2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl
was a postseason college football
bowl game
between the Virginia Tech Hokies
and the Tennessee Volunteers
on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome
, Atlanta, Georgia
. Virginia Tech defeated Tennessee 40–12. The game was part of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. The game, the 42nd edition of the Chick-fil-A Bowl
—called the Peach Bowl for much of its existence—was televised in the United States on ESPN
and the broadcast was seen by an estimated 4.87 million viewers.
Each participating team was selected by the bowl game's selection committee, which had paid contracts with the participating football conferences. The Chick-fil-A Bowl had the second pick of bowl-eligible teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference
and the fifth pick from eligible teams in the Southeastern Conference
. In picking Virginia Tech and Tennessee, the selection committee bypassed teams with better or similar records in order to create a matchup appealing to television audiences. Pregame media coverage focused on the close geographic rivalry between the two teams and the success of Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin
in reversing his team's poor fortune from the previous season.
The game kicked off
at 7:37 p.m. EST
and Virginia Tech jumped to an early lead with a first-quarter touchdown
. Tennessee replied in the second quarter with two touchdowns of their own, but Virginia Tech kept the lead by scoring 10 points in the quarter. At halftime
, Tech led 17-14. In the second half, Virginia Tech pulled away from Tennessee, scoring 20 unanswered points to win the game 37-14.
In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech running back
Ryan Williams
was named the game's most valuable player
. By the end of the game, he had set a school record for most rushing yards in a season and conference records for most rushing touchdowns and most total touchdowns. Following the game, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin resigned to become head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans football team. Several players from each team participated in postseason all-star games and a handful were selected to play in the National Football League
through the 2010 NFL Draft
.
made their selection. The contract was renewed in 2009, extending that right through 2013. According to the official selection rules used in the 2009-10 season, the team chosen to represent the ACC in the Chick-fil-A Bowl had to be within one conference victory of the remaining highest-ranked conference team or ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team with the best conference record available in the final BCS standings. Following the conclusion of the 2009 college football regular season
, the Chick-fil-A Bowl selection committee bypassed the ACC Championship Game
loser, Clemson
, in order to pick Virginia Tech, which had the same conference record. The committee believed a game featuring Virginia Tech would draw more television viewers and in-person attendance than Clemson, even though the Chick-fil-A Bowl was the third time that season Virginia Tech played a game in Atlanta.
In choosing the SEC opponent, the Chick-fil-A Bowl selection committee had the right to select the first SEC school after the Bowl Championship Series, Cotton Bowl Classic, Capital One Bowl
, and Outback Bowl
made their selections. Just as in the ACC, the selection committee could not select an SEC team with two fewer losses than the highest available team. After the 2009 regular season ended, SEC champion Alabama
was selected for the national championship game
, and SEC runner-up Florida
was picked by the Sugar Bowl
to fill the SEC's BCS tie-in. The Cotton Bowl selected Ole Miss
, the Capital One Bowl picked LSU
, and the Outback Bowl took Auburn
. For its pick, the Chick-fil-A Bowl bypassed local team Georgia
(No. 2 in the SEC's eastern division) for Tennessee (No. 3 in the division) in order to set up a game against two geographic rivals and because Tennessee had defeated Georgia in a head-to-head matchup.
The bowl earned the right to select these teams via its multimillion-dollar payout system, which guarantees a certain amount of money to the participating conferences. Before 2006, the Chick-fil-A Bowl (then known as the Peach Bowl) matched the No. 5 team in the SEC versus the No. 3 team in the ACC. After the bowl increased its payout to $2.8 million per squad, it then was given the second pick from the ACC, with the Gator Bowl dropping to third. After 2006, the Chick-fil-A Bowl has steadily increased its payouts in order to keep pace with the trend across college football. In the 2009 game, the ACC and SEC split a payout of $6.02 million, with the ACC receiving more because it offered an earlier selection.
. Before the 2009 season started, Virginia Tech accepted an invitation to play Alabama
in the 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
, a game organized by the Chick-fil-A Bowl to pit two high-profile teams against each other to create a bowl game-like atmosphere in the Georgia Dome
at the start of the season. Virginia Tech was ranked No. 7 in the preseason polls, while Alabama was No. 5; the game was forecast as a competition between two possible national championship contenders. Alabama defeated Virginia Tech 34-24 and ultimately went on to win the national championship.
Tech recovered from the loss by winning its next five games, including a last-second victory over 19th-ranked Nebraska
and a 31-7 blowout victory over No. 9 Miami
. The victories brought Tech to a 5-1 record and a No. 4 national ranking. On October 17, Virginia Tech traveled to Atlanta for the second time that season, this time to play 19th-ranked Georgia Tech
. For the first time since 1962, Georgia Tech defeated a top-five team, beating Virginia Tech 28-23. Georgia Tech's win gave it a tiebreaker against Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, but Virginia Tech made the tiebreaker moot by losing its next game, an ACC contest against North Carolina
. Georgia Tech lost only one ACC game all season, a record that won it the ACC's Coastal Division and the accompanying spot in the ACC Championship Game ahead of Virginia Tech, which was No. 2 in the division.
Virginia Tech broke its two-game losing streak by defeating non-conference foe East Carolina
on November 5. The victory was the start of a four-game win streak that brought Virginia Tech to the end of the regular season and restored its national ranking to No. 12 after falling to No. 23 following the North Carolina loss.
and replaced him with Lane Kiffin
, who promised to turn the program around. Kiffin made an offseason splash by breaking the social norms among SEC head football coaches and violating a handful of NCAA rules. In a season-opening win over Western Kentucky, Kiffin appeared to have made a difference for Tennessee, as the Volunteers had their largest margin of victory in nine years.
That victory was followed by consecutive losses, however, against UCLA
and No. 1-ranked Florida
. Tennessee ended its losing streak with a win against Ohio
, then began alternating wins and losses. The victory against Ohio was followed by a loss to Auburn
. A win against Georgia
preceded a loss to No. 2 Alabama on a last-second blocked field goal and a win against No. 22 South Carolina
. After South Carolina, Tennessee beat Memphis
to create its first winning streak of the season. That streak abruptly ended the following week, when Tennessee lost to Mississippi
.
The Volunteers won their last two games of the regular season—against Vanderbilt
and Kentucky
—bringing them to a record of 7-5. At no time during the season was Tennessee ranked in the national top-25 polls, and Tennessee was never in consideration to play in the SEC Championship Game
because of its early loss to Florida.
, losing to Georgia
31-24, and the 2009 game was its fourth appearance in the game. It was Tennessee's fifth appearance in the game, and the Volunteers had most recently lost to Clemson in the 2004 contest
, 27-14. Entering the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Virginia Tech was 0-2 in games held in Atlanta during 2010, it had lost four consecutive games to SEC foes, and it had never won back-to-back bowl games (Tech won the 2009 Orange Bowl). Despite those factors, Virginia Tech was an early 4.5-point favorite and was listed as a 5.5-point favorite by spread bettors
on the day before the game.
. As Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm
said before the game, "(In) Southwest Virginia, you are either a Tennessee fan or a Tech fan. Now we actually get a chance to play them."
Despite the proximity of the two schools, the 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl was only their eighth football meeting. Tennessee held a 5-2 advantage in the series, but before 1994, the last meeting between them was in 1937. The 1994 meeting was in the 1994 Gator Bowl
, which the Volunteers won 45-23. Each school rapidly sold its allotment of 17,000 tickets, and publicly available tickets were sold out before the matchup was announced. This gave the Chick-fil-A Bowl its 13th consecutive sellout.
