The Virginia Tech Hokies college football program are part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1891 by professor Ellison A. Smyth—who coached the team in its first game, which was played the next year—the Hokies have participated in more than 1,100 officially sanctioned games, including 32 bowl games.
Historically, the Hokies have had limited success. From 1892 to 1921, Tech competed as a football independent. The Hokies won several games against larger, better-funded teams during this time, but did not compete in many games outside the American South. From 1921 to 1964, Tech was a member of the Southern Conference and won the conference championship in 1963. The membership of the Southern Conference fluctuated wildly at times during Tech's tenure. When the conference was created in 1921, it boasted 23 teams. This number was reduced when the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference split away in 1932 and 1953, respectively. By the time Tech won the conference championship in 1963, the conference's membership had shrunk to less than 10 teams. Tech administrators, wanting to expand the football program, chose to leave the conference and become a football independent once more.
Though Tech joined athletic conferences in other sports during the 1980s, it remained a football independent until 1991, when Virginia Tech became a member of the Big East conference. In 1993, Tech received an invitation to the Independence bowl, beginning a streak that has seen the Hokies invited to a bowl game at the conclusion of every season until 2020,. In 1995, the Hokies defeated the Texas Longhorns in the 1995 Sugar Bowl, vaulting them into national prominence. During the early 2000s, Virginia Tech football teams were consistently ranked among the best in the country according to season-ending polls. In 2000, Virginia Tech participated in the 2000 Sugar Bowl, which served as the national championship game of the 1999 college football season. In addition to that appearance, the Hokies have participated in several other Bowl Championship Series games, which represent the highest tier of postseason accomplishment. In 2009, the Hokies defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats in the 2009 Orange Bowl.
Today, the Hokies are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and have competed in that conference since 2004, when the Hokies left the Big East. Tech won three Big East conference championships prior to departing that conference, and since joining the ACC, the Hokies have won that conference four times.
Seasons
| National Champions † | Conference Champions * | Division Champions ‡ | Bowl game berth ^ |
| Season | Head coach | Conference | Season results | Bowl result | Final ranking | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conference finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Associated Press Poll | Coaches' Poll | ||||||
| Virginia Tech Hokies | |||||||||||
| 1892 | E. A. Smyth | Independent | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1893 | Independent | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1894 | Joseph Massie | Independent | — | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1895 | A. C. Jones | Independent | — | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1896 | Independent | — | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1897 | Charles Firth | Independent | — | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1898 | J. Lewis Ingles | SIAA | 10th | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1899 | James Morrison | Independent | — | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1900 | Dr. Davis | Independent | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1901 | Archibald B. Morrison, Jr. | Independent | — | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1902 | R. R. Brown | Independent | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1903 | Charles Lueder | Independent | — | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1904 | John O'Connor | Independent | — | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1905 | Sally Miles | Independent | — | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1906 | Independent | — | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1907 | C. R. Williams | Independent | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1908 | R. M. Brown | Independent | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1909 | Branch Bocock | Independent | — | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1910 | Independent | — | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1911 | L. W. Riess | Independent | — | 6 | 1 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1912 | Branch Bocock | South Atlantic | 5th | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1913 | South Atlantic | 5th | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1914 | South Atlantic | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1915 | South Atlantic | — | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1916 | Jack Ingersell | South Atlantic | 1st | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1917 | Charles Bernier | South Atlantic | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1918 | South Atlantic | 1st | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1919 | South Atlantic | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1920 | Stanley Sutton | South Atlantic | — | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1921 | Ben Cubbage | South Atlantic | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1922 | Southern | 4th | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1923 | Southern | 7th | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1924 | Southern | 11th | 4 | 2 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1925 | Southern | 10th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1926 | Andy Gustafson | Southern | 7th | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1927 | Southern | 14th | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1928 | Southern | 4th | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1929 | Southern | 13th | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1930 | Orville Neale | Southern | 13th | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1931 | Southern | 19th | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1932 | Henry Redd | Southern | 4th | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | ||
| 1933 | Southern | 7th | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1934 | Southern | 6th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1935 | Southern | 5th | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A | |||
| 1936 | Southern | 11th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | N/A | |||
| 1937 | Southern | 12th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | N/A | |||
| 1938 | Southern | 10th | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | N/A | |||
| 1939 | Southern | 12th | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | — | N/A | |||
| 1940 | Southern | 10th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | N/A | |||
| 1941 | James Kitts | Southern | 6th | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1942 | S. D. Tilson and Herbert McEver | Southern | 2nd | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1943 | Virginia Tech did not play football during the 1943 and 1944 seasons because of World War II | ||||||||||
| 1944 | |||||||||||
| 1945 | Herbert McEver | Southern | 9th | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1946 | James Kitts | Southern | 7th | 3 | 4 | 3 | Lost 1947 Sun Bowl to Cincinnati Bearcats, 6–18 | — | N/A | ||
| 1947 | Southern | 8th | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | N/A | |||
| 1948 | Robert McNeish | Southern | 15th | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | — | N/A | ||
| 1949 | Southern | 14th | 1 | 7 | 2 | — | — | N/A | |||
| 1950 | Southern | 16th | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1951 | Frank Moseley | Southern | 16th | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1952 | Southern | 6th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1953 | Southern | 6th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1954 | Southern | 3rd | 8 | 0 | 1 | — | 16 | — | |||
| 1955 | Southern | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1956 | Southern | 2nd | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1957 | Southern | 8th | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1958 | Southern | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1959 | Southern | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1960 | Southern | 4th | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1961 | Jerry Claiborne | Southern | 7th | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1962 | Southern | 6th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1963 | Southern | 1st | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1964 | Southern | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1965 | Independent | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1966 | Independent | — | 8 | 2 | 1 | Lost 1966 Liberty Bowl to Miami Hurricanes, 7–14 | — | 20 | |||
| 1967 | Independent | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1968 | Independent | — | 7 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1968 Liberty Bowl to Mississippi Rebels, 17–34 | — | — | |||
| 1969 | Independent | — | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1970 | Independent | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1971 | Charlie Coffey | Independent | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1972 | Independent | — | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1973 | Independent | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1974 | Jimmy Sharpe | Independent | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | Independent | — | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1976 | Independent | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1977 | Independent | — | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1978 | Bill Dooley | Independent | — | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1979 | Independent | — | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1980 | Independent | — | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1981 Peach Bowl to Miami Hurricanes, 10–20 | — | — | |||
