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College football game

The 1991 Vanier Cup was the 27th edition of the Vanier Cup and deciding game to determine the CIAU football national champion for the 1991 season. It was played on November 30, 1991 at the Skydome in Toronto. The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, representing Ontario Universities Athletics Association, defeated the Mount Allison Mounties, representing the Atlantic Universities Athletics Association, by a score of 25–18.[1] With the win, Wilfrid Laurier clinched the 1991 national championship, the team’s first in its history.

An estimated total of 30,191 people attended the game in person, second-most at the time, while approximately 600 thousand Canadian viewers watched the game on TSN television.[2]

FINDING SOURCES: The resulting 17.5 television rating was the X-largest ever recorded for a Canadian university football game.

WATCHING ENTIRE TAPE OF THE GAME VIA YOUTUBE:

The game kicked off at 3 p.m. EST, and Mount Allison received the ball to begin the game off of the kick by placekicker Pat O’Leary. The first points of the game came from a successful punt into the Mount Allison endzone by O’Leary and a 36-yard field goal from placekicker Spiros Anastasakis, giving Wilfrid Laurier an early 4–0 lead in the first quarter. Momentum continued for the Golden Hawks, securing a fumble at 2nd and 7 on Allison’s 48-yard line. Wilfrid Laurier’s quarterback, Bill Kubas, threw a 50-yard completion pass to wide receiver Andrew Scharschmidt, a play that they scored a touchdown on by running back Andy Cecchini from Laurier’s 99-yard line on 3rd and goal including a point conversion, extending the Golden Hawks’ lead to 11–0, a lead they held onto the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was promising for Mount Allison, who recovered a fumble off of Laurier’s Slotback Craig Brenner who ran into their team’s first down line as Mounties’ defensive back John Kosempei returned the football 32 yards. This proved to be crucial as placekicker Eric Deegan converts on a 38-yard field goal to put Mount Allison on the board. Later on, Deegan attempted another field goal, from 27.5 yards out but missed wide right. The quarter ended with the Golden Hawks leading 11–4 over Mount Allison.

During the third quarter, the Mounties squandered a fumble on their own 21-yard line, as Wilfrid Laurier’s linebacker Marty Robinson pounced on the ball at the Laurier’s 98 yard-line. The next play after, Kubas handed the ball off to Cecchini again for their second touchdown of the game. Wide receiver Ralph Spoltore of the Golden Hawks attempted to do a fake field goal however were stopped by the 1-yard line, keeping the score at 17–4. Later on in the quarter, on the 8th play of the drive, while 2nd and 12, Kubas completes a 20-yard pass to Cecchini once more for their third touchdown of the game. Anastasakis drilled an extra point conversion the play after, extending the Golden Hawks’ lead to 24–4. However, near the end of the quarter, at the Allison’s 35-yard line, quarterback Sean Hickey throws a bullet to wide receiver Sonny LaCroix who gains 37 yards on the drive. On the last play of the quarter, Hickey fakes themselves holding on to the football while running back Grant Kearney takes it from Mounties’ offensive lineman Mike Jardine and takes it all the way down the field for a touchdown. Deegan converted on the extra point soon after to put Allison 24–11 after 3 quarters.

The fourth quarter began with Laurier’s defensive back Lonny Taylor advancing the ball from the 15-yard line to the 43, however the Golden Hawks were unable to convert on that drive. On a 2nd and 10 drive, Kubas threw an interception to Mounties’ linebacker Dave Luna, allowing Mount Allison to drive the ball down the field, with Hickey gaining many yards from running. A few plays later, Hickey finds running back Mark Huys wide open on the right side of the field for a 38-yard touchdown, with Deegan converting once more on the extra point. This made the score 24–18 in favour of the Golden Hawks. Later in the quarter, Kubas would hand it off to Cecchini who drove the ball for 40 yards. After a few more running attempts from Cecchini and Brenner, O’Leary punts the football 24 yards out on, once again, another failed play by the Golden Hawks. On the next possession, 2nd and 9, at the Mounties’ 18-yard line, Sean Hickey dodges a sack and throws a 32-yard completed pass to running back Guy Messervier. However, a blunder on communication by Hickey costed them as they would be sacked on 3rd down, turning possession around to Laurier. After multiple attempts to run down the field, the Golden Hawks settled on a single by O’Leary for a 25–18 lead with 50 seconds to play in the quarter.

