independence bowl independence bowl post season american college football bowl game independence stadium louisiana december 18th edition final contest ncaa division football season teams ended victory virginia tech game bowl victory virginia tech head coach began record streak consecutive bowl appearances independence bowl kicked est december amid sunny skies temperatures indiana took early lead responded taking lead touchdowns late quarter early second indiana closed gap field goals second final seconds half scored additional points tech defense recovered returned yards touchdown blocked yard field goal attempt returned ball yards blocked kick touchdown virginia tech history scoreless quarter scored points fourth quarter secure lead indiana scored touchdown brought game final score game paid team exchange participation official attendance game named game offensive valuable player mvp named game defensive mvp records set game stand indiana returned game earned receiving yards including longest pass independence bowl history yard reception quarterback set record extra points independence bowl game mark tied independence bowl team selection indiana indiana coached accumulate record football history football team ended college football season record prior season picked finish better eighth team big conference regular season start indiana set upset expectations indiana raced record games season win coming opponent kentucky fourth week season indiana suffered loss conference defeat hands wisconsin recovered setback won games big opponents fourth victories came replaced wisconsin spot country indiana held scoreless tough defensive battle earning victory record indiana appeared position compete big championship consecutive losses highly ranked ohio_state end thoughts championship ended season win traditional rival accepted bid independence bowl virginia tech football team ended college football season record tech fans called tech head coach firing worst tech football season tech athletic director refused saw assistant coaches replaced new defensive offensive formations implemented tech players coaches promised complete turnaround season games season tech followed promise winning pittsburgh respectively loss miami followed victory maryland game followed gave tech record better win total close loss west_virginia determined missed second field goal tech won regular season games wins included victories opponent syracuse virginia tech traditional rival regular season record ranked country extended invitation bowl bid peach bowl buildup matchup indiana matchup ranked teams independence bowl history despite fact bowl difficulty selling tickets game slightly tickets sold day game far stadium seat capacity exchange participation game team received minimum required ncaa time spread favored win points matchup indiana time playing time virginia tech played team big turnaround season largest single season turnaround school history second best country year tech hoped improve time record bowl games indiana hoped likewise historical bowl game record week prior game bad weather virginia caused travel delays prevented fans marching band arriving game early days prior independence bowl tech shocked death served team physician designed special football neck protector worn players 1980s 1990s phased favor advanced indiana offense indiana offense averaged points total yards game regular season good ninth big accumulated yards offense independence bowl yards total passing yards came air remaining yards gained indiana running backs ground indiana quarterback cornerstone indiana offense completed passes yards touchdowns regular season team regular season game completed longest passing play indiana history completing yard pass wide receiver touchdown play helped performance fourth highest single game passing total indiana quarterback school history suffered separated shoulder regular season despite injury predicted start quarterback undergo surgery following independence bowl favorite passing target wide receiver completed regular season having caught passes yards seven touchdowns lewis receiving yards second accumulated indiana player receiving yards game single game indiana player school history ground indiana offense led running finished regular season carries yards touchdowns offense offense ranked 11th nationally scoring averaging points game 10th rushing offense averaging yards game totals recorded point offense high ranking rushing attack led accumulated yards touchdowns regular season thomas touchdowns tech running thomas assisted capable offensive line anchored center earned consensus america honors recognition performance named america team country consensus american virginia tech history tech quarterback major record breaking tech offense threw touchdown passes regular season setting school record completed passes yards seven addition touchdown record favorite target passing ball wide receiver set tech record touchdown regular season freeman caught passes yards addition touchdown mark indiana defense defense ranked seventh scoring defense allowing average points game overall defense indiana ranked 10th allowing yards game total allowed yards passing yards remaining rushing yards stars defense defensive tackle led sacks seven important defensive player linebacker tackles regular season indiana player defense defense allowed worst passing yards permitted average total yards game fifth worst conference tackles tech defender accumulating course regular season tech players tied team regular season game summary independence bowl kicked est december independence stadium louisiana official attendance estimates indicate crowd seats seat stadium indicating smaller official crowd game broadcast espn united_states broadcasters weather sunny quarter indiana received end zone began drive game yard line play game indiana rushed middle yard gain threw incomplete pass attempted scramble tackled yard short indiana ball block penalty began possession yard line yard false start penalty tech play running rushed ball yard gain making twice lost penalty tech second play rush thomas ran tech yard line game completed consecutive passes pushing tech yard line tech able continue advance indiana territory defense denied tech punt indiana began second offensive drive yard line indiana play new drive stopped loss forced punt short gain sack kick short tech began second drive yard line play stopped gain threw incomplete passes going indiana recovered ball yard line offense began work yard false start penalty pushed indiana stopped little gain plays drive play connected yard pass ran end zone touchdown game points following extra point kick indiana lead remaining quarter returned indiana post touchdown yard line tech offense returned field hoping answer score rushes thomas gave tech near yard line aided penalty indiana tech gained field pass yard late hit penalty indiana gave tech pushed indiana yard line tech continued drive runs inside indiana yard line tech stopped losses consecutive plays connected yard touchdown pass thomas extra point good seconds remaining quarter tied game indiana fielded post touchdown returned yard line attempted long pass throw fell incomplete quarter came end score tied second quarter indiana began second quarter possession ball facing second yard line rushing play stopped loss forced throw ball away avoid sack indiana time second quarter tech resumed offense yard line completed pass indiana yard line yard toss carried indiana carried ball inside indiana yard line plays later carried goal line second touchdown game following extra point tech took lead remaining half indiana fielded post score returned