, and his combative attitude toward opposing coaches caused friction within the SEC. In the second week of December, he was connected to an ongoing scandal in which Tennessee hostesses allegedly helped lure recruits to Tennessee, violating NCAA rules. Despite these problems, he was a successful recruiter, and gained commitments from sought-after recruits in the leadup to the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
In addition to the off-the-field issues, Tennessee underwent a pair of coaching changes in the weeks before the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Wide receivers coach Frank Wilson and running backs coach Eddie Gran each decided in the first days of December to leave Tennessee for other SEC teams. In interviews, Kiffin said the coaching changes and stories surrounding him were not a distraction from his team's bowl preparation.
. Most of the Hokies' success came on the ground: Tech was 16th nationally in rushing offense but 98th in passing offense. A large reason for Virginia Tech's offensive success was running back Ryan Williams
, who broke Virginia Tech's single-season rushing record that year. Entering the Chick-fil-A Bowl, he had 1,538 yards, only 110 short of the record. Tech running back Darren Evans
, who tore his left anterior cruciate ligament
before the season began, was held out of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, even though his recovery had progressed to the point that he could have participated.
Virginia Tech also was rated higher than Tennessee in every major special teams category. The Hokies were in the top 25 in both kickoff return yardage defense and kickoff returns and were No. 16 nationally in turnover margin.
, after struggling in 2008, improved significantly in 2009, when he passed for 2,565 yards and 26 touchdowns. In 2008, the Volunteers were 11th in the SEC in offense, averaging 145.8 yards per game. In 2009, they were third, averaging 225.6 yards per game. In addition to Crompton, running back Montario Hardesty
also improved his performance from 2008 to 2009. In the season leading up to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, he had 1,306 rushing yards, just 158 short of the single-season Tennessee record, and 12 touchdowns. Entering the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Hardesty hoped to match the team's rushing record, but doubted he would be able to because of past knee injuries that made it difficult to run on artificial turf
. Volunteers tight end Luke Stocker
, who caught 27 passes for 370 yards and six touchdowns in 2009, was a player Virginia Tech's defense focused on in pregame preparation.
Because Tennessee's placekicking had been erratic during the regular season, Tennessee's head coach held an open competition among his three kickers to compete for the starting placekicking job in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
, sixth in passing defense, and 52nd in rushing defense. In scoring defense, the Hokies were 11th nationally, permitting an average of 15.75 points per game. The top individual performer on the defense was linebacker Cody Grimm
, who tied for the most forced fumbles in college football during the regular season, with seven. In recognition of the achievement, he earned the Dudley Award
, given annually to the top Division I football player in Virginia, and was named a first-team All-ACC and third-team All-America player. Cornerback Stephen Virgil, a starter for the Hokies in 10 of their regular-season games, was declared ineligible for the Chick-fil-A Bowl because of poor grades. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster
was wooed by several other teams between the conclusion of the regular season and the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but Foster remained at Tech after the school created an annuity
for Foster, granted if he remained with the team for five more years.
, only the second player in Tennessee history to be named a unanimous All-American twice. He won the Jim Thorpe Award
, given each year to the best defensive back in the nation. Joining Berry in the defensive secondary was Janzen Jackson
, who returned to the field following three missed games caused by his alleged involvement in an armed robbery. Countering Jackson's return, Tennessee lost defensive back Brent Vinson, who was dismissed from the team for reasons unrevealed at the time. Two months after the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Vinson was charged with tampering with evidence related to a murder investigation. Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin
, interviewed 10 days before the game, said Virginia Tech's offensive strength presented problems for Tennessee.
at 7:37 p.m. EST
on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome
, Atlanta, Georgia
. Bowl officials announced 73,777 people attended the game, but that figure was based on the number of tickets sold rather than actual turnstile attendance. That attendance figure was the fourth-largest in Chick-fil-A Bowl history, including when the game was known as the Peach Bowl, and it was the 13th consecutive sellout for the game. The game was broadcast in the United States by ESPN
, and was watched by an estimated 4.87 million people, earning it a Nielsen Rating of 4.2. That figure was the 10th highest among bowl games that season, and was a 36 percent increase from the previous year's rating. The sportscaster
s for the broadcast were Sean McDonough
, Matt Millen
, and Holly Rowe
. Because the game was played indoors, weather was not a factor.
The ceremonial playing of the national anthem was performed by trumpeter Dan Oxley. The game's referee was Ed Ardito, its umpire was Greg Adams, and its linesman was Jim Laborde, all of Conference USA
. A military veteran from each school was invited to the ceremonial pregame coin toss
to determine first possession.
Chad Cunningham delivered the ball from the tee, and Virginia Tech's Dyrell Roberts returned it to the Tech 26-yard line, where Virginia Tech began the game's first offensive drive. Two running plays by Tech's Ryan Williams gained 4 yards, then Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor
completed a seven-yard pass for the game's initial first down. Tech advanced as far as its 43-yard line, but a five-yard false-start penalty prevented the Hokies from gaining another first down. They punted the ball to Tennessee, which began its first drive of the game from its 11-yard line.
Two running plays gained 11 yards and a first down, then Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton began throwing the ball. His first pass the game fell incomplete, and his second was intercepted by Virginia Tech defender Rashad Carmichael
, who ran it back to the Tennessee 44-yard line. Tech's second drive of the game thus began in Tennessee's defensive half. The first play of the drive was a 20-yard throw from Taylor to wide receiver Jarrett Boykin. That completed pass was the longest play of the drive, which continued through short rushes and passes. On the seventh play after the interception, Williams ran the ball forward one yard, crossing the goal line for the game's first touchdown. Tech placekicker Matt Waldron successfully converted the extra point, and with 6:56 remaining in the first quarter, Tech led 7-0.
Virginia Tech's post-score kickoff was returned to the Tennessee 25-yard line, but the Volunteers failed to gain a first down on their second drive of the game, going three-and-out. They punted, returning the ball to Virginia Tech at the Hokies' 31-yard line. Taylor completed a 14-yard pass to Roberts and a 10-yard throw to Marcus Davis for two first downs, advancing the Hokies into Tennessee's half of the field, but Virginia Tech's drive petered out after Williams was tackled for a three-yard loss and the Hokies were unable to regain the lost yardage. Tech punted to the Tennessee 10-yard line, where the Volunteers took over on offense with 1:16 remaining in the quarter. Crompton completed a passing play that lost three yards, then Tennessee regained two of those yards with a running play as time expired in the quarter with Tech leading, 7-0.
Virginia Tech's kickoff was downed for a touchback
, and Tennessee started its drive from its 20-yard line. On the second play of the possession, Crompton completed a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Denarius Moore. The play gave Tennessee its first plays inside Virginia Tech territory, and the Volunteers capitalized on the field position. After two rushing plays were stymied for no gain or losses, Crompton completed a 15-yard pass to wide receiver Gerald Jones. Crompton was sacked on the next play, but two plays later completed a 20-yard throw to Jones, who ran out of bounds at the Tech 4-yard line, giving Tennessee another first down. Two plays later, running back Montario Hardesty ran forward four yards into the end zone, halving Virginia Tech's lead. After the extra point, Virginia Tech still led, 14-7, with 6:43 remaining in the first half.
Following Tennessee's score, the two teams traded possessions as each offense went three-and-out. Virginia Tech's offense then began a drive from its 40-yard line with 3:21 remaining in the half. Williams gained a first down with a pair of five-yard running plays, and Taylor gained 21 yards on another running play. Tech advanced to the Tennessee 31-yard line, where Taylor was sacked for a loss of nine yards. In an effort to recover the lost field position, Taylor threw a pass downfield, but the ball was intercepted by Tennessee's Janzen Jackson, who returned it to the Tech 48-yard line. Tennessee's offense entered the field of play with 1:11 remaining in the quarter, and it moved quickly. On the first play of the drive, a Crompton pass was caught by Hardesty for a 47-yard gain. Two plays later, Crompton completed a two-yard toss to Moore for a touchdown. The extra point tied the game at 14 with 18 seconds remaining before halftime.