For his performance in the game, Wilfrid Laurier wide receiver Andy Andy Cecchini was named the game’s Teddy Morris Memorial Trophy recipient, awarded to the most valuable player. Although Allison lost the game, several of its players won postseason awards—Sean Hickey won Offensive Player of the Game while George Wright wins Defensive Player of the Game award.

Road to the Vanier Cup

By contract, the top two teams in the BCS Poll at the conclusion of the regular season were invited to the BCS national championship game. In 2000, the BCS Poll was a combination of four different systems: media and coaches’ polls (Associated Press college football poll and USA Today Coaches’ Poll), team records, a collection of eight different computer ranking systems, and a strength-of-schedule component based on opponent records.[3] Under the BCS, the site of the national championship game rotated every year. In 2000, there were four BCS bowl games: the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Orange Bowl, and the Fiesta Bowl. The national championship game rotated to a different location each year, and the other three games served as bowl games for lower-ranked teams. Later, in 2007, the BCS National Championship was created, adding a fifth BCS bowl. In 2000, the Sugar Bowl was scheduled to host the national championship game.[4]

Wilfrid Laurier

The Florida State Seminoles ended the 1998 college football season with a 23–16 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers in the 1999 Fiesta Bowl, which was the national championship game that year.[5] The loss was only the second of the season for Florida State, which had entered the game ranked No. 2 and favored against the No. 1 ranked Volunteers.[6] Florida State players and coaches entered the off-season hoping to improve upon their runner-up finish in the national championship game the year before,[7] and were voted the No. 1 team in the country in the annual Associated Press preseason poll.[8]

Florida State lived up to its No. 1 ranking in its first game of the 1999 college football season, routing unranked Louisiana Tech, 41–7.[9] The following week, in their ACC opener, the Seminoles had a closer contest against Georgia Tech, but still earned a 41–35 victory.[10] As the weeks went by, the wins continued to accumulate. FSU defeated North Carolina State, 42–11;[11] North Carolina, 42–10;[12] and Duke, 51–23.[13] In the seventh week of the college football season, the Seminoles faced off against a traditional rival: the Miami Hurricanes. Heading into the game, the Seminoles were without star wide receiver and potential Heisman Trophy candidate Peter Warrick, who was suspended from the team after being arrested for participating in a scheme to underpay for clothes at a Tallahassee, Florida clothing store.[14] Despite the loss of Warrick, Florida State eked out a 31–21 victory over the Hurricanes after being tied, 21–21, at halftime.[15]

The week after the Miami game, the Seminoles had an even closer call against the Clemson Tigers—their closest, in fact, of the entire season. Despite the return of Peter Warrick, who was cleared of charges in a Florida courtroom, Florida State fell behind the Tigers in the first half. Trailing in Clemson, South Carolina, 14–3 at halftime, Florida State cut the gap to 14–6 with a field goal midway through the third quarter, then tied the game at the end of the third quarter with a touchdown and two-point conversion. The Seminoles clinched the victory after a field goal late in the fourth quarter gave them a 17–14 lead and cemented the victory when a Clemson attempt to even the score with a field goal fell short. The victory was FSU head coach Bobby Bowden‘s 300th win and came against his son, Tommy Bowden, coach of the Tigers.[16]

Florida State earned easy wins with a 35–10 victory over Virginia[17] and a 49–10 win over Maryland[18] before facing the rival Florida Gators in the final game of the Seminoles’ regular season. Florida State led throughout the game, but had to fend off a last-minute Florida drive in order to clinch a 30–23 win and just the third perfect regular season in Florida State history. This season later was termed the “Wire to Wire” season as the Seminoles kept their No. 1 ranking the entire season.[19]

Mount Allison

Like Florida State, the Virginia Tech Hokies began the 1999 college football season with raised expectations. In 1998, the Hokies had gone 9–3 during the regular season and had posted a 5–2 record against fellow Big East Conference teams. The Hokies concluded that 1998 season—which was supposed to be a rebuilding year—in the 1998 Music City Bowl, where the Hokies defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide, 38–7.[20] With the addition of redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick to a team that had allowed an average of just 12.9 points per game on defense,[21] there was the possibility that Tech could improve upon its previous season’s performance. Sports Illustrated, for example, predicted that the Hokies might challenge Miami for the Big East football championship,[22] and the preseason Coaches’ Poll ranked the Hokies No. 14 prior to the first game of the season.[23]

