The Miami Hurricanes annual rivalry with Virginia Tech will end this season. The NCAA Division I Council decided to end divisional play and will end a very good, competitive and bitter rivalry. Hurricane fans wanted rivalries when they changed their Independent status in 1992. Virginia Tech’s role in the rivalry started out as “a pest” and later turned into “a bully.” The two teams will play October 15 at Blacksburg and then only play each other twice every four years in a “home and home” series. Fellow Heroic writer, Rich Luttenburger predicts a Miami win in this article, but Virginia Tech has always fought Miami tough.
Tale of the Rivalry
- Virginia Tech’s mascot is a “Hokie Bird” but according to the University website, the name “Hokie” was riffed into a cheer for the team (Athletic teams were once referred to as “Gobblers”)
- Virginia Tech picked their color scheme because it was unique.
- The University of Miami has their green, orange and white colors because of the Florida orange.
- Virginia Tech has won more times in Miami (7) than Miami has won in Blacksburg (6).
- Virginia Tech has won the ACC title more times than Miami (3-0).
- Virginia Tech has been to the ACC Championship game more times than Miami (5-1).
- Miami has won more times at home (9) than Virginia Tech has won at Blacksburg (8).
- Miami has outscored Virginia Tech during the rivalry 717-711.
- Miami has more draft picks in the NFL than Virginia Tech 139-103.
The rivalry begins in the Big East, then ACC
The Hurricanes dominated the first three years of the rivalry. In two games, Virginia Tech only scored a combined five points. In 1993, Coach Frank Beamer’s “Beamer Ball” took over college football and turned Blacksburg into “Mordor.” The Hurricane (hobbits) lost five straight games from 1995-1999 which is the longest streak in the rivalry. Every Hurricane fan was shocked that there was another team in the lowly Big East that could challenge them. The Hokies won the Big East era of their rivalry against Miami 7-6. In 2004, the two schools moved to the ACC Conference and Miami has gotten the better of the rivalry since then, 11-8. Famous players in the rivalry are Pierson Prioleau, Victor “Macho” Harris (and the entire Virginia Tech defense and special teams), Brandon Ore, Tyrone Moss, Jacory Harris, etc.
Famous Hurricane-Hokie games
- Hurricanes at Blacksburg, 1992
Miami gets their 1st win in the Big East beating Virginia Tech.
- Hurricanes at Blacksburg, 1997
Virginia Tech is 1st team to beat Miami three consecutive seasons. Miami was trailing Virginia Tech 27-19 and drove down the field for a score, but quarterback Ryan Clement threw a pass to Reggie Wayne who was triple covered. Va Tech intercepted the two point conversion.
- Hokies at Miami, 2002
Virginia Tech started off bad trailing 49-21 before outscoring Miami 24-7. They ended up losing 56-45.
- Hokies at Miami, 2004
The two teams played a de-facto Championship game in the Orange Bowl on a Saturday afternoon. The Hokies beat Miami and suffocated the offense for 10 points.
- Hokies at Miami, 2008
Miami held off Virginia Tech 16-14 in a defensive game. They stopped a two game losing streak to the Hokies and won five straight.
- Hurricanes at Blacksburg, 2011
Virginia Tech was leading 31-21 into the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes fought back scoring 17 points but gave up a game winning touchdown with 56 seconds remaining.
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