessed December 23, 2007.]Offensive Matchups
Kansas
Heading into the Orange Bowl, Kansas was ranked second in the nation in scoring (44.3) and sixth in yards per game (491).Tim Reynolds, "Orange Bowl: Va. Tech Vs. Kansas". The Associated Press, December 2, 2007.] Kansas scored 40 or more points eight times during the 2007 season and scored 50 points five times. [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/notes/01032008.pdf 2008 Orange Bowl Game Notes] (PDF) Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, Hokiesports.com, December 20, 2007. Page 6. Accessed December 27, 2007. ] Kansas's ground game was led by
running back Brandon McAnderson, who averaged 87.5 yards per game during the 2007 season and earned 1,050 yards and 16 touchdowns in the season leading to the Orange Bowl. Through the air, Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing earned the 11th-highestpasser rating in the country, averaging a 152.41quarterback rating in 2007. Reesing completed 62.6% of his passes during the 2007 season, earning 3,259 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Reesing's favorite receiver was Marcus Henry, who was ranked No. 29 in the country for passing yardage, averaging over 82 receiving yards per game. During 2007, Henry earned 994 yards and nine touchdowns. On theoffensive line , the Jayhawks were led byAll-American left tackle Anthony Collins, who finished as a finalist for theOutland Trophy , awarded to college football's best offensive lineman. [Randall Mell, "Orange Bowl: Kansas' Anthony Collins is large and in charge". "South Florida Sun-Sentinel", December 30, 2007.] Because of the Jayhawks' effectiveness on offense, they punted the ball just 46 times during the 2007 season, the seventh-lowest total in Division I. [ [http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports/colleges.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-01-03-0135.html ORANGE BOWL NOTES] Inrich.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.]Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech featured an unusual two-quarterback system on offense, as quarterbacks
Sean Glennon andTyrod Taylor shared time behind center. Though unusual, the system was successful in leading the Hokies to their second ACC Championship in four years. During the 2007 regular season, Glennon threw for 1,636 yards and 11 touchdowns, completing 63 percent of his passes. Taylor, meanwhile, passed for 916 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing for 431 yards. [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/notes/01032008.pdf 2008 Orange Bowl Game Notes] (PDF) Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, Hokiesports.com, December 20, 2007. Accessed December 27, 2007.] Some pundits predicted that Kansas might have difficulty with Taylor's mobility, as his style of play was similar to that of Missouri's Chase Daniels, who gave Kansas its sole loss of the 2007 season. On the other end of the Virginia Tech aerial offense was a corps of capable receivers, led by seniorwide receiver s Eddie Royal and Josh Morgan. Morgan was the fifth-ranked receiver in Virginia Tech history, having earned 1,787 receiving yards. Royal was sixth, having earned 1,767 yards. Two of Tech's other receivers, Josh Hyman and Justin Harper, recorded 1,138 and 1,274 receiving yards each, marking the first time in Virginia Tech history that the Hokies had four different thousand-yard career receivers on the same team. On the ground, the Hokies were led by running back Branden Ore, who rushed for 876 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season. One week before the Orange Bowl, Tech coaches revealed that Ore would be suspended for the first quarter of the game against Kansas as punishment for showing up late to the Hokies' final pre-bowl practice. Ore was replaced by sophomore rusher Kenny Lewis Jr, who struggled against the Jayhawks' rush defense. [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/specials/bowls/2007/12/28/orange.bowl.ore.ap/ Hokies will start game without Ore] The Associated Press, SI.com, December 28, 2007. Accessed January 8, 2008.]Defensive matchups
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech finished the season ranked second nationally in points allowed per game (15.5) and fourth nationally in yardage allowed (293). The Hokies didn't allow a fourth-quarter point in the five games after giving up 14 fourth-quarter points to Boston College in Blacksburg. One key player in the Virginia Tech defense was
linebacker Xavier Adibi, who had scored his third career defensive touchdown in the ACC Championship Game against Boston College. Adibi, together with fellow linebacker Vince Hall, made up "the best LB duo in the country," according to ESPN commentator Chris Spielman. Hall's effectiveness had, however, been limited in the 2007 season by a broken wrist suffered against Clemson. Hall missed four games with the injury, but returned to play the final three contests of the season for Virginia Tech and promised to be featured heavily in the 2008 Orange Bowl. Backing up the Virginia Tech linebackers was a strong backfield, which had produced 12 NFL draft picks in the nine years preceding the 2007 season. Primary among the backfield players werecornerback s Victor Harris and Brandon Flowers, whoSports Illustrated .com called "maybe the best cornerback duo in the country".Kansas