In their first game of the season, the Hokies lived up to expectations, shutting out James Madison University, 47–0. The game was the first time Tech had shut out an opponent in a season opener since 1953. The game was marred, however, by a leg injury to Michael Vick that caused him to leave the game.[24] The following week, against the University of Alabama Birmingham, Vick did not play. Despite his absence, the Hokies still managed a 31–10 win.[25] This was followed by a 31–11 Thursday-night victory over Clemson in Virginia Tech’s first game against a Division I-A opponent during the season.[26]

Following the win over Clemson, Tech faced traditional rival Virginia in the annual battle for the Commonwealth Cup. Despite the rivalry and the fact that Virginia was ranked the No. 24 team in the country, the Cavaliers put up even less of a struggle than Clemson. Virginia Tech won, 31–7.[27] Now No. 5 in the country, Tech began to distance itself from other highly ranked teams with consecutive wins over Rutgers and Syracuse. The 62–0 shutout of No. 16 Syracuse was the largest victory ever recorded against a team ranked in the AP Poll.[28] By this time, the Hokies were being described in media reports as a national championship contender.[29][30]

Following a 30–17 victory at Pittsburgh,[31] Virginia Tech traveled to Morgantown, West Virginia, to face the West Virginia Mountaineers in the annual battle for the Black Diamond Trophy. In West Virginia, Virginia Tech eked out a 22–20 victory with a last-second field goal from placekicker Shayne Graham. It was Tech’s closest victory of the season and moved the Hokies to the No. 2 ranking in the country.[32]

Following the win over West Virginia, Tech defeated Miami, 43–10,[33] and Temple, 62–7, to clinch the Big East championship.[34] In the final game of the regular season, the Hokies beat Boston College, 38–14, cementing the third unbeaten season in Virginia Tech history and the Hokies’ first since 1954.[35]

Pregame buildup

In the month prior to the Sugar Bowl, media attention focused on Virginia Tech’s sudden rise to national prominence and Florida State’s perennial appearance in the national championship game. The Seminoles had the most top-5 finishes and the most national championship game appearances of any team in the 1990s, including a national championship victory in 1993.[36] Many media stories focused on the apparent David and Goliath showdown between the two teams,[37] with the Seminoles in the role of the overdog and the Hokies in the role of the underdog.[38][39] Because of this fact, spread bettors favored Florida State to win the game by 5.5 points.[36]

Tens of thousands of fans from both teams traveled to the game, often purchasing ticket and travel packages for thousands of dollars.[40][41] The limited numbers of tickets available for the game were in high demand by fans of both teams.[42]

Florida State offense

The Seminoles threw for no fewer than 229 passing yards in every game during the regular season[43] and averaged 12.7 points per game more than its opponents.[44] On the ground, the Seminoles averaged 122.8 rushing yards per game.[45]

Leading the Florida State offense was quarterback Chris Weinke, a former baseball player who, at 27 years old, was by far the oldest player on the Seminoles’ team. After suffering a neck injury in the 1998 college football season, Weinke recovered to complete 232 of 377 pass attempts for 3,103 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.[46]

Weinke’s favorite target was wide receiver Peter Warrick, who led all Seminole receivers with 71 receptions and 931 yards in just nine games during the regular season. Five times, Warrick earned more than 100 receiving yards in a game. Warrick’s season was shortened by a two-game suspension following his arrest for underpaying for clothes, but he still was named an All-America selection at wide receiver, signifying his status as one of the best players in the country at the position.[43]

Florida State placekicker Sebastian Janikowski, who was born in Poland, also was a key component of the Seminoles’ scoring offense. In his career at Florida State prior to the Sugar Bowl, Janikowski made 65 of 83 field goal attempts, including 33 of his previous 38 kicks of less than 50 yards. Janikowski also handled kickoffs, kicking the ball so hard that 57 of his 83 kickoffs were touchbacks. Janikowski was considered to have the potential to be an early selection in the 2000 NFL Draft by several scouts for professional teams.[47]

Virginia Tech offense

During the regular season, Virginia Tech’s offense outscored opponents by an average of 31 points per game.[38] Tech averaged 254 yards rushing per game, the eighth-highest average in the nation. Important to that success was running back Shyrone Stith, who had 1,119 rushing yards during the regular season. Even more important to the Hokies’ success, however, was quarterback Michael Vick.[45]

