The 2002 Gator Bowl (also known as the 2002 Toyota Gator Bowl for sponsorship reasons) was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Virginia Tech Hokies, The 57th edition of the Gator Bowl, it was played at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on January 1, 2002. The game was the final contest of the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 30–17 victory for Florida State.
Virginia Tech was selected to play in the 2002 Gator Bowl with an 8–3 regular-season record despite having just played in Jacksonville at the end of the previous year.Virginia Tech Football Past Schedules: 2001–2002 Virginia Tech Athletics department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 27, 2008. The selection of Virginia Tech over the Syracuse Orangemen (now just the "Orange") despite losing head-to-head and Syracuse having better conference and overall records was controversial. Florida State, who had failed to win at least a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference title for the first time since joining the league in 1992, and who had played in all three BCS National Championship games held to that point, was selected as the opponent.
The 2002 Gator Bowl kicked off on January 1, 2002, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, exactly one year since the Hokies had last played in the game. The game's early going seemed promising for the defense-minded Hokies. In the first quarter, Tech held Florida State scoreless despite only managing a single field goal on offense. In the second quarter, however, Florida State began to find gaps in the Hokie defense and scored 10 points. At halftime, Florida State held a 10–3 lead.2002 Gator Bowl Virginia Tech Athletics department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 27, 2008.
In the third quarter, Tech struck back. The Hokies scored 14 points in the quarter, while Florida State managed just a field goal. The Hokies' All-American tailback Lee Suggs had suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the season, but freshman Kevin Jones had carried the offense for the season, and continued to perform well in the post-season Gator Bowl game. With a 5-yard run from Jones and a 55-yard pass from Grant Noel to André Davis, Tech took a 17–13 lead going into the fourth quarter. But the lead quickly evaporated on a 77-yard catch and run from Chris Rix to Javon Walker.
Florida State added ten more points after the long touchdown pass, and the Seminoles went on to win the game, 30–17.Virginia Tech Football Opponent History: Florida State Virginia Tech Athletics department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed February 27, 2008.
Team selection At the start of the 2001 college football season, the Gator Bowl Committee held contracts with the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East Conference, and Notre Dame, allowing the committee to select either Notre Dame or a team from each of the conferences to fill the two available slots. According to contract, the committee had the first selection of teams from each of the two conferences after the conferences' champions were given automatic bids to a Bowl Championship Series game.
According to contract, the Gator Bowl was allowed to select any bowl-eligible Big East team as long as it was within two wins of the second-place team in the conference.Webb, Donnie. "Gator Bowl spurns Orange", The (Syracuse, NY) Post-Standard. November 27, 2001. Page D1. This clause generated controversy when Virginia Tech (8–3 record) received the Big East's Gator Bowl spot instead of Syracuse (9–2 record). Syracuse fans, coaches, and players protested the selection of the third-place Hokies ahead of second-place Syracuse. Representing the Atlantic Coast conference was Florida State, which finished second in its conference with a record of 7–4.
Florida State
Florida State entered the 2001 college football season after a 13–2 loss to Oklahoma in the national championship game. The loss was just the second for the Seminoles that season, and they finished with an 11–2 record.Florida Sports Information Department. "2000–01 results" , Seminoles.cstv.com. Accessed January 23, 2009. Despite their appearance in the previous year's national championship game, the Seminoles were ranked as the No. 5 team in the country in the USA Today college football preseason poll.Florida State Sports Information Department. "Seminoles garner top-five ranking" , Seminoles.cstv.com. August 2, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. Florida State, which had a 70–2 record in Atlantic Coast Conference games since joining the conference, was again favored to win the ACC, but the Seminoles faced challenges replacing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Chris Weinke and 14 other starters from the previous year's team.Robbins, Josh. "Been there, done that", The Orlando Sentinel. August 11, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. Page D1. Adding to the Seminoles' challenges in the 2001 season was the loss of two starting wide receivers: Robert Morgan and Anquan Boldin, both of whom suffered season-ending injuries before the first game of the season.Florida Sports Information Department. "Robert Morgan is out for the season" , Seminoles.cstv.com. August 14, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009.Florida Sports Information Department. "Seminoles lose wide receiver Anquan Boldin for season" , Seminoles.cstv.com. August 20, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009.