Kansas, meanwhile, was less-highly regarded on defense and came into the 2008 Orange Bowl ranked 57th nationally in pass defense. [http://subscr.techsideline.com/news_archive/showArticle-3376.php Football Game Preview: The FedEx Orange Bowl] Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, December 31, 2007. Accessed January 10, 2008.] On the ground, however, Kansas was ranked far higher—sixth in the nation. In addition, Kansas only allowed an average of 16 points per game, good enough for to be ranked fourth nationally. A key portion of that run defense was defensive tackle James McClinton, who was named the Big 12's Defensive Lineman of the Year and earned second-team All-America honors. McClinton finished the 2007 regular season with 10.5 tackles for loss and promised more of the same for the Orange Bowl. The team captain of the Jayhawk defense, meanwhile, was
All-American cornerback Aqib Talib . [ [http://kuathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121807aaa.html Talib Officially Named Consensus All-America By NCAA] Kansas Athletics department, kuathletics.cstv.com, December 18, 2007. Accessed December 27, 2007.] Talib was also a threat on offense, catching eight passes, including four touchdowns, during the regular season. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teams/stats?teamId=2305&year=2007 Kansas Jayhawks Statistics - 2007] ESPN.com. Accessed December 27, 2007.]Game summary
The 2008 Orange Bowl kicked off at 8:30 p.m. EST at
Dolphins Stadium inMiami Gardens, Florida . The official attendance for the game was listed as 74,111 (the eighth consecutive Orange Bowl sellout), [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/stats/20080103.html#GAME.SUM Scoring Summary (Final)] Virginia Tech Sports Information, Hokiesports.com, January 4, 2008. Accessed January 6, 2008.] but actual attendance was lower, and several upper-deck sections of the stadium were sparsely filled. [http://www.kansas.com/637/story/270479.html Crimson and Orange: Kansas 24, Virginia Tech 21] "7:18 p.m.: Coin toss", Kansas.com, January 3, 2007. Accessed January 9, 2007.] Approximately 15 million viewers watched the game, earning the broadcast aNielsen rating of 7.4. [Fox Sports. [http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/tvratings "2007-08 Bowl Game TV Ratings"] , BCSfootball.com. Accessed September 27, 2008.] The broadcast of the 2008 Orange Bowl was the only BCS bowl game to show a rise in television viewers over the previous season's broadcast, as the 2007 Orange Bowl had only earned a Nielsen rating of 7.0. [ [http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2008/01/11/sportbiz_0113.html BCS ratings strong in Atlanta, lag elsewhere] Tim Taylor, "Atlanta Journal-Constitution", January 13, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2008.] The pre-game show featured severalhigh school marching band s, and the national anthem was sung byAmerican Idol runner-upKatharine McPhee . [ [http://www.orangebowl.org/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=1353306&DB_OEM_ID=11800 American Idol's Katharine McPhee to Sing National Anthem at 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl] The Orange Bowl Committee, December 17, 2007. Accessed January 9, 2008.]The coin toss featured former Virginia Tech star
Bruce Smith , while Kansas was represented byGale Sayers . Kansas won the toss and elected to kick off to Virginia Tech. Kansas would receive the ball to begin the second half. At kickoff, the air temperature was unseasonably cold for Miami at convert|57|°F|°C|lk=on, and the skies were cloudy with intermittent rain. [ [http://rlf.wset.com/news/stories/0108/484964.html Cold Weather Reaches Orange Bowl] Matt Dreyer, ABC 13, WSET.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.]First quarter
Virginia Tech's Eddie Royal fielded the opening kickoff from Kansas kicker Scott Webb, returning it 59 yards to the 41-yard line of Kansas. The return gave the Virginia Tech offense excellent field position to begin the game. Tech
quarterback Sean Glennon connected on an 11-yard pass to Justin Harper for a first down on the opening play of the game, but Kansas' defense stiffened on subsequent plays. After Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor entered the game at quarterback, Kansas sacked Taylor twice, pushing Virginia Tech 19 yards backward, out offield goal range. Because of the sacks, Virginia Tech was forced to punt the ball away without scoring any points.The punt was downed in the end zone for a
touchback , and Kansas began its first offensive possession of the game at its 20-yard line. Kansas quarterbackTodd Reesing proved remarkably effective, completing six of his eight passes during the drive and rushing for five yards on a quarterback scramble. Reesing drove Kansas' offense into Virginia Tech territory, but after Tech's Orion Martin sacked Reesing, Kansas was unable to gain another first down and kicker Scott Webb was sent into the game to attempt a 44-yard field goal. Webb's kick sailed wide of the uprights, however, and the game remained scoreless with 6:44 remaining in the first quarter.After the missed field goal, Virginia Tech took over on offense at its own 27-yard line.
