Virginia Tech Hokies Football - History

History

Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Virginia Tech) first played football on October 21, 1892 against St. Albans Lutheran Boys School (Radford, VA). The game took place on a plowed off wheat field that was "about as level as a side of Brush Mountain". The Hokies won their first game 14-10, but were defeated 10-0 eight days later on a return trip to Radford. The first several VAMC teams wore cadet gray and black, but in 1896 the colors were changed to Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon – a color combination that was unique among educational institutions at the time.

Virginia Tech's first post-season bowl appearance was in the 1947 Sun Bowl against the University of Cincinnati. Tech had a 3-3-3 record that year, and was the third choice after Border Conference champions Hardin-Simmins University and runner-up Texas Tech both declined the bowl invitation. Tech lost that game 18-6.

Another first for the Hokies came in 1954 when they had their first, and only, unbeaten season in school history. The team was 8-0-1 and finished ranked 16th in the Associated Press post-season football poll. The team's lone blemish was a 7-7 tie against William & Mary in Blacksburg, VA. Despite the team's success, it did not appear in a post-season bowl game.

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