Vick was recognized by multiple nationwide publications for his performance during the regular season. His passer rating was the highest of any quarterback in the country, and he completed 59.2 percent of his 152 passes for 1,840 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions. In addition, He rushed for 585 yards and eight touchdowns on 108 carries.[48] Vick was named Big East Offensive Player of the Year and was the runner-up in voting for the Associated Press Player of the Year. Vick’s average of 242 yards of total offense per game were the most in the country, and his 184 passing yards per game were the second-most.[49] In addition, Vick finished third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, traditionally given to the best college football player in the country.[50] He was featured in multiple national publications, including on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice.

A handful of days before the Sugar Bowl, Tech wide receiver Ricky Hall broke a bone in his foot during practice and was considered unlikely to play. Hall was Tech’s second-leading receiver, having caught 25 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, Hall was the Hokies’ starting punt returner, and had returned 40 kicks for 510 yards and one touchdown, setting a school record for punt return yardage.[51]

Tech placekicker Shayne Graham won Big East Special Teams Player of the Year honors after scoring 107 points during the regular season. That mark set a Big East record, and Graham’s 372 career points during his four years with the Hokies were an NCAA record at the time. Graham’s award ensured Tech won all five of the Big East’s player and coach of the year awards.[52]

Florida State defense

Florida State’s Corey Simon was an All-America selection and was one of the leaders of the Seminole defense.

The Florida State defense was considered key to reining in Tech quarterback Vick. The Seminoles allowed less than 100 rushing yards per game on average, and intercepted 22 passes during the regular season.[53] The Seminoles were ranked 15th nationally in pass defense at the end of the regular season but had allowed increasing amounts of pass yardage in the latter games of the season. Despite that fact, the Florida State defense’s main concern was Michael Vick’s ability to run the football. Said Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews: “A guy like that usually gives us problems, considering the type of (4–3 gap) defense we run. When a quarterback gets out of the pocket, that could hurt us for big yardage.”[54]

The Seminole defense was led by nose guard Corey Simon, who accumulated 48 solo tackles, four sacks, and one interception. For his accomplishments during the regular season, Simon earned consensus first-team All-America honors.[55] Despite his accomplishments, Simon was not the Seminoles’ leading tackler. That honor went to linebacker Tommy Polley, who accumulated 67 tackles during the season. Fellow linebacker Brian Allen contributed five quarterback sacks, the most in that statistical category for Florida State.[53]

Virginia Tech defense

In the important category of scoring defense, the Hokies were the top-ranked defense in the country, allowing only 10.5 points per game. The team was ranked No. 3 in the country in both total defense and rushing defense. On average, Tech allowed just 247.3 total yards and 75.9 rushing yards per game.[45] Tech’s pass defense was No. 7 in the country, allowing an average of 171.4 passing yards per game. The Hokies permitted no more than 226 passing yards to any team during the regular season, and no opposing player earned 100 receiving yards.[43] Tech defenders also accumulated 58 sacks during the season.[46]

Virginia Tech defensive end Corey Moore was the top performer on the Hokie defense. Moore accumulated 55 tackles and 17 sacks during the regular season, and was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and to the Associated Press All-America team.[56] In the first week of December, Moore was awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the best defensive college football player in the country.[57] Tech’s other defensive end was John Engelberger, who earned seven sacks, six other tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries. Engelberger was projected by pro scouts to be the first Tech player selected in the 2000 NFL Draft.[58]

Game summary

The Rogers Centre (Then SkyDome) was the site of the 1991 Vanier Cup.

The 1991 Vanier Cup kicked off at 3 p.m. EST on January 4, 2000, at the Rogers Centre, in New Orleans. A crowd of 79,280 people attended the game in person,[59] and an estimated 18.4 million people watched the game’s television broadcast on ABC, earning the broadcast a television rating of 17.5, the third-highest rating ever recorded for a BCS game.[60] ABC estimates were higher, speculating that at least 54 million people watched at least a portion of the broadcast.[61] Brent Musburger, Gary Danielson, Lynn Swann, and Jack Arute were the television commentators for the event, and Ron Franklin, Mike Gottfried, and Adrian Karsten provided commentary for the ESPN Radio broadcast of the game.[62] In exchange for their performance at the game, Virginia Tech and Florida State each received more than $4 million.[63]

The traditional pregame singing of the national anthem was performed by the Zion Harmonizers, a New Orleans gospel quartet.[64] Steve Shaw was the referee.[65] Actor John Goodman performed the ceremonial pre-game coin toss to determine first possession of the ball. Florida State won the coin toss and elected to kick off to Virginia Tech to begin the game.