Running back Kenny Lewis, Jr., replacing the suspended Branden Ore, ran for a first down, and Tyrod Taylor connected on an 11-yard pass to Eddie Royal for another first down. Now inside Kansas territory, Taylor attempted another pass. KansasAll-American cornerbackAqib Talib jumped between Taylor's throw and the receiver, intercepting the ball. Talib returned the interception 60 yards to the end zone for a Kansas touchdown—the first points of the game. Anextra point kick by Scott Webb made the score 7–0 Kansas with 5:15 remaining in the quarter.Following the extra point, Aqib Talib committed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which was enforced on the post-score kickoff. The penalty, coupled with a good kick return by Virginia Tech, gave the Hokies excellent field position for their third possession of the game. Quarterback Sean Glennon capitalized on that field position, connecting on a 24-yard pass to
wide receiver Justin Harper. The catch pushed Virginia Tech inside Kansas territory and seemingly set up the Hokie offense for their first score of the game. After two plays for no gain and a five-yard loss when Glennon was sacked by James Holt, Virginia Tech was forced to attempt a 49-yard field goal. Jud Dunlevy's kick fell short, however, and Virginia Tech was denied a score. Kansas recovered the short kick, which landed in theend zone , and returned the ball 39 yards. Despite the momentum earned by the missed kick, Kansas went three plays without gaining a first down and was forced to punt the ball away. Virginia Tech recovered the ball at its 15-yard line and ran two plays before time ran out in the first quarter.At the end of the first quarter, Kansas had kept Virginia Tech scoreless while capitalizing on a 60-yard interception return by Aqib Talib for the game's only points, a 7–0 lead. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=280030259&period=1 1st Qtr Play-by-Play] ESPN.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 9, 2008.]
econd quarter
Virginia Tech began the second quarter in possession of the ball and facing a third-and-five from its own 20-yard line. On the first play of the quarter, quarterback Sean Glennon threw for the first down, but was intercepted at the 37-yard line by Kansas' Chris Harris. After the interception, Kansas had the ball at the Virginia Tech 31-yard line. Todd Reesing connected on a first-down pass to
Derek Fine , and running back Brandon McAnderson contributed several short rushes. The Kansas offense failed to gain a second first down after the interception, however, and kicker Scott Webb was again called upon to attempt a field goal, this time from 32 yards away. Unlike his first kick, the second sailed through the uprights for three points. With 12 minutes remaining in the second quarter, Kansas extended its lead to 10–0. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=280030259&period=2 2nd Qtr Play-by-Play] ESPN.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 9, 2008.]Virginia Tech recovered the post-field goal kickoff at its own 31-yard line, and Branden Ore, having entered the game after his one-quarter suspension, advanced the ball three yards. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor also advanced the ball five yards on a scramble, but failed to gain a first down. The Hokies were forced to punt the ball away, and Kansas recovered the kick at its 41-yard line. With good field position and momentum granted by the interception and field goal, Kansas moved the ball quickly. Todd Reesing was sacked by Nekos Brown and Xavier Adibi, but connected to Jake Sharp for 20 yards on two passes, advancing the ball deep into Virginia Tech territory. Passes to Marcus Henry and Dezmon Briscoe advanced Kansas 21 more yards into Hokie territory, and Brandon McAnderson rushed for five yards on the ground. Capping the Kansas drive was a 13-yard toss by Reesing to Henry for a touchdown. The score, which came with 7:03 remaining in the first half, gave Kansas a 17–0 lead, its largest of the game.
