1995 Sugar Bowl (December) - Statistical Summary

Statistical Summary

In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech wide receiver Bryan Still was named the game's most valuable player. He caught six passes for 119 yards and one touchdown. He also returned a punt for 60 yards and a touchdown, and his 27-yard reception in the third quarter set up Tech's third touchdown two plays later. Still's punt return was the longest in Virginia Tech bowl-game history to that point and was surpassed in the 2008 Orange Bowl when Justin Harper returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown. Tech tight end Bryan Jennings was the Hokies' second-leading receiver; he finished the game with six catches for 77 yards. Four other players had two or fewer receptions.

On the opposite side of the ball, Texas' receiving corps was led by Mike Adams, who had six grabs for 92 yards. Tight end Pat Fitzgerald had the Longhorns' only receiving touchdown, and he finished the game with three catches for 21 yards. Three other players had two or fewer receptions.

Both teams' quarterbacks benefited from the profusion of passing. Virginia Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller finished the game having completed 18 of his 34 pass attempts for 266 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also ran three times for a total gain of one yard. Texas quarterback James Brown completed 14 of his 36 pass attempts for 148 yards, three interceptions, and a touchdown. He rushed six times for -43 yards because sacks are counted as runs for negative yardage. Texas also was hurt by penalty yardage. The Longhorns' nine penalties for 91 yards are both Texas bowl-game records.

On the ground, both teams' running back tandems gained appreciable yardage. Texas' Ricky Williams ran the ball 12 times for 62 yards, while Shon Mitchell had 15 carries for 59 yards. Virginia Tech's Dwayne Thomas carried the ball 15 times for 62 yards, and Ken Oxendine had eight carries for 31 yards. Four other Hokies (including Druckenmiller) had at least one carry.

Defensively, both teams found success at times. In the first half, Texas' defense held the Hokies to just one touchdown, and that was not recorded until the second quarter. Virginia Tech's offense was extremely successful in shutting down the Longhorns' offense in the second half of the game. The Hokies shut out the Longhorns in that half, setting a bowl-game record for fewest points allowed in a half. Texas' 10 points, 78 yards rushing and 226 yards total offense were all season lows. In total, Tech's defense had nine tackles for loss, including five sacks of Brown. Linebacker Brandon Semones was Tech's leading tackler, and he had nine tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup. In pass defense, Torrian Gray had two interceptions, and William Yarborough had one. Gray's interceptions tied a Virginia Tech bowl-game record. Defensive tackle Jim Barron's fumble return for a touchdown was the first such score in the Sugar Bowl since a rule change in 1990.