inaugural edition post season college football bowl game pacific bell park san_francisco california december game final contest ncaa division football season teams ended victory selected inaugural edition fight hunger bowl record college football season tech defeated nationally ranked teams including opponent air_force received bid following regular season air_force faced conference opponents regular season including california northwestern kicked clear weather field days rain seven minutes game air_force scored consecutive unanswered points tech defense eventually offense allowed points remainder game offense slowly climbed initial point deficit scoring touchdown quarter field goal second halftime score second half defense continued dominate tech gradually built lead scored points quarter running ran end zone yard allowing tech lead fourth quarter didn easily air_force cut tech lead yard field goal tech matched score later quarter restore touchdown lead time ran air_force final chance tie game send overtime beginning yard line left play drove deep tech territory seven seconds remaining air_force quarterback tried scramble end zone stopped goal line tech defensive stop preserved victory tech quarterback named game valuable player team selection air_force began season having gone previous season hoping disappointing showing august defeating northwestern victory following win added successive weeks racing undefeated start october faced notre dame close fought game suffered loss games followed loss notre dame suffered additional losses culminating close regular season defeat starting straight wins finished overall regular season record mountain west conference record putting conference air_force bowl eligible teams season champion earned automatic bid second pick teams selected new_mexico default left air_force virginia tech football team began season having gone previous season having suffered season ending defeat bowl began season hoping rebuild loss starters previous season team indians tech started season record performance scoring half points route rout overwhelming start beginning won seven games racing start ranking national polls ninth game season suffered loss falling week tech suffered closer loss losing syracuse triple overtime despite record performance tech quarterback accumulated passing yards touchdown passes games following loss syracuse tech lost taking final regular season record overall conference record meaning tech fourth ranked team season prior season signed agreement new giving bowl fifth pick bowl eligible teams bowl second pick teams selecting notre dame instead team selections pushed slot second place pushed pick place pittsburgh selected fourth pick leaving selected fifth pick buildup day prior game spread favored win points despite advantage tech head coach warned team public threat air_force posed chances winning head coach longest coaches college football time college coach years coached years game opportunity gain career win defeat ranked team time ticket sales prior game sluggish teams failed sell assigned local sales registered fewer tickets sold addition local media coverage game sparse offensive air_force prior san francisco bowl air_force offense ranked rushing offense country accumulating rushing yards average game air_force quarterback rushing yards rushing touchdowns setting ncaa record rushing touchdowns single season quarterback air completed passes regular season passing yards touchdowns heading needed passing yards 16th player history run yards pass yards single season air_force running having best season career heading san francisco bowl regular season accumulated rushing yards rushing touchdowns passing yards touchdowns clinched season rushing title status rushing team country west_virginia second place team failed gain sufficient final game pass despite finishing ranked rushing offense air_force offensive received postseason honors players lot incentive year hopefully repeat year maybe certainly don accumulate number yards people job said time prior game offensive tackle pronounced unable play broken foot suffered weeks prior virginia tech offense averaged points game regular season weeks running cast key offense game game collegiate player rushed yards touchdowns regular season needed rushing yards set team record single season rushing yards stood record predicted high pick year nfl draft supported center anchored strong tech offensive line criticized nasty grove led team blocks graded team efficient grove said gets blocking scheme straight gets ready offensive line strength tech quarterback finished regular season passing yards passing touchdowns completing passes process successful running ball carrying yards touchdowns regular season defensive air_force season air_force allowed average yards game fourth 57th nationally improvement season allowed yards game average air_force allowing far fewer points game allowed average points game game season air_force successful kicking defense air_force ranked second terms blocked kicks air_force strong safety replaced converted quarterback pronounced doubtful game lower leg injury suffered days leading virginia tech virginia tech defense looked recover slide games regular season games wins tech gave averages points total yards rushing yards game final games tech went defense allowed averages points total yards rushing yards game led doubts tech ability stop ranked rushing attack head defensive coach foster said right kind question mark going taught late season saw tech ranked rushing defense country heading san francisco bowl allowing average yards game keys defense linebacker attended preparatory school deciding walk football team instead attending academy manning tech terms statistics accumulating tackles course regular season defensive tackle injured ankle days prior game causing unable play tech listed injured unlikely play game summary kicked december san_francisco california weather clear cool air temperature rain showers fallen earlier day week leading game causing field slippery players game broadcast broadcast earned television rating meaning estimated million people watched game television game attendance given actual attendance far lower figure quarter kicked air_force begin game returned yard line game began game play running ran short gain triple option offense air_force game short gain quarterback completed yard pass wide receiver surprise ranked proficient teams country terms passing offense pass drove offense deep territory air_force continued advance ball series short rushes resulted sixth play air_force drive running ran reverse yards game touchdown air_force successfully completed