Postgame Effects
Virginia Tech's victory was just its second bowl win in school history and brought the Hokies to a final 1993 record of 9–3. Indiana's loss took it to 8–4, one win short of tying a nine-win season in 1967 that featured an appearance in the Rose Bowl. Tech's win was also its first televised victory since 1990. Despite those accolades, the victory failed to move the Hokies up in the AP poll, which kept Tech at No. 22 in the final ranking of the season.
At the time, Tech officials viewed the victory as a turning point for the program. Virginia Tech president Paul Torgersen said, "Incredible. ... A very fine job. We've turned it around. No question, we've turned it around." Later observers also concurred, pointing to the game as the start of Virginia Tech's 15-season bowl appearance streak, which included a trip to the national championship game.
Indiana, which had appeared in bowl games six times in the eight years prior to the Independence Bowl, suffered after the loss. Indiana went 6–5 in the 1994 season, and head coach Bill Mallory was fired after two consecutive losing seasons in 1995 and 1996. The Hoosiers would not appear in a bowl again until the 2007 season, when they played in the 2007 Insight Bowl.
Several players from each team later went on to play in the National Football League. Tech center Jim Pyne played for nine years in the NFL before becoming an assistant coach in the league. He subsequently had his number retired by Virginia Tech, becoming just the fourth player in Tech history to be honored in that fashion.
Read more about this topic: 1993 Independence Bowl
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