Virginia Tech recovered the post-touchdown kickoff desperately needing to score before halftime. Kansas had played strongly on defense throughout the first half, and the game's momentum was firmly behind the Jayhawks, who had capitalized on two Virginia Tech turnovers. Sean Glennon completed a three-yard pass to Josh Morgan to begin the drive, but it was running back Branden Ore who did the vast majority of the work during the Hokies' final offensive drive of the first half. After Glennon's pass, Ore rushed the ball on six straight plays, picking up 33 yards and two first downs on the way. After that, Glennon contributed a five-yard run of his own, which was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty against Kansas. Branden Ore received the ball again, rushing on five consecutive plays, culminating in a one-yard run for a touchdown. The score came with just 1:03 left in the half, giving Virginia Tech its first points of the game and narrowing Kansas' lead to 17–7.
Kansas received Virginia Tech's kickoff, and the Hokies attempted to give themselves another chance at offense by calling timeouts after Kansas rushed the ball. The timeouts stopped the clock, but Kansas managed to earn a first down and run out the clock after Tech used its allotted three timeouts. Heading into halftime, Kansas still had the lead and the momentum, but a Virginia Tech touchdown had cut the Jayhawks' lead to just 10 points, 17–7.
Halftime show
The
halftime show of the 2008 Orange Bowl was headlined by Americanblues rock bandZZ Top , who played their song "Sharp Dressed Man ". [ [http://www.orangebowl.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11800&ATCLID=1349688 Rock & Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top to Headline 2008 Orange Bowl Halftime Show] The Orange Bowl Committee, December 7, 2007. Accessed January 7, 2008.] The band was a favorite of Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing, who expressed regrets prior to the game that he would not be able to listen to the performance. [ [http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/dec/11/reesing_troubled_miss_zz_top/ Reesing troubled to miss ZZ Top] Nathan Reed, "Lawrence Journal-World", December 11, 2007. Accessed January 7, 2007.] TheMaster of Ceremonies for the show was localdisc jockey DJ Irie, who orchestrated a cheering contest between fans of Virginia Tech and Kansas. Irie became the first DJ to perform in the halftime show of a bowl game in 2005 when he played during halftime at the2005 Orange Bowl . [ [http://www.wantickets.com/function/artist/artistdetail.asp?id=189 DJ Irie] Wantickets.com, "Artist Profile". Accessed January 7, 2008.] Also featured during the halftime show were a group ofhigh school marching bands, who playedStevie Ray Vaughn 's "Crossfire" while ZZ Top's stage was disassembled. [ [http://community.myfoxkc.com/blogs/Channel-Z/2008/01/05/Orange_Bowl_trip_recap Orange Bowl trip recap] Channel-Z, myfoxkc.com, January 5, 2008. Accessed January 7, 2008.] Following the halftime show, the FOX truck broadcasting the game experienced a power outage. As Fox crews worked to get the power restored, the second half was delayed by three minutes. [ [http://www.sportsvideo.org/portal/artman/publish/article_9450.shtml Fox Sports shows championship form during NFL, BCS coverage] Ken Kerschbaumer, Sports Video Group. January 14, 2008. Accessed February 12, 2008.] [ [http://editsuite.com/new/viewtopic.php?pid=5901 Orange Bowl Half-Time] Editsuite.com forums, January 6, 2008. Accessed January 7, 2008.]Third quarter
Kansas, which had won the pre-game coin toss, received the ball to open the second half. Todd Reesing initially began where he had left off in the first half, completing a pass to Dexton Fields for 12 yards and a first down. On subsequent plays, however, Virginia Tech showed some of the defensive prowess that had been promoted heavily heading into the game. Aqib Talib was tackled for a loss of six yards after catching a pass. Reesing was sacked under heavy pressure from the Tech defense. On third down, a Reesing pass was nearly intercepted by Cody Grimm, who knocked it down to force a Kansas punt. On the subsequent return, Virginia Tech earned its first big play of the game. Eddie Royal, who had returned every one of Virginia Tech's first-half kicks, received the ball and lateraled it to Justin Harper, who returned it 84 yards for a touchdown. The score cut Kansas' lead to just three points with 11:35 remaining in the third quarter. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=280030259&period=3 3rd Qtr Play-by-Play] ESPN.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 9, 2008.]
