The 1998 Music City Bowl was a postseason college football game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and Alabama Crimson Tide. It was the inaugural competition of the annual Music City Bowl. Virginia Tech represented the Big East and the University of Alabama represented the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The game was the final competition for each team in the 1998 college football season. The game ended as a 38–7 victory for Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech's 8–3 record during the 1998 college football regular season was good enough to earn it a bid to the inaugural Music City Bowl game. Facing the Hokies were the Alabama Crimson Tide, who had gone 7–4 during the regular season.
The 1998 Music City Bowl kicked off on December 29, 1998 in Nashville, Tennessee. The weather at kickoff was "horrid," as rain and sleet mixed in freezing temperatures. The game's early going was marked by defense as both teams struggled against the inclement weather. Virginia Tech scored first off a 43-yard touchdown scramble by quarterback Al Clark. Clark's touchdown provided the game's only points until the second quarter, when Alabama evened the score at 7–7 with a five-yard touchdown pass. The Hokies struck back with a field goal before halftime and took a tenuous 10–7 lead into the second half.
In that half, the Tech offense finally got rolling. The Hokies scored 14 points in both the third and fourth quarters, ending the game on an uncontested 28–0 run. Alabama's offense was stifled throughout by effective pressure from Tech defensive end Corey Moore, and Tech was able to turn several fumbles and interceptions by the Crimson Tide into points on the scoreboard. The final 38–7 Virginia Tech victory was the biggest win in Virginia Tech bowl game history, and Moore was named the game's most valuable player. The two teams did not meet again until the 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff on September 5, 2009.
Read more about 1998 Music City Bowl: Team Selection, Pregame Buildup, Game Summary, Statistical Summary, Postgame Effects
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