bowl bowl post season american college football bowl game ben hill griffin stadium florida december game final contest ncaa division football season teams ended victory tennessee bowl saw 17th ranked virginia tech face regional rival tennessee ben hill griffin stadium campus game moved renovations jacksonville virginia tech came game regular season record included record competition came entered game regular season record head coach included record competition game kicked december florida start tennessee high scoring offense dominated volunteers scored touchdowns quarter second able muster lone touchdown field goal second quarter halftime tennessee commanding lead strong play struggled quarter scoring unanswered points close score fourth quarter tennessee answered effort points putting game reach managed single touchdown fourth quarter ball times losing threw allowing tennessee cruise easy victory tennessee running named game valuable player renovations early jacksonville mayor proposed million renovations jacksonville aging bowl stadium order stadium date annual florida georgia rivalry game florida georgia accepted renovations agreeing play rivalry game athens georgia renovations jacksonville investors proposed expanding renovation plan order attract national_football_league team price tag revised upward million city successfully attracted team shortly jacksonville awarded new franchise jacksonville final plans unveiled stadium additional luxury boxes expanded seating upgraded facilities teams fans renovations extensive initially proposed required time completed instead beginning early work begin leaving site bowl played doubt end january demolished doubt demolished deal struck host school griffin stadium game title sponsor television sponsor remain constant final year contracts team selection prior start college football season bowl newly formed group football conferences bowl games television networks created match college football teams conclusion season bowl offered pay million right game selected place bowl event repercussions end season bowl passed high ranked teams elected accept bids new virginia tech annual preseason poll media members covering conference picked finish second teams miami entered college football season having finished season win independence bowl hopes high return bowl game started season winning games succession culminating victory west_virginia annual battle begun season ranked country rose fifth game season trip syracuse new_york play syracuse orange suffered loss season permitting yard rushing games syracuse time allowed yard game tech responded loss wins succession winning streak ended miami tech lost second game season loss followed season ending defeat perennial rival virginia concluded regular season record overall record ironically despite season ending loss virginia awarded invitation lost season ending game addition loss officials later stated reluctant invite team fourth straight year opening door tennessee finished season record season ending loss year head coach citrus bowl hopes high tennessee second year command end better tennessee ranked associated_press preseason poll start season won game season causing volunteers drop time breaking streak consecutive weeks poll matters worse tennessee starting suffered season ending injuries game span volunteers season opener ucla suffered knee injury backup quarterback hurt fourth game season loss response poor start overhauled defense loss second string bringing acclaimed freshman son national_football_league star manning start tennessee homecoming game resulted win things got progressively better volunteers manning assumed starting role won final regular season games sole loss defeat hands alabama loss merely bump road tennessee won regular season games followed ending regular season state rival response success turning team slow start awarded year contract extension university buildup matchup tennessee game teams unusual fact teams located schools hours car apart proximity generated multiple news stories towns lying schools divided fans virginia lies tennessee border county supervisor graduate proclaimed week bowl week objections county attorney graduated tennessee natural rivalry basketball game held day prior pitted schools varsity teams exchange participating game team received million ticket sales month announcement tech tennessee matchup day game december weeks initial announcement sold tickets tennessee december week game tech sold tickets day game teams combined sell approximately tickets days prior game spread favored tennessee win seven points tennessee offense tennessee offense led freshman quarterback son nfl great played liberty bowl regular season played seven games winning completing pass attempts yards touchdowns manning rating highest starting sec recognition achievements manning named manning prominent passing targets despite suffering stress fracture game season recovered catch passes yards touchdowns returned average yards return manning favorite target caught passes yards regular season slightly injured ankle pre bowl practice volunteers rushing offense led regular season broke leg tennessee final regular season game injury forecast start game running volunteers regular season tennessee ranked rushing accumulating average rushing yards game stewart accounted yards total having carried ball times yards touchdowns regular season tennessee backup running backs predicted kept game injury played undergoing surgery graham rushed times yards regular season suffered broken jaw punched face teammate injury graham fourth string running carried ball times regular season predicted stewart game prior game tennessee coach pronounced performance opponents red zone regular season tennessee scored possessions inside opposition yard line conversion rate percent vowed raise percentage previous season tennessee converted possessions percent offense offense led quarterback completed pass attempts regular season yards touchdowns success season helped time passing leader virginia tech history finishing career passing yards favorite passing target wide receiver finished season having caught passes yards touchdowns bowl freeman final collegiate game freeman finished career receiver virginia tech history terms bowl games counted statistics receiving yards freeman team