With the game's momentum now firmly in their favor, the Virginia Tech defense stopped Kansas' offense on three straight plays, forcing another Kansas punt. The kick traveled 62 yards and was recovered at the Virginia Tech 18-yard line. Virginia Tech's offense, despite the poor field position, moved quickly, partly due to a 15-yard
pass interference penalty against Kansas. Sean Glennon completed a controversial 37-yard pass totight end Greg Boone to drive the Hokies deep into Kansas territory. Initially, the pass appeared to have been intercepted by a Kansas defender, but subsequent replays revealed that Boone had wrested possession of the ball away from the defender. Three rushes deep inside the Kansasred zone netted the Hokies just nine more yards, setting up a fourth-and-one scenario for the Virginia Tech offense. Rather than risk a failed fourth-down conversion, Virginia Tech head coachFrank Beamer sent in kicker Jud Dunlevy to attempt a 25-yard field goal. During the kick, however, Kansas defender Joe Mortensen rushed through the Virginia Tech line and blocked the kick, denying the Hokies three points and preserving a 17–14 Kansas lead with 6:31 remaining in the quarter.The block neutralized all the Virginia Tech momentum that had been gained with the punt-return touchdown and kept Kansas in the lead. [ [http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jan/04/mortensens_kick_block_proves_huge/ Mortensen’s kick block proves huge] Ryan Wood, "Lawrence Journal-World & News", Lawrence, Kansas. January 4, 2008. Accessed February 14, 2008.] After the block, however, Kansas failed to gain a first down on offense. Though forced to punt the ball away, punter Kyle Tucker's 42-yard kick was helped by a 10-yard illegal blocking penalty against Virginia Tech that pinned the Hokies at their own 25-yard line. Branden Ore picked up a first down with two rushes, but the Tech offense failed to gain another first down and the Hokies were forced to punt the ball again.
Kansas took over at its own 12-yard line after the punt. On the first play of the drive, Reesing completed a 37-yard pass to Dexton Fields, putting the ball near midfield. Three straight
incomplete pass es later, Kansas faced a fourth-and-ten and a punt. Instead of punting the ball away, however, Kansas elected to try a risky fake punt-pass. Instead of snapping the ball to the punter, the ball was snapped to running back Brandon McAnderson, who threw the ball 22 yards downfield to Micah Brown for a first down. On the very next play, Reesing, having returned to the field, connected on a 28-yard pass to Dexton Fields, who was pushed out of bounds just short of thegoal line . With a first-and-goal from inside the one-yard line, a Kansas touchdown seemed inevitable. On the first play inside the red zone, however, Kansasfumble d the ball. Though the ball was recovered by a Kansas player, the play lost four yards. On the next play, Kansas committed a 15-yard personal foul penalty. The personal foul was followed by a 10-yard holding penalty, and Kansas was pushed entirely outside the Virginia Tech red zone. In an effort to push back, Reesing threw a pass deep downfield. Instead of being completed, however, the ball was intercepted by Virginia Tech's D.J. Parker. With 39 seconds left in the quarter, Virginia Tech had stopped Kansas from gaining a point despite the Jayhawks penetrating inside the Virginia Tech one-yard line.As the quarter came to an end, the Hokies gained two quick first downs and advanced the ball 26 yards, seemingly having regained the momentum lost with the blocked kick. With one quarter remaining in the game, however, Kansas still had a three-point lead, 17–14.
Fourth quarter
The first few plays of the fourth quarter failed to live up to the promise that had been shown in the third for the Hokies. Two incomplete passes and one that gained just two yards forced Virginia Tech to punt the ball away with 13:49 remaining in the quarter. After taking over at its 33-yard line, Kansas had no more success on offense than did Virginia Tech. After three straight plays with no gain, Kansas was forced to punt the ball away as well. A 58-yard kick by Kyle Tucker pinned Virginia Tech inside its 10-yard line, and the Hokies were unable to advance the ball much beyond the ten-yard line. An incomplete pass and a two-yard run by Branden Ore were all the offense managed before Sean Glennon threw a 20-yard interception to the Jayhawks' Justin Thornton. Thornton returned the ball 30 yards to the Virginia Tech two-yard line, and on Kansas' first play after the interception, Todd Reesing ran two yards for the touchdown. The score gave the Jayhawks a 24–14 lead with just 10:57 remaining. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=280030259&period=4 4th Qtr Play-by-Play] ESPN.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 9, 2008.]