Tennessee's post-touchdown kickoff was returned to the Tech 33-yard line, but Virginia Tech decided to not run an inconsequential play to drain the final seconds from the clock and enter halftime. On the first play after the kickoff, Taylor threw a surprise pass downfield to Boykin, who was tackled at the Tennessee four-yard line. Instant replay revealed there were two seconds remaining on the game clock after the play, and Virginia Tech placekicker Matt Waldron came onto the field to complete a 21-yard field goal as time expired. The Hokies thus regained a 17-14 lead at halftime.
Tennessee attempted to answer Tech's score in its following possession. The Hokies' kickoff resulted in a touchback, so the Volunteers began from their 20-yard line. Montario Hardesty gained a first down with a 10-yard run, then Crompton gained another first down with an 11-yard pass. Tennessee continued to advance on running plays and a 14-yard pass by Crompton, pushing the ball inside the Tech 30-yard line. Once there, however, the Hokies rallied by sacking Crompton for a seven-yard loss. A two-yard run and an incomplete pass kept Tennessee from gaining another first down, setting up a fourth down. Rather than try an offensive play and possibly gain a first down or turn the ball over on downs, Tennessee punted, forcing Virginia Tech's offense to start from its 11-yard line.
Building on the rushing success of its previous drive, Virginia Tech used fullback
Josh Oglesby in tandem with Williams, who also figured prominently in the team's second possession of the half. The two men combined for 19 yards on the first three plays of the drive, then Williams exited the game because of an injury. After play resumed, Taylor gained 10 yards on a rushing play and completed a 23-yard pass before Oglesby carried the ball again. When the third quarter ended, Virginia Tech faced second down at the Tennessee 30-yard line, still leading 24-14.
After Virginia Tech's post-score kickoff and a short return, Tennessee's offense started from its 31-yard line. A five-yard penalty against Virginia Tech was followed by a five-yard first-down run by Hardesty. Tennessee attempted to move its offense quickly in order to maximize the chances of closing Virginia Tech's lead by scoring fast. Crompton completed an 18-yard pass, advancing the Volunteers into Tech territory, but he was sacked by the Tech defense and Tennessee committed a five-yard false start penalty, forcing the Volunteers to punt. The kick rolled into the end zone for a touchback, and Tech's offense returned to the field at its 20-yard line.
As in the previous two drives, Virginia Tech relied upon its rushing offense: The first five plays of the drive were runs by David Wilson, who gained 26 yards. The Hokies then switched gears, surprising Tennessee, whose defense allowed a 30-yard pass completion from Taylor to Boykin. Tech reverted to running plays, but Tennessee again allowed a long gain, as Roberts advanced 21 yards on a run, then Wilson ran three yards into the end zone. The touchdown and extra point gave Virginia Tech a 34-14 lead with 5:14 remaining in the game.
Tech's kickoff was returned to the Tennessee 25-yard line, but on the first play of the Volunteers' drive, Crompton was sacked by Jason Worilds and fumble
d the ball. The loose ball was recovered by Virginia Tech's John Graves at the Tennessee 13-yard line. The Hokies' offense returned to the field and began running out the clock
with running plays, which keep the game clock ticking as long as the ball carrier is tackled in the field of play. Three rushing plays failed to gain a first down, but they drained more than two minutes from the game clock, and Tech's Waldron extended the Hokies' lead to 31-14 with a 22-yard field goal.
Tennessee had one final opportunity to score after receiving Virginia Tech's kickoff with 2:38 remaining. Jonathan Crompton threw several passes downfield, completing throws of 9, 9, 8, and 26 yards, advancing the Volunteers toward the end zone. Inside the Virginia Tech red zone, however, the Volunteers found less success. They committed a false start penalty, advanced the ball with a five-yard run, then Crompton threw two incomplete passes. On fourth down, Crompton was sacked for a 14-yard loss, the Volunteers' final play of the game. Virginia Tech knelt on the ball
to run the final seconds off the clock and clinch the 37-14 victory.
. On 25 carries, Williams accumulated 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Williams also caught two passes: one that gained six yards and one that lost six yards. Williams' performance, coupled with success early in the season, allowed him to set Tech’s single-season rushing record with 1,655 yards. The game was Williams' 10th of at least 100 yards that season. Williams also set two ACC records: His touchdowns gave him 21 rushing touchdowns on the season and 22 total touchdowns.
Alone, Williams had more rushing yards than all of Tennessee's players combined. Tennessee's leading rusher was Montario Hardesty, who carried the ball 18 times for 39 yards and a touchdown. Hardesty had 1,345 rushing yards on the season, the fourth-highest season total for any player in Tennessee's history. Tennessee's No. 2 rusher was Tauren Poole, who gained 15 yards on 3 carries. Collectively, Tennessee had just five yards net rushing, the second-least ever in a Tennessee bowl game and the least allowed by Virginia Tech in a bowl game. Most of Tennessee's rushing gains were negated when quarterback Jonathan Crompton was sacked six times, losing 55 yards.
Though ineffective on the ground, Crompton outperformed Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the passing game. Crompton completed 15 of 26 pass attempts for 235 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Crompton finished the season with 27 touchdown passes, third-most in school history, and had the fourth-most pass attempts, ninth-most completions, and eighth-most yards for a Tennessee season. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed 10 of 17 passes for 209 yards and one interception.
Tennessee's Herman Lathers led all defenders with 12 total tackles, including 2 tackles for loss, both career highs. The game's No. 2 tackler was Tennessee's Dan Williams, who tied a career high by recording nine tackles, including half a sack. Virginia Tech's leading tackler was Lyndell Gibson, who had eight tackles, including half a tackle for loss. Virginia Tech's John Graves, participating in his first game of the season, had two tackles for loss, including a sack, and forced a fumble. Virginia Tech's other forced turnover was an interception caught by cornerback Rashad Carmichael
. Tennessee's Janzen Jackson had the Volunteers' only interception.
Virginia Tech kicker Matt Waldron set a school record for most field goals in a bowl game (3) and tied the school record for the longest bowl-game field goal with his 46-yard kick.
Several players from each team participated in all-star games following the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Virginia Tech’s Kam Chancellor, Sergio Render and Stephan Virgil played in the 2010 East-West Shrine Game
. Tennessee's Morgan Cox, Chris Scott and Dan Williams played in the Senior Bowl
, while Jonathan Crompton and Vladimir Richard participated in the Texas vs. The Nation contest. These all-star games were a chance for graduating players to highlight their skills before the 2010 NFL Draft
, which took place in April. A handful of players from each team were selected through the draft to play for National Football League teams.
Tennessee had six players selected, including two in the first round: safety Eric Berry was the fifth selection overall, followed by Dan Williams (26), Montario Hardesty (59), Jacques McClendon (129), Chris Scott (151), and Jonathan Crompton (168). Virginia Tech had five players selected: Jason Worilds
was picked 52nd overall, followed by Kam Chancellor (133), Ed Wang (140), Brent Bowden (172), and Cody Grimm (210).
In addition to player changes, Tennessee saw coaching changes. Two weeks after the Chick-fil-A Bowl defeat, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin announced he was leaving the team to become the new head coach of the University of Southern California football team. The decision shocked Tennessee administrators and fans, who believed Kiffin would stay longer than one season. To replace Kiffin, Tennessee hired Derek Dooley, who had been coaching football at Louisiana Tech
. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron
also left with Kiffin. They were replaced by Justin Wilcox
and Chuck Smith
, respectively.