| 1981 | Independent | — | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1982 | Independent | — | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1983 | Independent | — | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1984 | Independent | — | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1984 Independence Bowl to Air Force Falcons, 7–23 | — | — | |||
| 1985 | Independent | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1986 | Independent | — | 9 | 2 | 1 | Won 1986 Peach Bowl against NC State Wolfpack, 25–24 | 20 | — | |||
| 1987 | Frank Beamer | Independent | — | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 1988 | Independent | — | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1989 | Independent | — | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1990 | Independent | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 25 | |||
| 1991 | Big East | 6th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | |||
| 1992 | Big East | 7th | 2 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1993 | Big East | 4th | 9 | 3 | Won 1993 Independence Bowl against Indiana Hoosiers, 45–20 | 22 | 20 | ||||
| 1994 | Big East | 2nd | 8 | 4 | Lost 1994 Gator Bowl to Tennessee Volunteers, 23–45 | — | 24 | ||||
| 1995 | Big East | 1st | 10 | 2 | Won 1995 Sugar Bowl against Texas Longhorns, 28–10 | 10 | 9 | ||||
| 1996 | Big East | 1st | 10 | 2 | Lost 1996 Orange Bowl to Nebraska Cornhuskers, 21–41 | 13 | 12 | ||||
| 1997 | Big East | 2nd | 7 | 5 | Lost 1998 Gator Bowl to North Carolina Tar Heels, 3–42 | — | — | ||||
| 1998 | Big East | 3rd | 9 | 3 | Won 1998 Music City Bowl against Alabama Crimson Tide, 38–7 | 23 | 19 | ||||
| 1999 | Big East | 1st | 11 | 1 | Lost 2000 Sugar Bowl to Florida State Seminoles, 29–46 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 2000 | Big East | 2nd | 11 | 1 | Won 2001 Gator Bowl against Clemson Tigers, 41–20 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| 2001 | Big East | 3rd | 8 | 4 | Lost 2002 Gator Bowl to Florida State, 17–30 | 18 | 18 | ||||
| 2002 | Big East | 4th | 10 | 4 | Won 2002 San Francisco Bowl against Air Force, 20–13 | 18 | 14 | ||||
| 2003 | Big East | 4th | 8 | 5 | Lost 2003 Insight Bowl to California Golden Bears, 49–52 | — | — | ||||
| 2004 | Atlantic Coast | 1st | 10 | 3 | Lost 2005 Sugar Bowl to Auburn Tigers, 13–16 | 10 | 10 | ||||
| 2005 | Atlantic Coast | 2nd | 11 | 2 | Won 2006 Gator Bowl against Louisville Cardinals, 35–24 | 7 | 7 | ||||
| 2006 | Atlantic Coast | 3rd | 10 | 3 | Lost 2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl to Georgia Bulldogs, 24–31 | 19 | 18 | ||||
| 2007 | Atlantic Coast | 1st | 11 | 3 | Lost 2008 Orange Bowl to Kansas Jayhawks, 21–24 | 9 | 9 | ||||
| 2008 | Atlantic Coast | 1st | 10 | 4 | Won 2009 Orange Bowl against Cincinnati Bearcats, 20–7 | 15 | 14 | ||||
| 2009 | Atlantic Coast | 3rd | 10 | 3 | Won 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl against Tennessee Volunteers, 37–14 | 10 | 10 | ||||
| 2010 | Atlantic Coast | 1st | 11 | 3 | Lost 2011 Orange Bowl against the Stanford Cardinal, 12–40 | 16 | 15 | ||||
| 2011 | Atlantic Coast | 2nd | 11 | 3 | Lost 2012 Sugar Bowl against the Michigan Wolverines, 20–23 OT | 21 | 17 | ||||
| 2012 | Atlantic Coast | T–6th | 7 | 6 | Won 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 13–10 OT | — | — | ||||
| 2013 | Atlantic Coast | T–4th | 8 | 5 | Lost 2013 Sun Bowl against the UCLA Bruins, 12–42 | — | — | ||||
| 2014 | Atlantic Coast | T–9th | 7 | 6 | Won 2014 Military Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats, 33–17 | — | — | ||||
| 2015 | Atlantic Coast | T–7th | 7 | 6 | Won 2015 Independence Bowl against the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes, 55–52 | — | — | ||||
| 2016 | Justin Fuente | Atlantic Coast | 2nd | 10 | 4 | Won 2016 Belk Bowl against Arkansas, 35–24 | 16 | 16 | |||
| 2017 | Atlantic Coast | 4th | 9 | 4 | Lost 2017 Camping World Bowl against Oklahoma State, 21–30 | 24 | 25 | ||||
| 2018 | Atlantic Coast | T–6th | 6 | 7 | Lost 2018 Military Bowl against Cincinnati, 31–35 | — | — | ||||
| 2019 | Atlantic Coast | T–3rd | 8 | 5 | Lost 2019 Belk Bowl against Kentucky, 30–37 | — | — | ||||
| 2020 | Atlantic Coast | T–6th | 5 | 6 | Opted out of playing in a bowl game | — | — | ||||
| 2021 | Atlantic Coast | 3rd (Coastal) | 6 | 7 | Lost 2021 Pinstripe Bowl against Maryland, 10–54 | — | — | ||||
| 2022 | Brent Pry | Atlantic Coast | T–6th (Coastal) | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | |||
| 2023 | Atlantic Coast | T–4th | 7 | 6 | Won 2023 Military Bowl against Tulane, 41–20 | — | — | ||||
| Total | 760 | 483 | 46 | (only includes regular season games) | |||||||
| 14 | 21 | — | (only includes bowl games; 35 appearances) | ||||||||
| 773 | 504 | 46 | (all games) | ||||||||
See also
Footnotes
References
- General
- "2024 Football Schedule". Virginia Tech. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
- "Virginia Tech Hokies School History". Sports Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
- Specific
Reference sources
- Lazenby, Roland. Legends: A Pictorial History of Virginia Tech Football. Taylor, Full Court Press (1986) ISBN 978-0-913767-11-5
- Tandler, Rich. Hokie Games: Virginia Tech Football Game by Game 1945–2006. Game by Game Sports Media (September 15, 2007) ISBN 978-0-9723845-2-0
External links
- Hokiesports.com - Official Virginia Tech Hokies football website