After the Kansas kickoff, Virginia Tech took over at its 33-yard line. Needing a score, the Hokies committed a five-yard false start penalty before quarterback Sean Glennon was sacked by Kansas' Mike Rivera. The two plays pushed the Virginia Tech offense back, preventing them from gaining a first down. Forced to punt the ball away, Virginia Tech had to play defense as Kansas took over at its 28-yard line. Secure in their lead, Kansas elected to run the ball in an effort to keep the clock moving and bring the game to an end more quickly. Brandon McAnderson broke free for 28 yards on the first play of the drive, and Jake Sharp contributed another first down on the ground before the Hokie defense stopped Kansas on an attempt to earn a first down on a fourth-and-two deep inside Virginia Tech territory.Having stopped Kansas on fourth down, Virginia Tech took over on offense at its 22-yard line. With just 5:51 remaining in the game, the Hokies badly needed to score quickly and get a defensive stop in order to have a chance to win. The Hokies advanced on the first aspect of that requirement as Sean Glennon converted several first downs through the air. Kansas allowed no play over nine yards until late in the drive, forcing Virginia Tech to use up valuable time. On the last play of the drive, Sean Glennon connected on a 20-yard strike to Justin Harper for a touchdown. The score cut Kansas' lead to just three points, but with just three minutes remaining in the game, Virginia Tech's comeback would only be complete if the Hokies could recover a difficult
onside kick .Jud Dunlevy kicked the ball, which traveled the regulation 10 yards, but was recovered by Kansas. The Hokies, despite failing to recover the onside kick, still had a chance for another offensive possession if they stopped Kansas' offense short of a first down. Because the Hokies had two timeouts remaining, they could stop the clock after two Kansas plays, thus preserving time for a Virginia Tech offensive drive. An 11-yard pass by Todd Reesing netted Kansas a first down, however, and subsequent runs by the Jayhawks allowed Kansas to run out the clock despite the Virginia Tech timeouts. Kansas preserved its lead and the 24–21 victory as time ran out.
Final statistics
On offense, the Jayhawks recorded a total of 344 yards, 249 of which came through the air. Quarterback Todd Reesing was the key contributor to the Kansas aerial attack, completing 20 of his 37 passes for 227 yards and just one interception. The only other Kansas player to record passing yards was running back Brandon McAnderson, who threw a 22-yard first-down pass during a fake punt trick play. Though under pressure for much of the game—Reesing was sacked four times—Kansas continued to maintain an effective pass attack throughout the game.
Eight different receivers caught at least one pass, with Dexton Fields leading all receivers in the game with seven catches for 101 yards. Both totals were the highest marks recorded in the game by either team. Fields was also the recipient of a play that tied for the longest pass play of the game, a 37-yard toss from Reesing halfway through the third quarter. Cornerback and game MVP Aqib Talib came into the game as a receiver several times, but because his appearance in the game was such an unusual occurrence, the Virginia Tech defense was able to zero in on him and prevent him from catching the ball.
The Jayhawks' ground game was less effective than their pass offense, but still had success against a tough Virginia Tech defense. Running back Brandon McAnderson, Kansas' leading rusher, finished the game with 15 carries for 75 yards. Backup running back Jake Sharp rushed nine times for 33 yards, including several key first-down runs.
As successful as Kansas' offense was, it was the Jayhawks' special teams that earned them the victory. Kansas blocked one Virginia Tech field goal, and caused Tech kicker Jud Dunlevy to miss another short. Kansas punter Kyle Tucker did an excellent job pinning Virginia Tech deep in its own end of the field, kicking the ball five times for a total of 250 yards, averaging 50 yards a punt. His longest punt, a 62-yard kick, was one of three punts that were downed inside Tech's 20-yard line.
The Kansas defense, which had been ill-regarded heading into the game, performed well, as MVP Aqib Talib finished the game with five tackles in addition to the interception that he returned for a touchdown. The Jayhawks' leading tackler was Mike Rivera, who earned 12 tackles, including one sack of quarterback Sean Glennon. Altogether, the Jayhawks sacked Virginia Tech's quarterbacks five times, including two sacks on the opening drive of the game.
