1995 Sugar Bowl (December)

NCAAFootballSingleGameHeader
Name=1995 Sugar Bowl
Year=1995
Type=bg


Date=December 31, 1995
Stadium=Louisiana Superdome
City=New Orleans, Louisiana
Visitor Name Short=Texas
Visitor Nickname=Longhorns
Home Name Short=Virginia Tech
Home Nickname=Hokies
Visitor Record=10–1–1
Home Record=9–2
Visitor Coach=John Mackovic
Home Coach=Frank Beamer
Visitor1=7
Visitor2=3
Visitor3=0
Visitor4=0
Home1=0
Home2=7
Home3=7
Home4=14
Visitor

Visitor Coaches=6
Home

Home Coaches=11
MVP=
Odds=
Anthem=
Referee=
Halftime=
Attendance=70,283
US Network=ABC
US Announcers=
Ratings=
Intl Network=
Intl Announcers=

The 1995 Sugar Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Texas Longhorns at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 31, 1995. The game was the final contest of the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 28-10 victory for Virginia Tech.

In 1995, Virginia Tech received its first bid to a Bowl Coalition game. The Bowl Coalition, predecessor to the modern Bowl Championship Series, was intended to match up the two best teams in the Sugar, Orange, Fiesta, and Rose Bowls, with the two highest-ranked teams playing in a National Championship Game. Following the 1995-1996 college football season, Virginia Tech was selected to play in the 1995 Sugar Bowl as a result of this coalition. The Hokies, who finished 9–2 during the regular season and were named Big East Conference champions, [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/pastschedules.html?season=1995 Virginia Tech Football Past Schedules: 1995-1996] Virginia Tech Athletics Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 24, 2008.] played against the University of Texas, which finished 10–1–1 during the regular season en route to becoming Southwest Conference champions. [ [http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1349&change_well_id=2 Texas football All-Time results] University of Texas Athletics department, Mackbrown-texasfootball.com. Accessed February 24, 2008.]

Under rules of the Bowl Coalition, the Coalition's games were assigned for December 31, January 1, and January 2, so the game was played December 31 instead of the usual January 1 date.

The 1995 Sugar Bowl kicked off on December 31, 1995 in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Defense dominated in the first quarter as neither team scored during the game's first four possessions. Late in the quarter, however, Texas' offense, led by quarterback James Brown, put together an eight-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass. At the end of the first quarter, Texas led 7–0. [ [http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=752&change_well_id=2 1995 Sugar Bowl: Virginia Tech 28, Texas 10] University of Texas Athletics department, Mackbrown-texasfootball.com. Accessed February 24, 2008.] Early in the second quarter, Texas added another three points with a 52-yard field goal that came off an interception. But the Hokies began to fight back. Brian Still returned a Texas punt 60 yards for Tech's first points of the game, and at halftime, the Longhorns' lead was cut to just three points.

In the second half, Virginia Tech's defense kicked into high gear. Cornell Brown, the Hokies' All-American defensive end, was a key player as Tech sacked the Texas quarterback five times and caught three pass interceptions. On offense, wide receiver Brian Still added two passing touchdowns to his punt return touchdown, and the Hokies scored 21 unanswered points in the second half. [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/bowls/1995Sugar.html 1995 Sugar Bowl] Virginia Tech Athletics Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 24, 2008.] Tech won the game, 28–10. The win was the third bowl victory in school history, and was by far the highest-profile win for the school at the time. [ [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/opponents.html?opponent=Texas Virginia Tech Football Opponent History: Texas] Virginia Tech Athletics Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 24, 2008.]

On Virginia Tech's first night in New Orleans, redshirt center Keith Short missed the team's 2 a.m. curfew. In response, Tech head coach Frank Beamer ushered Short to the local Greyhound bus depot and put the player on a bus to his home in Richmond. [ [http://www.roanoke.com/sports/vtfootball/wb/xp-16031 Hokies depart for the Big Easy] Randy King, "The Roanoke Times". December 28, 2004. Accessed June 22, 2008.]

Notes