extra point air_force took lead minutes remaining quarter received post touchdown returned yard line tech offense took possession game tech running ran yard gain quarterback completed yard pass near earning virginia tech process play taking possession turned ball tech running ball air_force recovered turnover returned tech yard line offense returned field despite gaining possession ball deep inside field air_force unable ball forward success quick provided penalty defense denied air_force forced attempt yard field goal converted left quarter air_force post score went bounds resulting penalty allowed tech automatically start second offensive possession game yard line play completed yard pass drove offense air_force territory time gained tech plays later completed pass time yard toss pushed tech air_force yard line gained yards short plays unable earn tech sent game attempt yard field goal kick bounced right upright tech denied points remaining quarter air_force held lead following missed field goal air_force offense began operations yard line running broke free yard gain play drive giving air_force plays later threw pass intercepted tech linebacker end play air_force committed yard personal foul penalty allowed tech offense air_force yard line tech needed plays drive yards earn touchdown game remaining quarter air_force lead cut tech air_force went forced punt took yard line kick completed quick passes wide receiver total yards time quarter ran end quarter air_force lead possession ball driving deeper air_force territory second quarter began second quarter possession ball facing second yard tech offense picked unable gain facing fourth needing yards air_force yard line tech head coach elected try gain instead trying long field goal sacked loss yards turned ball air_force failing gain air_force began offensive possession yard line like virginia tech soon found facing fourth like elected try convert unlike virginia tech successful gaining needed plays later threw second interception game tech defense tech offense took field gained forced punt failing gain second air_force likewise gained offense gain second gain falcon punt took offense yard line remaining halftime tech began advancing ball aided yard penalty air_force pushed deep territory running backs advanced ball ground short rushes contributed short passes times gaining needed downs required tech advanced ball inside air_force yard line gaining yard line air_force defense tech gained yards plays unable cross goal line touchdown tech entered game attempt second field goal try game yard kick successful try seconds remaining half tied game air_force received ran quick rushing play allow half come end score tied quarter air_force received ball begin game received ball begin second half tech returned yard line offense began drive second half tech offense rushes passes pick downs drive air_force territory field tech proved unable gain pushed territory penalty tech forced punt air_force began offensive possession second half yard line air_force play second half quarterback ran middle field yard gain followed play series rushes resulted time virginia tech territory inside opposition territory instead ball air_force head coach kept offense field attempt gain needed yards fourth attempt unsuccessful tech offense returned field remaining quarter took yard line immediately found success connected yard passes air_force territory passes followed yard run tech air force yard line tech ground game continued eat yards result downs ran ball twice yards ran ball times yards carry resulting touchdown score subsequent extra point gave tech lead game remaining following post touchdown teams traded air_force gained tech forced quarter came end air_force facing seven yards tech yard line tech held lead appeared striking distance fourth quarter air_force began final quarter play possession ball facing virginia tech yard line needing seven yards picked instead attempting field goal fourth ordered fourth conversion successful plays later tech defense forced fourth ordered fourth conversion try successful air_force earned defense continued prevent air_force gaining big play touchdown forced fourth considering fourth conversion drive coach instead sent kicked yard field goal cut lead quarter tech returned post touchdown yard line began offensive drive fourth quarter ran yards completed passes yards push air_force territory tech continued grind forward ran ball consecutive plays yards sacked loss yards tech sent kicked yard line restore tech seven point lead game time running air_force seemingly opportunity drive field send game overtime touchdown extra point win outright touchdown point conversion began drive yard line tech start air_force aided yard penalty going easy air_force short rushes gain downs advance ball territory facing virginia tech yard line completed yard pass tight end second completion game having taken place second play game following pass hampered yard illegal blocking penalty yard pass erased deficit gave air force virginia tech yard line time rapidly running time air_force attempt plays threw passes fell incomplete attempted desperation run end zone tackled yards short goal line time expired escaped victory thanks defensive stop statistical summary thanks performance game air_force quarterback fifth player air_force history 16th player history rush yards pass yards season despite performance virginia tech quarterback named game valuable player winning effort finished game having completed passes yards completed passes yards completing pass second play game complete pass minutes remaining game throwing consecutive incomplete passes intervening period final collegiate game tech running touchdowns allowed finish collegiate career points second career points scored player extended ncaa record streak consecutive games rushing touchdown record stands today finished game carries rushing yards touchdowns tech wide receiver caught passes yards set school record season broke record set air_force finished game rushing yards total yards offense committed yard personal foul penalties addition minor penalties accumulated game air_force leading carried ball times yards leading receiver catching second play yard throw reception game effects win took final record air_force loss dropped final record tech finished win season years secured spot final associated_press poll season fifth consecutive season attendance low tech fans reluctance travel country pay high prices chance travel agents indicated low business weeks leading game tech sold approximately tickets far lower total previous bowl games tickets sold games florida louisiana
2002 San Francisco Bowl