Post-game effects
Kansas' victory in the 2008 Orange Bowl had far-reaching effects for both Virginia Tech and Kansas as well as college football teams around the country. The victory allowed Kansas to finish its 2007 season with a final record of 12–1, while the loss brought Virginia Tech to a final record of 11–3. The game itself provided tens of millions of dollars of economic impact for the South Florida region, which attracted tens of thousands of visitors from both Virginia and Kansas. [ [http://blogs.trb.com/sports/custom/business/blog/2007/12/orange_changeup.html Orange Changeup] Sarah Talalay, Sun-Sentinel.com, December 4, 2007. Accessed January 9, 2008.] In Kansas, bars and liquor stores benefited from the game, as Jayhawks' fans stocked up on food and alcohol for the game. [ [http://www.ksn.com/news/local/13019847.html Orange Bowl has local businesses seeing green] KSN.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.]
A bet on the game between the governors of Kansas and Virginia was resolved when Virginia Governor
Tim Kaine sent a Virginiasmoked ham to the Kansas state capitol. [ [http://www.nebraska.tv/Global/story.asp?S=7587037&nav=menu605_2 Virginia set to deliver on Orange Bowl bet] The Associated Press, Nebraska.tv, January 7, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.] Had Virginia Tech won, Kansas GovernorKathleen Sebelius would have sent Kaine an assortment of Kansas beef. [ [http://nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=7578174&nav=menu496_13_2story Kaine loses friendly wager over Tech's Orange Bowl loss] The Associated Press, NBC 29, January 4, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.]Virginia Tech
The Hokies' loss to Kansas lowered its bowl winning percentage since 1993 to 40 percent. In the 15 bowl games played between the
1993 Independence Bowl and the 2008 Orange Bowl, the Hokies amassed a record of six wins and nine losses. Despite the loss to the Jayhawks and the loss of several graduating players, Virginia Tech was a popular pick to repeat as ACC champions heading into the off-season. [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/rothreport/recaps/20080107aaa.html Bowl loss has feel of last year's, but Hokies still have more than enough to make 2008 run] Bill Roth, Hokiesports.com, January 7, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.] The seniors who graduated following the Orange Bowl game were the winningest team in Virginia Tech history, becoming one of just three teams in Division I to win at least 10 games each of the previous four years. Junior Sean Glennon's second consecutive failure to win a bowl game, however, re-opened the question of whether he or Tyrod Taylor would be the Hokies' starter at quarterback in 2008. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/04/AR2008010403415.html Hokies' Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Gain] Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post, E05, January 5, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.]Kansas
Kansas' victory over Virginia Tech was the Jayhawks' fifth bowl victory and was just the 11th bowl game in the entire history of the
Kansas Jayhawks football team. Because of the unexpected nature of the Jayhawks' success, some pundits proclaimed the 2008 Orange Bowl as ranking among the greatest Kansas sports victories of all time. [ [http://kansas.scout.com/2/717823.html Orange Bowl the Biggest KU Sports Win Ever?] Jim Williamson, Phog.net, January 7, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.] The game paid $17 million to Kansas and theBig 12 Conference and helped to boost the Kansas football team's national profile among potential recruits. In addition, the bowl appearance assisted the Kansas Athletic Department's fundraising efforts. [ [http://www.kbsd6.com/Global/story.asp?S=7573986 Win or Lose, Orange Bowl Brings Big Benefits for KU] Richard Smith, KBSD6.com, January 3, 2008. Accessed January 8, 2008.]2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 Orange Bowl provided an excellent national platform for players from both Kansas and Virginia Tech to impress National Football League scouts prior to the
2008 NFL Draft , held April 26 and April 27, 2008. Virginia Techcornerback Brandon Flowers was one of the first Orange Bowl participants to announce his intent to enter the draft following the game. Flowers, a redshirt junior, finished the season with five interceptions. [ [http://subscr.techsideline.com/news_archive/showArticle-3386.php Brandon Flowers to Turn Pro] Will Stewart, Techsideline.com, January 6, 2008. Accessed January 6, 2008.]Two Kansas players announced that they would leave early for the NFL. Aqib Talib, the game's MVP, and All-American Anthony Collins announced they would enter the 2008 draft, capitalizing on their successful season. [ [http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jan/07/talib_going_nfl/ Talib going to NFL] Ryan Wood, "Lawrence Journal-World", January 7, 2008. Accessed January 7, 2008.]
In total, eight Virginia Tech players would be drafted that year, along with four Kansas players.
ee also
*
Glossary of American football Other
Bowl Championship Series games
*2008 Sugar Bowl
*2008 Fiesta Bowl
*2008 Rose Bowl
*2008 BCS National Championship Game References
External links
* [http://www.orangebowl.org/ Official website of the Orange Bowl]
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