Dooley also changed position coaches, naming Terry Joseph defensive backs coach and Eric Russell special teams coach. To coach quarterbacks, he brought in Darin Hinshaw of Memphis
. He hired Charlie Baggett
to coach wide receivers and serve as assistant head coach, and added assistant coach Harry Hiestand
and strength and conditioning coach Bennie Wylie. He retained offensive coordinator Jim Chaney
from Kiffin's staff.
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
was a postseason college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
between the Virginia Tech Hokies
2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
and the Tennessee Volunteers
2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Lane Kiffin. The 2009 season would be his 1st and only at Tennessee – leaving to take the head coaching job at the University of Southern Cal on January...
on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Virginia Tech defeated Tennessee 40–12. The game was part of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. The game, the 42nd edition of the Chick-fil-A Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
—called the Peach Bowl for much of its existence—was televised in the United States on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and the broadcast was seen by an estimated 4.87 million viewers.
Each participating team was selected by the bowl game's selection committee, which had paid contracts with the participating football conferences. The Chick-fil-A Bowl had the second pick of bowl-eligible teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
and the fifth pick from eligible teams in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. In picking Virginia Tech and Tennessee, the selection committee bypassed teams with better or similar records in order to create a matchup appealing to television audiences. Pregame media coverage focused on the close geographic rivalry between the two teams and the success of Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin
Lane Monte Kiffin is the current head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team. He was previously the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team, the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and the offensive coordinator for the Trojans...
in reversing his team's poor fortune from the previous season.
The game kicked off
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
at 7:37 p.m. EST
Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
and Virginia Tech jumped to an early lead with a first-quarter touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. Tennessee replied in the second quarter with two touchdowns of their own, but Virginia Tech kept the lead by scoring 10 points in the quarter. At halftime
Half-time
In some team sports such as association football and rugby, matches are played in two halves. Half-time is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match...
, Tech led 17-14. In the second half, Virginia Tech pulled away from Tennessee, scoring 20 unanswered points to win the game 37-14.
In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Ryan Williams
Ryan Williams (American football)
Ryan Williams is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft....
was named the game's most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. By the end of the game, he had set a school record for most rushing yards in a season and conference records for most rushing touchdowns and most total touchdowns. Following the game, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin resigned to become head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans football team. Several players from each team participated in postseason all-star games and a handful were selected to play in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
through the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
.
Team selection
Beginning with the 2006 game, the Chick-fil-A Bowl purchased the right to select the highest-ranked Atlantic Coast Conference team after representatives from the Bowl Championship SeriesBowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
made their selection. The contract was renewed in 2009, extending that right through 2013. According to the official selection rules used in the 2009-10 season, the team chosen to represent the ACC in the Chick-fil-A Bowl had to be within one conference victory of the remaining highest-ranked conference team or ranked more than five spaces ahead of the ACC team with the best conference record available in the final BCS standings. Following the conclusion of the 2009 college football regular season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
, the Chick-fil-A Bowl selection committee bypassed the ACC Championship Game
2009 ACC Championship Game
The 2009 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Clemson Tigers. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2009 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson,...
loser, Clemson
2009 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 college football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium...
, in order to pick Virginia Tech, which had the same conference record. The committee believed a game featuring Virginia Tech would draw more television viewers and in-person attendance than Clemson, even though the Chick-fil-A Bowl was the third time that season Virginia Tech played a game in Atlanta.
In choosing the SEC opponent, the Chick-fil-A Bowl selection committee had the right to select the first SEC school after the Bowl Championship Series, Cotton Bowl Classic, Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
, and Outback Bowl
Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
made their selections. Just as in the ACC, the selection committee could not select an SEC team with two fewer losses than the highest available team. After the 2009 regular season ended, SEC champion Alabama
2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 77th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 18th within the SEC Western Division...
was selected for the national championship game
2009 BCS National Championship Game
The 2009 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by FedEx, was an American football game played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 8, 2009. It was the national championship game for the 2008 college football season, and featured the second-ranked Florida Gators against the...
, and SEC runner-up Florida
2009 Florida Gators football team
The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season...
was picked by the Sugar Bowl
2010 Sugar Bowl
The 2010 Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game that was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 76th Sugar Bowl...
to fill the SEC's BCS tie-in. The Cotton Bowl selected Ole Miss
2009 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2009 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2009 college football season. The team was led by Houston Nutt, who was in his second season as the Rebels' head coach...
, the Capital One Bowl picked LSU
2009 LSU Tigers football team
The 2009 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head coach was Les Miles who served his fifth year at the helm of LSU football. They played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
, and the Outback Bowl took Auburn
2009 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2009 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by first year head coach Gene Chizik...
. For its pick, the Chick-fil-A Bowl bypassed local team Georgia
2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in 2009. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' ninth season head coach Mark Richt. The Bulldogs finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in SEC play and won the...
(No. 2 in the SEC's eastern division) for Tennessee (No. 3 in the division) in order to set up a game against two geographic rivals and because Tennessee had defeated Georgia in a head-to-head matchup.
The bowl earned the right to select these teams via its multimillion-dollar payout system, which guarantees a certain amount of money to the participating conferences. Before 2006, the Chick-fil-A Bowl (then known as the Peach Bowl) matched the No. 5 team in the SEC versus the No. 3 team in the ACC. After the bowl increased its payout to $2.8 million per squad, it then was given the second pick from the ACC, with the Gator Bowl dropping to third. After 2006, the Chick-fil-A Bowl has steadily increased its payouts in order to keep pace with the trend across college football. In the 2009 game, the ACC and SEC split a payout of $6.02 million, with the ACC receiving more because it offered an earlier selection.
Virginia Tech
The Hokies went 10-4 in 2008, concluding the season with a 20-7 win in the 2009 Orange Bowl2009 Orange Bowl
The 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl game was the 75th edition of the annual college football bowl game known as the Orange Bowl. It pitted the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia Tech Hokies against the Big East Conference champion Cincinnati Bearcats on January 1, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium in...
. Before the 2009 season started, Virginia Tech accepted an invitation to play Alabama
2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 77th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 18th within the SEC Western Division...
in the 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff
The 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff featured the Virginia Tech Hokies, of the ACC, and the Alabama Crimson Tide, of the SEC, on September 5, 2009. The game took place in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Dome. In the 2008 edition, Alabama defeated the Clemson Tigers 34–10. It was Virginia Tech's...
, a game organized by the Chick-fil-A Bowl to pit two high-profile teams against each other to create a bowl game-like atmosphere in the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
at the start of the season. Virginia Tech was ranked No. 7 in the preseason polls, while Alabama was No. 5; the game was forecast as a competition between two possible national championship contenders. Alabama defeated Virginia Tech 34-24 and ultimately went on to win the national championship.
Tech recovered from the loss by winning its next five games, including a last-second victory over 19th-ranked Nebraska
2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cornhuskers played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska and were led by head coach Bo Pelini...
and a 31-7 blowout victory over No. 9 Miami
2009 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2009 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 2009 Division I college football season. The Hurricanes were coached by Randy Shannon and played their home games at Land Shark Stadium...
. The victories brought Tech to a 5-1 record and a No. 4 national ranking. On October 17, Virginia Tech traveled to Atlanta for the second time that season, this time to play 19th-ranked Georgia Tech
2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–2010 Football Season. The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson...
