1996 Orange Bowl (December)

NCAAFootballSingleGameHeader
Name=63rd FedEx Orange Bowl [This is the 1996-97 season game that usually would be held January 1, 1997. Because of the Bowl Alliance policy that assigned one game to December 31 of the previous season, this game was played December 31, 1996.]


Date=December 31, 1996
Year=1996
Visitor School=Virginia Tech
Visitor Name Short=Virginia Tech
Visitor Nickname=Hokies
Visitor Record=10-1
Visitor

Visitor Coaches=9
Visitor Coach=Frank Beamer
Visitor1=7
Visitor2=7
Visitor3=7
Visitor4=0
Visitor Total=21
Home School=University of Nebraska
Home Name Short=Nebraska
Home Nickname=Cornhuskers
Home Record=10-2
Home

Home Coaches=6
Home Coach=Tom Osborne
Home1=0
Home2=17
Home3=14
Home4=10
Home Total=41
Type=bg
Attendance=63,297
MVP=Nebraska RB Damon Benning and Virginia Tech RB Ken Oxendine
Stadium=Pro Player Stadium
City=Miami Gardens, Florida
US Network=CBS
US Announcers=Sean McDonough and Mike Mayock
Ratings=7.8

The 63rd Orange Bowl, a 1996-1997 Bowl Alliance game, was played on December 31, 1996. This 63rd edition of the Orange Bowl featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Virginia Tech Hokies. Virginia Tech came into the game with a 10-1 record and #10 AP ranking, whereas Nebraska came into the game with a 10-2 and #6 AP ranking.

Virginia Tech opened up a 7-0 lead after 1 quarter with a touchdown pass from Jim Druckenmiller. A Kris Brown field goal and a Scott Frost touchdown run gave Nebraska a 10-7 lead. Before halftime, defender Jason Peter recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown, and a 17-7 lead. Druckemiller threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to Shawn Scales with 19 seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 17-14.

Nebraska scored on a touchdown run to take a 24-14 lead early in the third quarter. A 33 yard touchdown pass to Cornelius White cut the deficit to 24-21. Nebraska ended the game on a 17-0 run to make the final margin 41-21. Virginia Tech's running back Ken Oxendine rushed for 150 yards on 23 carries.

Aftermath

Virginia Tech finished the season 10-2, and Nebraska finished the season 11-2.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.orangebowl.org/ Official website of the Orange Bowl]
* [http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=8&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=169 Nebraska official recap]
* [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/bowls/1996Orange.html Virginia Tech official recap]
* [http://www.roanoke.com/sports/vtfootball/wb/178398 A look back, 12 years later]