First quarter

Mount Allison received the ball to begin the game. The first points of the game came from a successful punt into the Mount Allison endzone by placekicker Pat O’Leary and a 36-yard field goal from placekicker Spiros Anastasakis, giving Wilfrid Laurier an early 4–0 lead in the first quarter. Momentum continued for the Golden Hawks, securing a fumble at 2nd and 7 on Allison’s 48-yard line. Wilfrid Laurier’s quarterback, Bill Kubas, threw a 50-yard completion pass to wide receiver Andrew Scharschmidt, a play that they scored a touchdown on by running back Andy Cecchini from Laurier’s 99-yard line on 3rd and goal including a point conversion, extending the Golden Hawks’ lead to 11–0, a lead they held onto the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was promising for Mount Allison, who recovered a fumble off of Laurier’s Slotback Craig Brenner who ran into their team’s first down line as Mounties’ defensive back John Kosempei returned the football 32 yards. This proved to be crucial as placekicker Eric Deegan converts on a 38-yard field goal to put Mount Allison on the board. Later on, Deegan attempted another field goal, from 27.5 yards out but missed wide right. The quarter ended with the Golden Hawks leading 11–4 over Mount Allison.

Third quarter

During the third quarter, the Mounties squandered a fumble on their own 21-yard line, as Wilfrid Laurier’s linebacker Marty Robinson pounced on the ball at the Laurier’s 98 yard-line. The next play after, Kubas handed the ball off to Cecchini again for their second touchdown of the game. Wide receiver Ralph Spoltore of the Golden Hawks attempted to do a fake field goal however were stopped by the 1-yard line, keeping the score at 17–4. Later on in the quarter, on the 8th play of the drive, while 2nd and 12, Kubas completes a 20-yard pass to Cecchini once more for their third touchdown of the game. Anastasakis drilled an extra point conversion the play after, extending the Golden Hawks’ lead to 24–4. However, near the end of the quarter, at the Allison’s 35-yard line, quarterback Sean Hickey throws a bullet to wide receiver Sonny LaCroix who gains 37 yards on the drive. On the last play of the quarter, Hickey fakes themselves holding on to the football while running back Grant Kearney takes it from Mounties’ offensive lineman Mike Jardine and takes it all the way down the field for a touchdown. Deegan converted on the extra point soon after to put Allison 24–11 after 3 quarters.

Fourth quarter

The fourth quarter began with Laurier’s defensive back Lonny Taylor advancing the ball from the 15-yard line to the 43, however the Golden Hawks were unable to convert on that drive. On a 2nd and 10 drive, Kubas threw an interception to Mounties’ linebacker Dave Luna, allowing Mount Allison to drive the ball down the field, with Hickey gaining many yards from running. A few plays later, Hickey finds running back Mark Huys wide open on the right side of the field for a 38-yard touchdown, with Deegan converting once more on the extra point. This made the score 24–18 in favour of the Golden Hawks. Later in the quarter, Kubas would hand it off to Cecchini who drove the ball for 40 yards. After a few more running attempts from Cecchini and Brenner, O’Leary punts the football 24 yards out on, once again, another failed play by the Golden Hawks. On the next possession, 2nd and 9, at the Mounties’ 18-yard line, Sean Hickey dodges a sack and throws a 32-yard completed pass to running back Guy Messervier. However, a blunder on communication by Hickey costed them as they would be sacked on 3rd down, turning possession around to Laurier. After multiple attempts to run down the field, the Golden Hawks settled on a single by O’Leary for a 25–18 lead with 50 seconds to play in the quarter. Driving up the field, Mount Allison had one last chance to tie the game. However, after a sack on Hickey, the Mounties produced another fake play up to Kearney but fails to reach the 1st down line, falling 6 yards short. The possession was turned over on downs, allowing Laurier to kneel the football and win the Vanier Cup.