. For the first time since 1962, Georgia Tech defeated a top-five team, beating Virginia Tech 28-23. Georgia Tech's win gave it a tiebreaker against Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, but Virginia Tech made the tiebreaker moot by losing its next game, an ACC contest against North Carolina
2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels played in the Coastal Division of the conference. The Tar Heels finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in ACC play and lost in the Meineke Car...
. Georgia Tech lost only one ACC game all season, a record that won it the ACC's Coastal Division and the accompanying spot in the ACC Championship Game ahead of Virginia Tech, which was No. 2 in the division.
Virginia Tech broke its two-game losing streak by defeating non-conference foe East Carolina
2009 East Carolina Pirates football team
The 2009 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the college football season of 2009-10 and played their home games in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The team was coached by Skip Holtz, who was in his fifth and final year with the program...
on November 5. The victory was the start of a four-game win streak that brought Virginia Tech to the end of the regular season and restored its national ranking to No. 12 after falling to No. 23 following the North Carolina loss.
Tennessee
The Tennessee Volunteers entered the 2009 season following a 2008 campaign that ended with a bowl-ineligible 5-7 record. After the 2008 season ended, Tennessee fired head coach Phillip FulmerPhillip Fulmer
Phillip Fulmer is a TV college football analyst and the former head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, who compiled a 152–52 record from 1992–2008 as head coach, but was fired during a 5–7 season in 2008...
and replaced him with Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin
Lane Monte Kiffin is the current head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team. He was previously the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team, the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and the offensive coordinator for the Trojans...
, who promised to turn the program around. Kiffin made an offseason splash by breaking the social norms among SEC head football coaches and violating a handful of NCAA rules. In a season-opening win over Western Kentucky, Kiffin appeared to have made a difference for Tennessee, as the Volunteers had their largest margin of victory in nine years.
That victory was followed by consecutive losses, however, against UCLA
2009 UCLA Bruins football team
The 2009 UCLA Bruins football team , under second year head coach Rick Neuheisel, opened the season at the Rose Bowl on September 5 against San Diego State. One scheduling change was that the last game of the season against USC was moved from the "Championship Saturday" weekend of December...
and No. 1-ranked Florida
2009 Florida Gators football team
The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season...
. Tennessee ended its losing streak with a win against Ohio
2009 Ohio Bobcats football team
The 2009 Ohio Bobcats football team competed on behalf of Ohio University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bobcats were led by head coach Frank Solich and played their home games in Peden Stadium located in Athens, Ohio....
, then began alternating wins and losses. The victory against Ohio was followed by a loss to Auburn
2009 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2009 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by first year head coach Gene Chizik...
. A win against Georgia
2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2009 Georgia Bulldogs football team represented the University of Georgia in 2009. The Bulldogs competed in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference . This was the Georgia Bulldogs' ninth season head coach Mark Richt. The Bulldogs finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in SEC play and won the...
preceded a loss to No. 2 Alabama on a last-second blocked field goal and a win against No. 22 South Carolina
2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2009 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who was in his fifth season at USC. The Gamecocks played their home games at Williams-Brice Stadium in...
. After South Carolina, Tennessee beat Memphis
2009 Memphis Tigers football team
The 2009 Memphis Tigers football team represented the University of Memphis in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Tigers, led by 9th year head coach Tommy West, played their home games at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Memphis finished the season 2–10 and 1–7 in CUSA...
to create its first winning streak of the season. That streak abruptly ended the following week, when Tennessee lost to Mississippi
2009 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2009 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2009 college football season. The team was led by Houston Nutt, who was in his second season as the Rebels' head coach...
.
The Volunteers won their last two games of the regular season—against Vanderbilt
2009 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
The 2009 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 2009–10 college football season. The team's head coach was Bobby Johnson, who served his eighth season as the Commodores' head coach...
and Kentucky
2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Rich Brooks, in his seventh and ultimately final season at Kentucky, and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats competed...
—bringing them to a record of 7-5. At no time during the season was Tennessee ranked in the national top-25 polls, and Tennessee was never in consideration to play in the SEC Championship Game
2009 SEC Championship Game
The 2009 SEC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2009, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine the 2009 football champion of the Southeastern Conference . The game featured the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide was the designated "home team"; this...
because of its early loss to Florida.
Pregame buildup
In the weeks before the game, media coverage focused on the geographic rivalry between the two teams, the controversies surrounding Lane Kiffin, and the performances of the players on each team. Virginia Tech played in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in 20062006 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl was a postseason college football match between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Virginia Tech Hokies at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The University of Georgia represented the Southeastern Conference and Virginia Tech represented the Atlantic Coast Conference in the...
, losing to Georgia
2006 Georgia Bulldogs football team
The 2006 Georgia Bulldogs football team completed the season with a 9-4 record. The Bulldogs had an SEC record of 4-4. Despite losses to unranked Kentucky and Vanderbilt, Georgia salvaged its season by beating two ranked teams in the last two games of the season: #5 Auburn and #15 Georgia Tech...
31-24, and the 2009 game was its fourth appearance in the game. It was Tennessee's fifth appearance in the game, and the Volunteers had most recently lost to Clemson in the 2004 contest
2004 Peach Bowl (January)
The 2004 edition to the Peach Bowl featured the Clemson Tigers, and the Tennessee Volunteers.Clemson scored first on an 8 yard touchdown run from Duane Coleman, giving Clemson a 7–0 lead. Aaron Hunt kicked a 23 yard field goal giving Clemson a 10–0 lead...
, 27-14. Entering the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Virginia Tech was 0-2 in games held in Atlanta during 2010, it had lost four consecutive games to SEC foes, and it had never won back-to-back bowl games (Tech won the 2009 Orange Bowl). Despite those factors, Virginia Tech was an early 4.5-point favorite and was listed as a 5.5-point favorite by spread bettors
Spread betting
Spread betting is any of various types of wagering on the outcome of an event, where the pay-off is based on the accuracy of the wager, rather than a simple "win or lose" outcome, such as fixed-odds betting or parimutuel betting. A spread is a range of outcomes and the bet is whether the outcome...
on the day before the game.
Geographic rivalry
The University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech are separated by only 233 miles (375 km) by road, and no major university lies between the two, creating an intense geographical rivalry in that region of the Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. As Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm
Cody Grimm
Cody James Grimm is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
said before the game, "(In) Southwest Virginia, you are either a Tennessee fan or a Tech fan. Now we actually get a chance to play them."
Despite the proximity of the two schools, the 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl was only their eighth football meeting. Tennessee held a 5-2 advantage in the series, but before 1994, the last meeting between them was in 1937. The 1994 meeting was in the 1994 Gator Bowl
1994 Gator Bowl
The 1994 Gator Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the and the Tennessee Volunteers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida on December 30, 1994...
, which the Volunteers won 45-23. Each school rapidly sold its allotment of 17,000 tickets, and publicly available tickets were sold out before the matchup was announced. This gave the Chick-fil-A Bowl its 13th consecutive sellout.
Tennessee coaching turmoil
In the weeks leading up to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the number of controversies surrounding Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin continued to grow. Throughout the regular season, he was linked to violations of NCAA rules and actions that appeared to fall outside the norm for SEC coaches. He was mentioned in a rap song by Lil WayneLil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, and his combative attitude toward opposing coaches caused friction within the SEC. In the second week of December, he was connected to an ongoing scandal in which Tennessee hostesses allegedly helped lure recruits to Tennessee, violating NCAA rules. Despite these problems, he was a successful recruiter, and gained commitments from sought-after recruits in the leadup to the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
In addition to the off-the-field issues, Tennessee underwent a pair of coaching changes in the weeks before the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Wide receivers coach Frank Wilson and running backs coach Eddie Gran each decided in the first days of December to leave Tennessee for other SEC teams. In interviews, Kiffin said the coaching changes and stories surrounding him were not a distraction from his team's bowl preparation.
