Division Coastal Division AP No. 7 Head coach Frank Beamer | Coaches No. 7 2005 record 11-2 (7-2 ACC) | |
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Conference Atlantic Coast Conference | ||
The 2005 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer.
Virginia Tech began the season ranked #7 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and #8 in the Associated Press Poll after going 10-3 (7-1 ACC) in 2004 and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title.
The 2005 Hokies compiled an 11-2 overall record, including a 7-1 mark during the regular season in Atlantic Coast Conference. The lone regular season conference loss came at home in a 27-7 loss to Miami. Miami was upset late in the season by Georgia Tech, in a game that had previously been postponed due to Hurricane Wilma and so Virginia Tech won the Coastal Division of the ACC outright.
Following the regular season, the Hokies faced Atlantic Division champion Florida State in the ACC football championship game. After a defensive struggle in the first half and a 3-3 halftime tie, Florida State broke the game open in the third quarter, piling up 24 unanswered points. A fourth quarter Tech rally fell short and the Hokies lost 27-22.
The Hokies concluded the season at the 2006 Gator Bowl against Louisville, scoring 22 unanswered fourth quarter points to defeat the #16 Cardinals 35-24.
ESPN's College GameDay visited Blacksburg twice during the season - for the Georgia Tech game on September 24, after Hurricane Rita forced the program to move from Baton Rouge, and for the Miami game on November 5.
Tech's defense began the season with question marks in the secondary, having lost three starters and one key backup to graduation. Depth became a critical issue when two backup cornerbacks were arrested in the spring Despite the question marks, Tech finished third nationally in pass defense (154.23 yards per game) and first nationally in total defense (247.62 yards per game).
Marcus Vick
With the departure of three-year starting quarterback Bryan Randall, the Hokies found themselves with questions at the quarterback position. Marcus Vick, who had seen limited action in 2003, before being suspended for the 2004 season for off-field transgressions, entered spring practice as the #3 quarterback on the depth chart behind Sean Glennon and Cory Holt.
In the spring game, Vick completed 9 of his 17 passes for 107 yards and he was named the starter the next day.
After a rough first start against NC State, in which the offense managed just 232 yards, Vick showed improved poise and numbers through the next several games.
During the West Virginia game, Vick made an obscene gesture towards the Mountaineer fans who had been chanting "rapist" and "child molester" at him. He later apologized for his conduct. Despite the incident, Vick was a near-perfect 15 of 17 passing against the Mountaineers and added 74 yards on the ground, including a 23-yard scramble as part of a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that would put the game out of reach.
Against Miami, Vick had the worst game of his career, turning the ball over six times and managing only one first half completion.
Following the loss to Florida State in the ACC championship game, the Hokies earned a trip to the Gator Bowl to face Louisville. During the second quarter of the game, as players were returning to the huddle after a play, Vick stomped on the left calf of Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil. He later claimed that the stomp was accidental, though replays show Vick appearing to deliberately aim for the leg. Vick stated that he apologized to Dumervil after the game, though Dumervil denied that any apology had been offered.
Steve Usecheck, the Big 12 Conference referee who headed the Gator Bowl officiating crew, stated that the officiating crew missed the stomp and would have ejected Vick if it had been seen.
The following week, it was revealed that Vick had been cited for speeding and driving with a suspended license. University President Charles Steger decided to dismiss Vick from the team and Vick then decided to declare for the NFL draft.