independence bowl independence bowl post season american college football bowl game independence stadium louisiana december game final contest ncaa division football season teams ended victory earned bid independence bowl following record football season tech team country terms overall defense terms rushing defense efforts tech defender american winner later overall selection nfl draft smith centerpiece eligibility debate weeks prior game prohibited participating game ncaa placed probation accepting illegal gifts smith contested probation virginia louisiana courts allowed play game virtue court actions facing united states air force academy gone regular season including record led year head coach ranked rushing offense country offense great effect game kicked comfortable temperatures moderate wind estimated people came watch air_force scored yard field goal struck touchdown play yard drive putting ahead score remain halfway second quarter ball yard line air_force recovered ball scored touchdown play regaining lead halftime defense began break air_force rushing offense battled defensively quarter fourth quarter air_force offense broke free unanswered points victory air_force quarterback named game valuable player offense linebacker named game valuable player defense team selection air_force began college football season new head coach replaced successful gone including win independence bowl following win accepted head coaching position hired replace promoted offensive coordinator position games air_force career jumped excellent start team opener defeated following week blew victories things difficult air_force lost games utah wyoming defeating navy traditional football powerhouse notre dame final games split evenly wins losses air_force finished regular season record western athletic conference record late november exchange regular season success invited participate independence bowl second team year history game invited consecutive years virginia tech began season head coach time coach tech history gone losses coming hands west_virginia nationally televised game tech began season win followed loss west_virginia contentious college football rivalries country time weeks followed tech continued alternate wins losses reaching overall record end fourth week season tech fortunes took turn better portion season proceeded win final seven games earning bid independence bowl buildup weeks leading game received coverage national championship game controversial status tech star embroiled legal battle ncaa participation game spread favored air_force win game points ticket sales slow weeks leading bowl failing sell entire tickets tech representatives said return tickets difficulty selling tickets game hours away car offensive season rushing offense led running carries yards touchdowns regular season quarterback featured completed passes yards touchdowns season cox favorite target tight end caught passes yards touchdown season field air_force rushing offense country regular season air_force led team carries rushing yards air_force quarterback known running passing finished regular season yards touchdowns carried ball times yards touchdowns wide receiver benefited passes thrown catches yards touchdowns regular season defensive defense led total tackles including assists safety altogether allowed average rushing yards passing yards game scoring defense allowed average points game averaging points game defense nationally rushing defense total defense games regular season tech allowed average yards play second lowest total allowed tech football history important player defense tech accumulated tackles sacks regular season december smith received trophy award given interior defensive voted american defensive backs led caught seven season controversy spring placed probation ncaa violations stemming illegal benefits given players potential recruits probation main effect ban players received benefits participating postseason game following season seven players involved scandal left probation lifted result appeals ncaa eighth names players kept secret general public informed developed best defensive players country able participate independence bowl smith filed suit force ncaa allow play game situation revealed chairman announced time lawsuit known restrictions smith likely invited tech play game smith obtained injunction virginia court allow participate game held louisiana response ncaa threatened remove certification smith allowed play bowl forbade smith participating obtained order louisiana court force independence bowl allow play day game ncaa attempted appeal decision judge panel denied appeal time game begin smith allowed play game summary independence bowl kicked december louisiana game televised united_states espn broadcasters weather comfortable wind southwest approximately miles hour tickets sold game attendance somewhat seats quarter kicked begin game air_force began drive game yard line began game consecutive short rushes failed gain ball away began drive game short return yard line air_force tech unable gain air_force began second drive yard line success second drive aided penalty picked big run penetrated tech field run followed drove inside tech red zone stopped tech defense facing fourth air_force attempted yard field goal successful remaining quarter air_force took lead post score short return offense began drive yard line yard false start penalty pushed tech offense yards long run quarterback penalty earned tech followed tech penetrated air_force field evaded falcon defenders yard run took inside air_force yard line plays pushed tech forward inside air_force yard line play ran forward end zone touchdown extra point gave virginia tech lead left quarter air_force returned yard line aided yard personal foul penalty return began drive yard line continued moving ball forward short rushes severe setback carry recovered drop retained possession facing fourth half field time ran quarter end quarter held lead second quarter facing fourth air_force begin second quarter recovered successfully began drive yard line