Virginia Tech offense
During the 2009 season, Virginia Tech was 28th nationally in scoring offense (number of points scored) and 55th in total offenseTotal offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
. Most of the Hokies' success came on the ground: Tech was 16th nationally in rushing offense but 98th in passing offense. A large reason for Virginia Tech's offensive success was running back Ryan Williams
Ryan Williams (American football)
Ryan Williams is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft....
, who broke Virginia Tech's single-season rushing record that year. Entering the Chick-fil-A Bowl, he had 1,538 yards, only 110 short of the record. Tech running back Darren Evans
Darren Evans
Darren Evans is an American football running back who is currently on the Indianapolis Colts active roster. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Virginia Tech....
, who tore his left anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
before the season began, was held out of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, even though his recovery had progressed to the point that he could have participated.
Virginia Tech also was rated higher than Tennessee in every major special teams category. The Hokies were in the top 25 in both kickoff return yardage defense and kickoff returns and were No. 16 nationally in turnover margin.
Tennessee offense
At the conclusion of the 2009 regular season, Tennessee's offense was the 32nd most successful squad in the nation, scoring an average of 30.58 points per game. In terms of yardage gained, Tennessee was 48th. There wasn't much difference between the success of the rushing offense (43rd) and the passing offense (47th). Tennessee quarterback Jonathan CromptonJonathan Crompton
Jonathan David Crompton is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, after struggling in 2008, improved significantly in 2009, when he passed for 2,565 yards and 26 touchdowns. In 2008, the Volunteers were 11th in the SEC in offense, averaging 145.8 yards per game. In 2009, they were third, averaging 225.6 yards per game. In addition to Crompton, running back Montario Hardesty
Montario Hardesty
-External links:* *...
also improved his performance from 2008 to 2009. In the season leading up to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, he had 1,306 rushing yards, just 158 short of the single-season Tennessee record, and 12 touchdowns. Entering the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Hardesty hoped to match the team's rushing record, but doubted he would be able to because of past knee injuries that made it difficult to run on artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
. Volunteers tight end Luke Stocker
Luke Stocker
Luke Stocker is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-College career:Stocker played tight end for the Tennessee Volunteers.-Professional career:...
, who caught 27 passes for 370 yards and six touchdowns in 2009, was a player Virginia Tech's defense focused on in pregame preparation.
Because Tennessee's placekicking had been erratic during the regular season, Tennessee's head coach held an open competition among his three kickers to compete for the starting placekicking job in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Virginia Tech defense
In 2009, Virginia Tech was ranked 14th in total defenseTotal offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
, sixth in passing defense, and 52nd in rushing defense. In scoring defense, the Hokies were 11th nationally, permitting an average of 15.75 points per game. The top individual performer on the defense was linebacker Cody Grimm
Cody Grimm
Cody James Grimm is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, who tied for the most forced fumbles in college football during the regular season, with seven. In recognition of the achievement, he earned the Dudley Award
Dudley Award
The Dudley Award, named after former Virginia running back Bill Dudley, is presented annually by the Richmond Times-Dispatch to one NCAA Division I football player in the Commonwealth of Virginia....
, given annually to the top Division I football player in Virginia, and was named a first-team All-ACC and third-team All-America player. Cornerback Stephen Virgil, a starter for the Hokies in 10 of their regular-season games, was declared ineligible for the Chick-fil-A Bowl because of poor grades. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster
Bud Foster
Bud Foster is a college football assistant coach. He went to high school in Nokomis, Illinois. He is the current defensive coordinator for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team. Following the 2006 season, he received the Frank Broyles Award, which is annually given to the top assistant coach in...
was wooed by several other teams between the conclusion of the regular season and the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but Foster remained at Tech after the school created an annuity
Annuity (finance theory)
The term annuity is used in finance theory to refer to any terminating stream of fixed payments over a specified period of time. This usage is most commonly seen in discussions of finance, usually in connection with the valuation of the stream of payments, taking into account time value of money...
for Foster, granted if he remained with the team for five more years.
Tennessee defense
Tennessee's defense was prized for its success against opponents' passing game. In 2009, the Volunteers were 10th nationally against the pass, permitting an average of 165.92 yards per game. Against the run, they were 58th. When both facets were combined, the defense was 16th, permitting an average of 308.83 yards per game. Much of the reason for Tennessee's success against the pass was star safety Eric BerryEric Berry
James Eric Berry , nicknamed "The Fifth Dimension" is an American football safety for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted 5th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee.-High school career:Berry played at Creekside High School in...
, only the second player in Tennessee history to be named a unanimous All-American twice. He won the Jim Thorpe Award
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
, given each year to the best defensive back in the nation. Joining Berry in the defensive secondary was Janzen Jackson
Janzen Jackson
Janzen Jackson was an All-SEC American football defensive back who played for the University of Tennessee. Jackson was considered one of the best cornerback prospects of his high school recruiting class...
, who returned to the field following three missed games caused by his alleged involvement in an armed robbery. Countering Jackson's return, Tennessee lost defensive back Brent Vinson, who was dismissed from the team for reasons unrevealed at the time. Two months after the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Vinson was charged with tampering with evidence related to a murder investigation. Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin
Monte Kiffin
Monte Kiffin is an American football coach. He is widely considered to be one of the preeminent defensive coordinators in modern football, as well as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL history...
, interviewed 10 days before the game, said Virginia Tech's offensive strength presented problems for Tennessee.
Game summary
The 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl kicked offKickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
at 7:37 p.m. EST
Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Bowl officials announced 73,777 people attended the game, but that figure was based on the number of tickets sold rather than actual turnstile attendance. That attendance figure was the fourth-largest in Chick-fil-A Bowl history, including when the game was known as the Peach Bowl, and it was the 13th consecutive sellout for the game. The game was broadcast in the United States by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and was watched by an estimated 4.87 million people, earning it a Nielsen Rating of 4.2. That figure was the 10th highest among bowl games that season, and was a 36 percent increase from the previous year's rating. The sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
s for the broadcast were Sean McDonough
Sean McDonough
Sean McDonough is an American sportscaster, currently employed by ESPN.-Early life and career:The son of Boston Globe sportswriter Will McDonough, Sean graduated from Syracuse University in 1984. It was in Syracuse where McDonough began his broadcasting career in 1982 as the play-by-play announcer...
, Matt Millen
Matt Millen
Matthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
, and Holly Rowe
Holly Rowe
Holly Rowe is a sports telecaster currently working for the sports television network, ESPN. Rowe is best known as a sideline reporter for college football games which are telecast on ESPN.- History with ESPN :...
. Because the game was played indoors, weather was not a factor.
The ceremonial playing of the national anthem was performed by trumpeter Dan Oxley. The game's referee was Ed Ardito, its umpire was Greg Adams, and its linesman was Jim Laborde, all of Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. A military veteran from each school was invited to the ceremonial pregame coin toss
Coin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
to determine first possession.
First quarter
Tennessee won that ceremonial coin toss and chose to kick off to begin the game, ensuring the Volunteers received the ball to begin the second half. Tennessee placekickerPlacekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Chad Cunningham delivered the ball from the tee, and Virginia Tech's Dyrell Roberts returned it to the Tech 26-yard line, where Virginia Tech began the game's first offensive drive. Two running plays by Tech's Ryan Williams gained 4 yards, then Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was the starting quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies football team from the start of the 2008 college football season until the 2011 Orange Bowl, the final game of the 2010 college...
completed a seven-yard pass for the game's initial first down. Tech advanced as far as its 43-yard line, but a five-yard false-start penalty prevented the Hokies from gaining another first down. They punted the ball to Tennessee, which began its first drive of the game from its 11-yard line.
