List of Virginia Tech Hokies Bowl Games - Game Capsules - 2009 Orange Bowl

2009 Orange Bowl

Main article: 2009 Orange Bowl See also: 2008 Virginia Tech Hokies football team and 2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football team

2009 Orange Bowl
Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total Cincinnati 7 0 0 0 7 Virginia Tech 0 10 3 7 20
Date	January 1, 2009
Stadium	Dolphin Stadium
Location	Miami Gardens, Florida

No. 19 Virginia Tech earned a bid to the 2009 Orange Bowl via an automatic bid, courtesy of a 30–12 victory against Boston College in the 2008 ACC Championship Game that saw the Hokies named champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The game was played on January 1, 2009, and also featured the No. 12 Cincinnati Bearcats, champions of the Big East Conference. Pregame media coverage of the game focused on the fact that the 2009 Orange Bowl was Cincinnati's first Bowl Championship Series game in school history, and despite their bowl-game inexperience, the Bearcats were favored to win by two and a half points on the eve of the game.

Cincinnati gained a 7–0 lead in the first quarter, but Virginia Tech scored 10 unanswered points to take a 10–7 lead into halftime. In the second half, Virginia Tech extended its lead as its defense kept the Bearcats scoreless. A Tech field goal in the third quarter was followed by a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the game ended with Virginia Tech on top, 20–7.

In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans was named the game's most valuable player. Evans set a Virginia Tech bowl-game record for carries, and tied the Tech record for rushing yards. Evans finished the season with 1,265 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns–both marks were Virginia Tech records for a freshman.