ran ball successfully gaining driving half field facing tech aided pass interference penalty air_force tech inside air_force yard line advanced yard line cox sacked air_force defender pushing tech yard line tech head coach sent don wade attempt yard field goal kick fell short margin remained remaining halftime missed field goal air_force took point kick missed yard line despite gaining bit momentum kept scoring unable gain went ball away tech declined return ball rolled virginia tech yard line offense took play punt tech ball air_force defenders recovered recovery took play score touchdown gain lead halftime tech trailed time beginning quarter needing regain lead returned air_force near yard line committed yard personal foul penalty pushed tech yard line forced gain yards tech unable strong defense air_force going kick short air_force began drive yard line likewise went tech recovered punt yard line gained rushes pass cox advancing ball yard line penalty air_force aided tech drove inside air_force territory time remaining half quickly factor penetrated yard line remaining half rushed ball forced order stop clock counts following rushing plays gain end bounds cox threw occasional passes gaining short work drive ground tech penetrated air_force red zone driving yard line seconds remaining cox attempted throw pass end zone effort touchdown time expired air_force intercepted ball denying scoring chance halftime air_force lead quarter air_force received ball begin second half started yard line drove tech territory defense forced punt near tech took quarter yard line short return air_force tech picked couple downs like air_force opposition defense forced punt near following punt air_force took yard line remaining quarter trouble moving ball helped yard personal foul penalty virginia tech gave completed pass gave drove air_force inside tech territory play territory ball fell loss air_force retained possession plays later kept drive going despite effort tech able force stop air_force remaining quarter tech took yard line following yard punt went forced punt air_force offense returned field yard line kick picked tech defense forced fourth needing inches gain air_force elected attempt gain needed punt ball away start play time ran quarter quarter remaining held lead fourth quarter fourth quarter began air_force possession ball facing fourth needing advance mere inches gain attempt gain inches tech broke air_force offensive line sacked loss having failed gain air_force turned ball began drive yard line tech moved ball forward consecutive rushes earning driving air_force territory seeking tie game gain lead trick play tech head coach ordered play involving pass hunter instead quarterback pass intercepted air_force defender took offense yard line remaining game air_force began moving ball ground aided penalties drove tech territory completed yard pass picked running ball pushing inside tech red zone remaining tech defense forcing fourth yard line kick field goal elected attempt touchdown ran needed yards score following extra point gave air_force lead remaining game offense began work yard line needing score quickly order chance making point deficit require separate scores good completed seven yard pass broke free yard rush gave tech drove yard line cox completed long pass air_force red zone completion offensive pass interference penalty tech cost long completion loss additional yards extra time throw ball cox sacked air_force defender ball air_force recovered loose football offense returned field minutes left play began drive tech yard line effectively eliminated chance tech earn scores needed regain lead moved ball effectively field running clock finally broke tech defense yard gain final touchdown game extra point kick missed air_force taken lead remaining game post touchdown tech offense returned field yard line play drive resulted yard holding penalty tech time winding tech advanced ball successfully passes time ran shortly tech crossed yard line air_force clinched victory statistical summary points tech allowed game marked time season allowed points game performance game air_force quarterback named game valuable player offense linebacker named game valuable defensive player daniels game leading tackles tying tech bowl game record set peach bowl record stands today completed seven passes yards main success came rushing ball carried times yards touchdown leading carried ball times yards tech quarterback finished game having completed passes passing yards interception total tech turned ball times twice twice lost finished game single sack tackles cited poor performance time spent away practice court players cited court battle distraction game preparations thought air_force players inspired increased media coverage given air_force coach said thought storm pre game publicity smith helped team like everybody forgot air_force town said thing motivated team challenge playing lineup set bowl game records independence bowl stand today tech allowed passing downs seven pass attempts passing yards defense conversely allowed rushing attempts air_force record tech bowl game set bowl game record carries single player tech kicked yard punt longest kicked tech opponent bowl game effects loss air_force win brought teams final records loss left bowl appearances date win air_force bowl victory years team repeat independence bowl champions won bowl appearance peach bowl air_force appeared bowl following year texas despite media coverage given poor performance independence bowl selected overall pick nfl draft smith subsequently signed million contract college football season struggled rebuild losing starters offense defense team finished record air_force performed extremely finishing record including bowl game win texas remained coach air_force years eventually retiring conclusion season years appearing independence bowl tech invited participate game indiana time memories legal troubles surrounded game gone president said controversy best thing happened independence bowl got international publicity map
1984 Independence Bowl