leading punt having returned kicks yards touchdown received second team big east honors ground rushing offense led running carried ball times yards touchdowns backing thomas son player played including trip liberty bowl participating bowl previous season independence bowl father son combo virginia tech history competed bowl game beginning december offensive preparations bowl disrupted offensive coordinator abruptly quit team order join friend hired head coach head coach announced simultaneous departure assistant head coach control offense bowl shortly announcement departure announced offensive coordinator returning team fill position bowl able actively coach team bowl offered advice strategy weeks game virginia tech receiver white fractured playing pick basketball tennessee defense regular season volunteers scoring defense ranked second best sec allowing average points game tennessee allowed passing touchdowns touchdowns overall tennessee defensive leaders defensive end led volunteers sacks tackles loss seven respectively tennessee leader regular season tackles team strong safety named valuable player volunteers loss citrus bowl tackles second best tennessee defensive backs sack tackles loss despite playing games volunteers defense featured named player virginia heavily recruited tennessee edge suffered shoulder volunteers regular season game pledged play despite doctors disapproval defense defensively allowed average yards game points game games regular season permitted points points virginia respectively defense led strong performers defensive secondary intercepted passes regular season returning catches touchdown tied team regular season player team leading honor went linebacker tackles regular season fellow linebacker named team big east selection signifying status best players position conference finished season tackles including loss sacks team tackles despite success brown suffered pulled final regular season game presence bowl doubtful virginia tech sophomore defensive end named best defensive college player state virginia earning tackles loss including sacks quarterback regular season game summary bowl kicked december est ben hill griffin stadium florida estimated fans attendance millions people watched game television televised game united_states broadcasters tennessee won ceremonial pre game coin toss elected kick virginia tech begin game quarter fielded opening returned tech yard line offense began play game incomplete pass quarterback second play game attempted forward pass time ball intercepted tennessee linebacker returned ball tech yard line allowing volunteers offense begin game scoring position tennessee play run middle gained yards second play tennessee quarterback completed yard pass wide receiver play suffered broken ankle return game yard line tennessee continued drive rush stewart wasn able advance ball play volunteers yards block player despite penalty incomplete pass subsequent play tennessee able gain yard line pass manning plays later volunteers scored yard touchdown run stewart extra point kick successful tennessee took lead remaining quarter following tennessee touchdown teams traded possessions going regained ball tennessee punt yard line remaining quarter tech recovered tech running ran yards tech game incomplete pass thomas connected yard pass thomas broke free yard run thomas continued advancing ball picking yards rushing plays completed yard pass tennessee yard line tennessee defense allow tech punt downed tennessee yard line volunteers began possession game play drive tennessee committed yard false start penalty pushing volunteers goal line tennessee rush stopped gain stewart picked yards running play needing yards manning threw yard pass kent play manning completed yard toss kent driving volunteers field manning throw yard touchdown throw marcus nash extra point good tennessee took lead remaining quarter tennessee went bounds allowing tech offense start yard line threw incomplete pass completed yard gain needing yard tech stopped loss forced punt tennessee fair caught ball yard line volunteers offense began work yard penalty pushed volunteers backward running regained lost yards run play clock ran quarter end quarter tennessee led second quarter beginning second quarter tennessee ball yard line facing second play quarter tennessee ran end ran ball yards giving volunteers yard line plays later running crossed goal line tennessee touchdown second quarter extra point good remaining half tennessee took lead following tennessee post touchdown short kick return offense began yard line tech play quarter run middle resulted yard gain followed run advancing ball yard line pushed tennessee territory play yard run gave tennessee yard line ran yards tech gained play inside tennessee yard line volunteers defense passed seven yard gain unable gain yard gain fourth run kept tech drive alive tennessee yard line tennessee forced play gained tennessee yard line pass thomas plays later scored points game thomas dove goal line fourth subsequent extra point good cut tennessee lead remaining half returned tennessee yard line volunteers offense returned field instead backup quarterback came field lead tennessee second play tennessee drive stewart gained yards quarterback scramble giving volunteers tennessee yard line play completed yard pass kent plays later broke free yard run gave tennessee yard line play later stewart crossed goal line tennessee second touchdown quarter extra point good tennessee lead points remaining quarter volunteers returned tech yard line began drive play drive yard gain ball loose ball recovered tennessee defender volunteers took offense tech yard line came field place manning completed yard pass begin drive ran yard line play tennessee executed trick play received ball hand imitating running play threw ball instead pass caught touchdown extra point tennessee lead remaining half returned tech yard line began final drive second quarter caught yard pass completed yard pass completed yard pass seven yard catch tech yard line play caught short pass pushed tennessee yard line threw incomplete pass drive stopped clock seconds remaining allowing time complete yard pass play inside tennessee red zone continued ball short passes tech gained tennessee yard line stop clock order chance earn touchdown halftime subsequent