Hokie ClubMIAMI - The Virginia Tech football squad, ranked 11th in the AP Poll and 13th in the BCS, will meet No. 5/4 Stanford in the 77th Discover Orange Bowl on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., it was announced today by Orange Bowl Committee CEO Eric Poms. The match-up between Atlantic Coast and Pac-10 Conference schools is the first in Orange Bowl history.
Both teams enter the Discover Orange Bowl among the hottest in the country. Virginia Tech has won 11 games in a row, while Stanford has won its last seven. Both teams rank in the top-20 nationally in scoring offense (Stanford 8; Virginia Tech 19) and scoring defense (Stanford 11; Virginia Tech 16). They each feature experienced and talented quarterbacks, with Stanford’s junior Andrew Luck ranking seventh nationally in pass efficiency and Virginia Tech’s Tyrod Taylor, the ACC Player of the Year, ranking 13th.
Virginia Tech (11-2, 8-0 ACC) earned the ACC’s automatic berth in the Discover Orange Bowl Saturday following a 44-33 win over then-No. 21 Florida State in the sixth annual Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. ACC Offensive Player of the Year Tyrod Taylor was named most valuable player. The Hokies will make their fourth appearance in the Discover Orange Bowl, having played in 1996, 2008 and 2009.
Despite beginning the 2010 campaign 0-2, head coach Frank Beamer’s squad reeled off 11 straight wins, becoming the first team in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision to win 11 consecutive games after losing its first two of the season. Saturday night’s win marked Virginia Tech’s fourth ACC crown since joining the conference in 2004 and third ACC championship game victory.
Stanford (11-1, 8-1 Pac-10) was No. 4 in the final BCS Standings, qualifying the head coach Jim Harbaugh’s Cardinal for an automatic “At-Large” bid to a Bowl Championship Series game. Its only loss came to undefeated and No. 2 Oregon, who will be playing in the BCS National Championship Game. Its 11 overall wins and eight conference wins are school records.
Stanford’s Discover Orange Bowl appearance will be the fourth by the Pac-10. Washington beat Oklahoma, 28-17, in 1985 and USC beat Iowa in 2003 and Oklahoma in 2005 for the National Championship, making the Pac-10 a perfect 3-0. The ACC is 16-20 in Orange Bowl games, including Virginia Tech’s 1-2 mark. This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools.
Public tickets are already on sale at hokiesports.com and student tickets will go on sale Monday, Dec. 6 at noon.