The bad omens of the preseason were discarded in the Seminoles' first two games of the season: a 55–13 win against DukeFlorida Sports Information Department. "Seminole offense shines in rout of Blue Devils, 55–13" , Seminoles.cstv.com. September 1, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. and a 29–7 victory over UAB.Kallestad, Brent. "Rix shows his versatility in 29–7 victory over Blazers" , Seminoles.cstv.com. September 8, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. In their third game of the season, however, Florida State suffered what was then the worst defeat in its history of play as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a 41–9 loss to North Carolina.Droschak, David. "Seminoles fall to UNC, 41–9" , Seminoles.cstv.com. September 22, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. Florida State recovered from the loss by beating Wake Forest, 48–24,Kallestad, Brent. "Seminoles demolish Demon Deacons, 48–24" , Seminoles.cstv.com. September 29, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. but lost to No. 2 Miami in the following week, 49–27.Rosenblatt, Richard. "Seminoles fall to No. 2 Miami, 49–27" , Seminoles.cstv.com. October 13, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009.
Three wins followed the loss to Miami, but two losses followed the brief winning streak: to Atlantic Coast Conference rival NC State, 34–28,Kallestad, Brent. "Seminoles drop close one to Wolfpack, 34–28" , Seminoles.cstv.com. November 10, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. and in-state rival Florida, 37–13.Pells, Eddie. "Seminoles can't solve Gators, 37–13" , Seminoles.cstv.com. November 17, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. The loss to NC State was the Seminoles' first home defeat at the hands of an ACC opponent and dropped the Seminoles out of contention for the ACC championship. Following the loss to Florida, the Seminoles accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl. Florida State's final game, a win against ACC opponent Georgia Tech,Kallestad, Brent. "Rix wrecks Yellow Jackets in Noles' 28–17 win" , Seminoles.cstv.com. December 1, 2001. Accessed January 23, 2009. had no effect other than to improve Florida State's regular-season record, and the Seminoles began to prepare for the Gator Bowl.
Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech Hokies began the 2001 season having gone 11–1 the previous season, ending with a 41–20 victory in the 2001 Gator Bowl against Clemson.Virginia Tech Athletics Communications Department. "Virginia Tech past football schedules: 2000–2001" , Hokiesports.com. Accessed January 22, 2009. Fans' hopes for the new season were not as high as the previous year, however. Star quarterback Michael Vick was selected with the first pick in the 2001 NFL draft, and there were questions about how well the team would cope with the loss of Vick and several other important players. Despite those fears, the Hokies began the 2001 season ranked No. 9 in the coaches' poll and were picked in the annual poll of media covering the Big East to finish second in that conference.Robertson, Jimmy. "Once again, Miami picked to win Big East" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. July 27, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009.
In the opening game of the season, Virginia Tech defeated Connecticut, 52–10,Robertson, Jimmy. "Hokies handle Huskies in season opener" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. September 1, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009. but lost starting running back Lee Suggs, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the game.Virginia Tech Athletics Communications Department. "Suggs Lost For the Year" , Hokiesports.com. September 2, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009. Suggs' absence did not affect the Hokies in their next game, as they defeated Western Michigan, 31–0.Robertson, Jimmy. "Tech shuts out Western Michigan" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. September 8, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009. The Hokies continued their winning streak through the first Virginia Tech games of the season, heading into a conference contest against Syracuse with a 6–0 record and ranked No. 5 in the country. On October 27, however, Syracuse ended Tech's 16-game home winning streak by defeating the Hokies, 22–14, in Lane Stadium.Robertson, Jimmy. "Orangemen put an end to Tech streak" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. October 27, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009.
The loss to Syracuse was followed by another to Pittsburgh in the following week.Robertson, Jimmy. "Panthers whip Hokies in BIG EAST tilt" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. November 3, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009. The twin losses effectively knocked Tech out of contention for the Big East championship, as the Hokies were then two games behind first-place Miami. Tech won its next two games of the season,Robertson, Jimmy. "Jones' big day leads Hokies past Owls" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. November 10, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009.Robertson, Jimmy. "Hokies Take Advantage of UVa Turnovers In Win" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. November 17, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009. but because Miami remained undefeated, the matchup between No. 1 Miami and No. 14 Virginia Tech was played without conference title implications. Before the Miami game, Virginia Tech accepted a bid to the Gator Bowl, which had the first pick of Big East teams after the Bowl Championship Series gave an automatic bid to the Big East champion.Virginia Tech Athletics Communications Department. "Virginia Tech to accept Gator Bowl bid" , Hokiesports.com. November 26, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009. Miami defeated Tech in the final regular-season game for both teams, 26–24, and the Hokies began preparations for the Gator Bowl.Robertson, Jimmy. "Tech comeback falls just short" , Hokiesports.com The Newspaper. December 1, 2001. Accessed January 22, 2009.
Controversy