Halftime

At halftime, several organizations and groups performed under the overarching theme of a “Gospel Jubilee.” The halftime show was organized by Douglas K. Green and Bowl Games of America, a company founded to provide similar services to bowl games across the United States. Multiple high school bands and dance teams from Kansas to Florida entertained the crowd.[66]

Scoring summary

Scoring Play Score
First Quarter
Florida State: Peter Warrick 64 yard pass from Chris Weinke (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 3:22 Florida State 7, Virginia Tech 0
Florida State: Jeff Chaney 6 yard blocked punt return (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 2:14 Florida State 14, Virginia Tech 0
Virginia Tech: André Davis 49 yard pass from Michael Vick (Shayne Graham kick), 0:30 Florida State 14, Virginia Tech 7
Second Quarter
Florida State: Ron Dugans 63 yard pass from Chris Weinke (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 13:45 Florida State 21, Virginia Tech 7
Florida State: Peter Warrick 59 yard punt return (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 11:40 Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 7
Virginia Tech: Michael Vick 3 yard run (Shayne Graham kick), 0:37 Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 14
Third Quarter
Virginia Tech: Shayne Graham 23 yard field goal, 7:54 Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 17
Virginia Tech: Andre Kendrick 29 yard run (2-point pass failed), 5:57 Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 23
Virginia Tech: Andre Kendrick 6 yard run (2-point pass failed), 2:13 Virginia Tech 29, Florida State 28
Fourth Quarter
Florida State: Ron Dugans 14 yard pass from Chris Weinke (Peter Warrick pass from Chris Weinke), 12:59 Florida State 36, Virginia Tech 29
Florida State: Sebastian Janikowski 32 yard field goal, 10:26 Florida State 39, Virginia Tech 29
Florida State: Peter Warrick 43 yard pass from Chris Weinke (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 7:42 Florida State 46, Virginia Tech 29

Statistical summary

In recognition of his performance during the game, Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick was named the game’s most valuable player. Warrick caught six passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns, leading all receivers in yardage and scores. Warrick also had a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown and a two-point conversion, accounting for 20 of the Seminoles’ 46 points. The 20 points scored by Warrick were a Sugar Bowl record for most points scored by an individual player.[67]

Despite Warrick’s individual performance, Virginia Tech was more successful in a team effort, compiling 503 total yards compared to Florida State’s 359 yards. Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick completed 15 of 29 passes for 225 passing yards and one passing touchdown. Vick also ran the ball 23 times for 97 yards in his performance as the game’s leading rusher.[59] Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke was the game’s best passer, completing 20 of his 34 pass attempts for 329 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.[68]

Weinke’s favorite target was game MVP Peter Warrick, but several other Seminoles also benefited from Weinke’s passing efficiency. Ron Dugans caught five passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns, Minnis caught two passes for 25 yards, and Minor caught two for 23 yards. For Virginia Tech, Davis caught seven passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, Hawkins caught two passes for 49 yards, and Kendrick caught two passes for 27 yards.[59]

In terms of rushing offense, the two teams differed wildly. Virginia Tech, led by Vick, ran for 278 rushing yards. Florida State, meanwhile, ran for just 30 yards. The Seminoles were led on the ground by Chaney, who carried the ball four times for 43 yards, and Minor, who carried the ball nine times for 35 yards. Much of these two players’ rushing total was negated by Chris Weinke, who lost 41 yards on seven carries. Virginia Tech, bolstered by Vick’s 97 rushing yards, also saw André Kendrick accumulate 69 yards and two touchdowns with 12 carries and Shyrone Stith pick up 68 yards on 11 carries.[59]

Statistical Comparison[59][69]
Virginia Tech Florida State
First Downs 24 15
Rushes-yards 52–278 23–30
Passing: Completions-Attempts-Interceptions 15–29–0 20–34–1
Passing yards 225 329
Total offense 81–503 57–359
Return yards 88 80
Punts-average 6–29.3 7–44.3
Fumbles-lost 3–3 2–0
Penalties-yards 6–65 7–59
Time of possession 36:25 23:35

Postgame effects

Florida State’s victory earned it the 1999 BCS national championship and brought the Seminoles’ season to an end with an undefeated 12–0 record. By beginning the season at No. 1 and ending it in the same position, Florida State became the first college football team to stay ranked No. 1 for every week of the season after being ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll.[70] Virginia Tech’s loss brought it to a final record of 11–1,[71] but the Hokies still completed their first 11-win season in school history.[35] The 75 total points scored in the 2000 Sugar Bowl were a Sugar Bowl record at that point in the game’s history.