Two running plays gained 11 yards and a first down, then Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton began throwing the ball. His first pass the game fell incomplete, and his second was intercepted by Virginia Tech defender Rashad Carmichael
Rashad Carmichael
Rashad Bernard Carmichael is an American football cornerback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft...
, who ran it back to the Tennessee 44-yard line. Tech's second drive of the game thus began in Tennessee's defensive half. The first play of the drive was a 20-yard throw from Taylor to wide receiver Jarrett Boykin. That completed pass was the longest play of the drive, which continued through short rushes and passes. On the seventh play after the interception, Williams ran the ball forward one yard, crossing the goal line for the game's first touchdown. Tech placekicker Matt Waldron successfully converted the extra point, and with 6:56 remaining in the first quarter, Tech led 7-0.
Virginia Tech's post-score kickoff was returned to the Tennessee 25-yard line, but the Volunteers failed to gain a first down on their second drive of the game, going three-and-out. They punted, returning the ball to Virginia Tech at the Hokies' 31-yard line. Taylor completed a 14-yard pass to Roberts and a 10-yard throw to Marcus Davis for two first downs, advancing the Hokies into Tennessee's half of the field, but Virginia Tech's drive petered out after Williams was tackled for a three-yard loss and the Hokies were unable to regain the lost yardage. Tech punted to the Tennessee 10-yard line, where the Volunteers took over on offense with 1:16 remaining in the quarter. Crompton completed a passing play that lost three yards, then Tennessee regained two of those yards with a running play as time expired in the quarter with Tech leading, 7-0.
Second quarter
The second quarter began with Tennessee facing third down and 11 from its 9-yard line. The first play of the quarter ended in a two-yard loss for Tennessee, and the Volunteers punted after their second consecutive three-and-out. Starting at Tennessee's 46-yard line after the punt, Tech quarterback Taylor completed a 42-yard pass to Danny Coale on the Hokies' first play of the quarter, giving Virginia Tech a first down at the Tennessee 4-yard line. There, however, Tennessee's defense stiffened. Tech was stopped for no gain on consecutive plays, but on third down the Volunteers committed a facemask penalty, giving Virginia Tech a first down at the 1-yard line. Even then, it took Ryan Williams two plays to gain the momentum needed to cross the goal line for Virginia Tech's second touchdown. The score and subsequent extra point gave the Hokies a 14-0 lead with 11:56 remaining before halftime.Virginia Tech's kickoff was downed for a touchback
Touchback
In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
, and Tennessee started its drive from its 20-yard line. On the second play of the possession, Crompton completed a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Denarius Moore. The play gave Tennessee its first plays inside Virginia Tech territory, and the Volunteers capitalized on the field position. After two rushing plays were stymied for no gain or losses, Crompton completed a 15-yard pass to wide receiver Gerald Jones. Crompton was sacked on the next play, but two plays later completed a 20-yard throw to Jones, who ran out of bounds at the Tech 4-yard line, giving Tennessee another first down. Two plays later, running back Montario Hardesty ran forward four yards into the end zone, halving Virginia Tech's lead. After the extra point, Virginia Tech still led, 14-7, with 6:43 remaining in the first half.
Following Tennessee's score, the two teams traded possessions as each offense went three-and-out. Virginia Tech's offense then began a drive from its 40-yard line with 3:21 remaining in the half. Williams gained a first down with a pair of five-yard running plays, and Taylor gained 21 yards on another running play. Tech advanced to the Tennessee 31-yard line, where Taylor was sacked for a loss of nine yards. In an effort to recover the lost field position, Taylor threw a pass downfield, but the ball was intercepted by Tennessee's Janzen Jackson, who returned it to the Tech 48-yard line. Tennessee's offense entered the field of play with 1:11 remaining in the quarter, and it moved quickly. On the first play of the drive, a Crompton pass was caught by Hardesty for a 47-yard gain. Two plays later, Crompton completed a two-yard toss to Moore for a touchdown. The extra point tied the game at 14 with 18 seconds remaining before halftime.
Tennessee's post-touchdown kickoff was returned to the Tech 33-yard line, but Virginia Tech decided to not run an inconsequential play to drain the final seconds from the clock and enter halftime. On the first play after the kickoff, Taylor threw a surprise pass downfield to Boykin, who was tackled at the Tennessee four-yard line. Instant replay revealed there were two seconds remaining on the game clock after the play, and Virginia Tech placekicker Matt Waldron came onto the field to complete a 21-yard field goal as time expired. The Hokies thus regained a 17-14 lead at halftime.
Third quarter
Because Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the game, Tennessee received the ball to begin the second half. After a short return, Tennessee's offense started the half from its 30-yard line. Crompton completed passes of 11 and 8 yards, then Virginia Tech's defense halted the Tennessee advance and forced a punt. Virginia Tech's offense began its first drive of the second half at its 26-yard line, with 13:02 remaining in the quarter. From the 26, Tech began an eight-play drive that saw Ryan Williams carry the ball on seven consecutive plays. Only the final play of the drive, a one-yard touchdown run by Tyrod Taylor, didn't feature the Tech running back. Williams opened the drive with a 21-yard sprint and had a 32-yard run during the possession that ended with Taylor's touchdown at the 8:42 mark in the quarter. The touchdown and extra point extended Tech's lead to 24-14.Tennessee attempted to answer Tech's score in its following possession. The Hokies' kickoff resulted in a touchback, so the Volunteers began from their 20-yard line. Montario Hardesty gained a first down with a 10-yard run, then Crompton gained another first down with an 11-yard pass. Tennessee continued to advance on running plays and a 14-yard pass by Crompton, pushing the ball inside the Tech 30-yard line. Once there, however, the Hokies rallied by sacking Crompton for a seven-yard loss. A two-yard run and an incomplete pass kept Tennessee from gaining another first down, setting up a fourth down. Rather than try an offensive play and possibly gain a first down or turn the ball over on downs, Tennessee punted, forcing Virginia Tech's offense to start from its 11-yard line.
Building on the rushing success of its previous drive, Virginia Tech used fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Josh Oglesby in tandem with Williams, who also figured prominently in the team's second possession of the half. The two men combined for 19 yards on the first three plays of the drive, then Williams exited the game because of an injury. After play resumed, Taylor gained 10 yards on a rushing play and completed a 23-yard pass before Oglesby carried the ball again. When the third quarter ended, Virginia Tech faced second down at the Tennessee 30-yard line, still leading 24-14.
Fourth quarter
Virginia Tech began the quarter in possession of the ball in Tennessee territory, attempting to capitalize upon a drive begun in the third quarter. Tennessee's defense, however, allowed only one yard on the first two plays of the quarter, and Tech placekicker Waldron returned to the field to convert a 46-yard field goal, extending Virginia Tech's lead to 27-14 with 13:33 left in the game.After Virginia Tech's post-score kickoff and a short return, Tennessee's offense started from its 31-yard line. A five-yard penalty against Virginia Tech was followed by a five-yard first-down run by Hardesty. Tennessee attempted to move its offense quickly in order to maximize the chances of closing Virginia Tech's lead by scoring fast. Crompton completed an 18-yard pass, advancing the Volunteers into Tech territory, but he was sacked by the Tech defense and Tennessee committed a five-yard false start penalty, forcing the Volunteers to punt. The kick rolled into the end zone for a touchback, and Tech's offense returned to the field at its 20-yard line.