play tech committed yard penalty tech head coach ordered game williams yard field goal attempt good tech cut tennessee lead end half quarter received ball begin game tennessee received ball begin second half tech returned tennessee yard line returned field lead volunteers offense play second half yard run followed yard run stewart tennessee yard line stewart run followed short manning volunteers yard line tennessee play offensive pass interference penalty volunteers pushed yard line penalty manning gained yards pass tennessee unable gain yards kick tennessee committed penalty kick yard penalty assessed punt fair caught tech yard line began offensive possession second half remaining quarter play completed yard pass gave yard line play tech wide receiver committed pass interference penalty pushing yards good penalty gaining yards option run followed yard pass freeman kept drive going tennessee yard line incomplete pass thomas broke free yard run left field giving tech tennessee yard line tennessee defense held plays forcing fourth instead kicking field goal attempted convert fourth running ball broke free defense crossed goal line tech touchdown second half williams missed extra point kick tech cut tennessee lead remaining quarter returned tennessee yard line tennessee offense began work volunteers aided yard penalty virginia tech play drive stopped tennessee offense losses gain manning threw yard pass pushing tennessee yard line incomplete passes manning yards time tech yard line defense allow drive tennessee came game seemingly attempt yard field goal kick turned trick play attempted pass kick holder defender tackled holder loss failed trick play offense started yard line tech play drive yard pass yard run thomas followed seven yard reverse tennessee yard line thomas pushed yards forward run middle followed incomplete passes bringing fourth tech head coach elected try convert fourth kick field goal unlike tech previous fourth try unsuccessful snap tackled loss turned ball downs tennessee offense returned game remaining quarter volunteers started yard line begin drive went gaining kick returned tech yard line offense started seconds remaining quarter play drive wide receiver broke away tennessee defense wide open pass threw ball dropped pass bounced chest denying touchdown virginia tech head coach later cited dropped pass critical turning point game saying think catch gotten game tech player agreed saying dropped ball took lot dropped pass threw incomplete passes tennessee kick caught near tennessee yard line returned way yard line end quarter tennessee led fourth quarter fourth quarter began tennessee possession ball facing yard line long punt return stewart ran twice yards manning completed pass kent yard line manning completed pass nash tech yard line plays later stewart scored touchdown game yard run right field extra point good remaining game tennessee took lead fielded tennessee returned yard line virginia tech short pass threw second interception game tennessee defender returned catch tech yard line backup quarterback returned game tennessee offense took play volunteers drive yard gain backup entered game ran yard line play yard run graham tennessee committed yard personal foul penalty pushing volunteers yard line completed pass tight end pushing tennessee yard line gaining tennessee returned game yard field goal attempt good giving volunteers lead game following return backup quarterback entered game guide offense play drive run backup running gained yards runs failed gain tennessee returned kick volunteers yard line volunteers continued trying run clock tennessee failed gain resulting punt rolled end zone tech yard line completed yard pass tech yard line play completed long pass tight end carried ball yards following play volunteers completed penalty advancing ball tennessee yard line short runs advanced yard line completed yard pass freeman play connected yard touchdown pass extra point good tennessee lead cut remaining game game reach recovered end zone volunteers started yard line tennessee resumed running clock short runs middle field kept game clock gaining tennessee minutes remaining game tech wide receiver returned kick tech yard line play drive completed yard pass tennessee yard line completion followed yard pass incomplete pass intercepted threw incomplete pass failed gain yards tech turned ball downs minute remaining tennessee offense ran remaining seconds clock secured victory statistical summary recognition performances game tennessee named game valuable players stewart finished game having carried ball times yards rushing touchdowns stewart caught pass seven yards threw touchdown pass yards completed passes yards ran ball times yards rushing touchdown stewart named valuable player volunteers multiple tennessee players significant games volunteer quarterback finished game having completed pass attempts yards touchdown interception quarterback completed pass attempts accumulating yards process tennessee receiver primary volunteer passing attack leading receivers game yards tennessee passing touchdowns went receiving yards rushing yards caught passes yards offense far successful tennessee high performers running finished game carries yards touchdown game leading terms points scored leading receiver caught passes yards touchdown touchdown pass came tech backup quarterback finished game having completed pass attempts yards touchdown points scored game bowl record time tennessee half points record yard run play second quarter longest bowl history time stewart touchdowns volunteers touchdowns tennessee bowl game records time volunteers set tennessee bowl game records points offensive effects win tennessee finished college football season overall record final associated_press poll year volunteers ranked took final record fell spot poll tech dropped game final meeting volunteers chick bowl despite regional proximity numerous failed attempts scheduling game universities efforts finally paid october schools announced battle bristol bristol tennessee september game feature largest crowd history football game approximately fans current record fans saw michigan play notre dame september appearance sec team bowl conversely bowl feature team admitted period game bowl entered exclusive tie contracts addition big notre dame
1994 Gator Bowl