Coaching changes

Both teams made changes to their respective coaching staffs in the weeks that followed the Sugar Bowl. Chuck Amato resigned from his position as linebackers coach for Florida State to take the head coaching position at North Carolina State. His role as linebackers coach was filled by Joe Kines, whom Bobby Bowden hired from the University of Georgia.[72] Amato’s role as assistant head coach was filled by Jim Gladden, who had been a coach at Florida State for more than 25 years at the time he was named the assistant head coach.[73] At Virginia Tech, head coach Frank Beamer also made some changes to his coaching staff, promoting several position coaches to higher positions in the Tech football hierarchy.[74]

Postseason awards

In recognition of their achievements during the regular season and during the 2000 Sugar Bowl, multiple players and coaches from each team earned awards and recognition after the conclusion of the game. Tech quarterback Michael Vick, despite leading the losing team in the Sugar Bowl, won an ESPY for college football player of the year on February 14, more than a month after the Sugar Bowl.[75] In addition, Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer won multiple coach of the year awards, most notably the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award, which was presented to Beamer on March 6.[76] One of Beamer’s assistant coaches, Bud Foster, was named the top defensive coordinator in Division I-A football by American Football Coach Magazine in its annual award.[77] Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke won the 2000 Heisman Trophy after the conclusion of the 2000 college football season.[78]

1992 CFL Draft

TO BE WRITTEN ON: Three players from Wilfrid Laurier were picked by professional teams to play in the Canadian Football League during the 1992 CFL draft, held February 29 and March 1, in Hamilton. Florida State had three players selected in the first round of the draft and seven players taken overall. Peter Warrick was the first player picked, selected with the fourth overall selection by the Cincinnati Bengals. Defensive tackle Corey Simon was selected two picks later with the sixth overall selection, and placekicker Sebastian Janikowski was taken 17th. Later rounds saw Ron Dugans (66th), Laveranues Coles (78th), Jerry Johnson (101st), and Mario Edwards (180th) taken in the draft from Florida State. Other Players, Andrew Howard {CB}- Minnesota Vikings and Cory Burkhead {LB}- Pittsburgh Steelers, went to the supplement draft.[79]

Virginia Tech had no players selected in the first round of the draft but saw five players taken from the second round onward. Defensive end John Engelberger was the first Hokie taken in the 2000 draft, and was picked with the 35th overall selection. He was followed by cornerback Ike Charlton, who was taken with the 52nd pick in the draft. Corey Moore (89th), Anthony Midget (134th), and Shyrone Stith (243rd) also were taken.[80]

Some players who participated in the 2000 Sugar Bowl elected to delay their entry into the NFL Draft, either because they hoped to finish their education or because they were not three years removed from their high school graduations and thus were not eligible to enter the draft. Examples of these players included Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke, who returned to Florida State to complete his senior year,[81] and Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick, who was not eligible to enter the draft in 2000, but who was taken with the first overall selection in the 2001 NFL draft.[80]

Subsequent seasons

Florida State entered the 2000 college football season with hopes of following up its victory in the 2000 Sugar Bowl with another national championship. The Seminoles’ regular-season performance differed slightly from 1999, as they lost a regular-season game to Miami, yet still appeared in a third consecutive national championship game: the 2001 Orange Bowl. Unlike in 2000, the Seminoles emerged on the losing side of a 13–2 score.[82] Virginia Tech, like Florida State, had hoped to attend the national championship game again, but an injury to star quarterback Michael Vick[83] caused the Hokies to lose a regular-season game at third-ranked Miami, eliminating them from national championship contention.[84]

The following season, neither Florida State nor Virginia Tech competed for a national championship, but both teams played in the 2002 Gator Bowl, their first matchup in two years.[85] Following the Gator Bowl, Florida State next met Virginia Tech in the 2005 ACC Championship Game after the Hokies left the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Florida State won that contest, 27–22.[86] Not until the 2007 college football season did Virginia Tech finally avenge its losses to the Seminoles with a 40–21 win en route to an Atlantic Coast Conference championship. It was the first game in fifteen consecutive matchups between the two teams that Virginia Tech had won.[87]

  1. ^ Ralph, Dan (December 1, 1991). “Hawks Fly to Vanier Cup Title”. Edmonton Journal. Toronto: The Canadian Press. p. 22. Archived from the original on September 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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