As in the previous two drives, Virginia Tech relied upon its rushing offense: The first five plays of the drive were runs by David Wilson, who gained 26 yards. The Hokies then switched gears, surprising Tennessee, whose defense allowed a 30-yard pass completion from Taylor to Boykin. Tech reverted to running plays, but Tennessee again allowed a long gain, as Roberts advanced 21 yards on a run, then Wilson ran three yards into the end zone. The touchdown and extra point gave Virginia Tech a 34-14 lead with 5:14 remaining in the game.
Tech's kickoff was returned to the Tennessee 25-yard line, but on the first play of the Volunteers' drive, Crompton was sacked by Jason Worilds and fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d the ball. The loose ball was recovered by Virginia Tech's John Graves at the Tennessee 13-yard line. The Hokies' offense returned to the field and began running out the clock
Running out the clock
In sports, running out the clock refers to the practice of a winning team allowing the clock to expire through a series of pre-selected plays, either to preserve a lead or hasten the end of a one-sided contest.- American football :...
with running plays, which keep the game clock ticking as long as the ball carrier is tackled in the field of play. Three rushing plays failed to gain a first down, but they drained more than two minutes from the game clock, and Tech's Waldron extended the Hokies' lead to 31-14 with a 22-yard field goal.
Tennessee had one final opportunity to score after receiving Virginia Tech's kickoff with 2:38 remaining. Jonathan Crompton threw several passes downfield, completing throws of 9, 9, 8, and 26 yards, advancing the Volunteers toward the end zone. Inside the Virginia Tech red zone, however, the Volunteers found less success. They committed a false start penalty, advanced the ball with a five-yard run, then Crompton threw two incomplete passes. On fourth down, Crompton was sacked for a 14-yard loss, the Volunteers' final play of the game. Virginia Tech knelt on the ball
Quarterback kneel
In American football, a quarterback kneel, also called taking a knee, genuflect offense, or victory formation occurs when the quarterback immediately kneels to the ground after receiving the snap. It is primarily used to run the clock down, either at the end of the first half or the game itself, in...
to run the final seconds off the clock and clinch the 37-14 victory.
Scoring summary
Statistical summary
In recognition of his performance, Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams was named the game's most valuable playerMost Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. On 25 carries, Williams accumulated 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Williams also caught two passes: one that gained six yards and one that lost six yards. Williams' performance, coupled with success early in the season, allowed him to set Tech’s single-season rushing record with 1,655 yards. The game was Williams' 10th of at least 100 yards that season. Williams also set two ACC records: His touchdowns gave him 21 rushing touchdowns on the season and 22 total touchdowns.
Alone, Williams had more rushing yards than all of Tennessee's players combined. Tennessee's leading rusher was Montario Hardesty, who carried the ball 18 times for 39 yards and a touchdown. Hardesty had 1,345 rushing yards on the season, the fourth-highest season total for any player in Tennessee's history. Tennessee's No. 2 rusher was Tauren Poole, who gained 15 yards on 3 carries. Collectively, Tennessee had just five yards net rushing, the second-least ever in a Tennessee bowl game and the least allowed by Virginia Tech in a bowl game. Most of Tennessee's rushing gains were negated when quarterback Jonathan Crompton was sacked six times, losing 55 yards.
Though ineffective on the ground, Crompton outperformed Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the passing game. Crompton completed 15 of 26 pass attempts for 235 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Crompton finished the season with 27 touchdown passes, third-most in school history, and had the fourth-most pass attempts, ninth-most completions, and eighth-most yards for a Tennessee season. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed 10 of 17 passes for 209 yards and one interception.
Tennessee's Herman Lathers led all defenders with 12 total tackles, including 2 tackles for loss, both career highs. The game's No. 2 tackler was Tennessee's Dan Williams, who tied a career high by recording nine tackles, including half a sack. Virginia Tech's leading tackler was Lyndell Gibson, who had eight tackles, including half a tackle for loss. Virginia Tech's John Graves, participating in his first game of the season, had two tackles for loss, including a sack, and forced a fumble. Virginia Tech's other forced turnover was an interception caught by cornerback Rashad Carmichael
Rashad Carmichael
Rashad Bernard Carmichael is an American football cornerback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft...
. Tennessee's Janzen Jackson had the Volunteers' only interception.
Virginia Tech kicker Matt Waldron set a school record for most field goals in a bowl game (3) and tied the school record for the longest bowl-game field goal with his 46-yard kick.
Postgame effects
Virginia Tech's victory gave the team its sixth consecutive 10-win season and brought the Hokies to a final 2009 record of 10-3. It was the first time in school history that Tech won bowl games in consecutive years. Tennessee's loss dropped it to 7-6, and the Volunteers remained unranked in the final college football polls of the year. Virginia Tech was credited for its bowl-game win and rose to 10th in both the Associated Press and coaches' polls. Visiting fans generated an estimated $31.2 million in business for the Atlanta area.Several players from each team participated in all-star games following the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Virginia Tech’s Kam Chancellor, Sergio Render and Stephan Virgil played in the 2010 East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
. Tennessee's Morgan Cox, Chris Scott and Dan Williams played in the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
, while Jonathan Crompton and Vladimir Richard participated in the Texas vs. The Nation contest. These all-star games were a chance for graduating players to highlight their skills before the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, which took place in April. A handful of players from each team were selected through the draft to play for National Football League teams.
Tennessee had six players selected, including two in the first round: safety Eric Berry was the fifth selection overall, followed by Dan Williams (26), Montario Hardesty (59), Jacques McClendon (129), Chris Scott (151), and Jonathan Crompton (168). Virginia Tech had five players selected: Jason Worilds
Jason Worilds
Jason Adjepong Worilds is an American football outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
was picked 52nd overall, followed by Kam Chancellor (133), Ed Wang (140), Brent Bowden (172), and Cody Grimm (210).
In addition to player changes, Tennessee saw coaching changes. Two weeks after the Chick-fil-A Bowl defeat, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin announced he was leaving the team to become the new head coach of the University of Southern California football team. The decision shocked Tennessee administrators and fans, who believed Kiffin would stay longer than one season. To replace Kiffin, Tennessee hired Derek Dooley, who had been coaching football at Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...
. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron
Ed Orgeron
Ed Orgeron is an American football coach who is currently serving as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator for the USC Trojans. Orgeron previously served as the head football coach of the Ole Miss Rebels from 2005 to 2007...
also left with Kiffin. They were replaced by Justin Wilcox
Justin Wilcox (American football coach)
Justin Wilcox is currently beginning his second year as the defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee.- Coaching experience :...
and Chuck Smith
Chuck Smith (football coach)
Chuck Smith is an American football coach, specifically an assistant coach of linebackers for the University of Kentucky.Smith is one of the most accomplished coaches in the recent history of Kentucky high school football...
, respectively.
Dooley also changed position coaches, naming Terry Joseph defensive backs coach and Eric Russell special teams coach. To coach quarterbacks, he brought in Darin Hinshaw of Memphis
Memphis Tigers football
The Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Tigers compete in Conference USA...
. He hired Charlie Baggett
Charlie Baggett
-Biography:Baggett was born on January 21, 1953 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He first the attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later transferred to Michigan State University where he played quarterback on the football team...
to coach wide receivers and serve as assistant head coach, and added assistant coach Harry Hiestand
Harry Hiestand
Harry Hiestand had been the offensive line coach for the National Football League Chicago Bears since 2005 before taking the same job at the University of Tennessee. Hiestand earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from East Stroudsburg in 1983...
and strength and conditioning coach Bennie Wylie. He retained offensive coordinator Jim Chaney
Jim Chaney
Jim Chaney is currently in his third year as the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. He has previously served as the offensive line and tight ends coach for the NFL's St. Louis Rams. Before coaching for the St...
from Kiffin's staff.