yards setting indiana inside tech territory play completed yard pass tight end indiana second game outside tech yard line indiana stopped short prevented scoring touchdown indiana head coach sent yard kick cut lead remaining halftime tech returned indiana post score yard line offense returned action tech picked yards pass plays later threw interception game indiana jumped tech pass following turnover indiana offense began work yard line picked rushing ball holding pushed indiana away end zone following penalty defense prevented gaining forced attempt field goal kick yard attempt good indiana tech lead single point remaining half returned post score yard line tech offense began work thomas gained consecutive runs backwards pass fell incomplete indiana recovered ball turnover allowed offense start work tech yard line indiana play intercepted pass following turnover tech offense started work yard line picked air yard holding penalty pushed tech backward forced punt ball away indiana offense began play yard line following kick yards completed pass yard line play ball bounced hands tech defensive end returned yards touchdown score extra point gave tech lead seconds remaining halftime post score returned tech yard line potentially setting indiana field goal try halftime completed pass yard line seconds remaining half apparently ran clock indiana use final stop clock players coaches attempted leave field informed indiana called second remaining despite tech head coach protests indiana able return field attempt yard goal kick blocked ball recovered tech returned yards touchdown score came time remaining clock gave tech lead halftime quarter kicked indiana begin game indiana kicked begin second half response celebration following yard touchdown prior halftime assessed yard conduct penalties indiana kicked tech yard line ball downed yard line false start penalty didn prevent gaining pass picked advancing ball tech yard line rush middle tech continued advance ball thomas rushing ball picking downs indiana field attempted deep pass ball intercepted indiana following turnover indiana offense began work yard line despite opportunity presented interception unable gain tech returned kick tech yard line tech offense returned field offense successful indiana tech going following kick short return began work yard line stopped gain consecutive plays completed long pass tech yard line second half indiana continued advancing ball short passes came yard short instead fourth indiana attempted gain rush middle tech defense held fast indiana turned ball failing gain needed yard indiana defense held fast possession tech unable gain following turnover tech punt returned indiana yard line offense returned field successful moving ball picked tech territory pass success short lived unable gain tech field punt returned kick tech yard line tech began possession second half tech picked passes couldn gain tech punt downed indiana yard line indiana offense began work remaining quarter indiana earned rushes tech defense refused allow second tech sacked loss indiana punt fair caught tech yard line quarter came end quarter remaining game team having scored quarter score remained fourth quarter began fourth quarter possession ball yard line drive offense quarter sacked big loss indiana returned tech punt yard line indiana brought backup quarterback lead offense sacked play completed pass near making lost sack despite gain indiana couldn lost sack appeared ready punt ball instead faked punt threw pass indiana player dropped ball following turnover offense started work indiana yard line stopped short rushes completed yard pass raced field end zone extra point good remaining game tech took lead tech post touchdown downed end zone indiana offense started work yard line penalty play indiana drive sacked ball rolled arms virginia tech defender offense quickly returned field tech scored play set indiana yard line turnover extra point gave tech lead remaining indiana offense started yard line threw incomplete passes sacked going indiana punt poor flying bounds indiana yard line giving tech excellent field position large lead secured backup quarterback came game unable gain despite failing advance ball yards excellent starting field position allowed tech attempt yard field goal longest kick season kick sailed tech extended lead exactly minutes remaining game following indiana offense started yard line picked short rushes completed pass lewis advanced ball tech territory second play tech territory completed long pass lewis indiana touchdown second half score cut lead remaining game odds long indiana challenging tech lead fashion went bounds offense began drive yard line began running clock executing rushing plays staying bounds maximize time run game clock tech unable punt returned indiana yard line indiana stopped consecutive plays appeared ball earlier game executed trick play snapping ball linebacker instead ran forward yards longest run game despite gain yard pass interference penalty tech indiana unable score time ran fourth quarter earned victory statistical summary recognition performance game virginia tech quarterback named game offensive valuable player completed pass attempts touchdowns yards favorite passing target wide receiver finished game catches yards touchdown running tech second leading receiver catches yards touchdown led tech offense ground carrying ball times yards second leading accumulating yards carries indiana offense air finished passing yards second highest total season starting quarterback completed passes yards touchdown backup quarterback completed passes yards touchdown players favorite target finished game leading receivers catches yards touchdowns ground led linebacker defensive player ran yards fake punt defense performed overall rushing yards allowed tech defense fewest permitted season addition defense accumulated seven sacks tackles loss seven sacks tech season indiana downs fewest tech allowed season defense performed individual level tackles tying player game banks recovery touchdown interception pass breakup accomplishments named game defensive mvp tech linebacker finished tackles defense success stopping tech line accumulating seven tackles loss course game indiana tackles interception leading tackles teammate came second seven block yard field goal attempt tech defensive prior halftime 36th blocked kick seven years tech head coach yard touchdown return blocked kick touchdown virginia tech history set records game second quarter points scored quarter tied record points quarter set record points scored tied record fewest downs allowed records set game stand indiana returned record game earned receiving yards including longest pass independence bowl history yard reception quarterback set record extra points independence bowl game mark tied independence bowl effects victory second bowl win school history brought final record indiana loss took win short tying win season featured appearance rose bowl tech win televised victory despite accolades victory failed poll kept tech final ranking season time tech officials viewed victory turning point program president said incredible fine job turned question turned later observers concurred pointing game start season bowl appearance streak included trip national championship game indiana appeared bowl games times years prior independence bowl suffered loss indiana went season head coach fired consecutive losing seasons appear bowl season played insight bowl players team later went play national_football_league tech center played years nfl assistant coach league subsequently number retired fourth player tech history honored fashion
1993 Independence Bowl