1991 Virginia Tech Hokies football team

1991 Virginia Tech Hokies football
Conference	Big East Conference
Record	5–6 (1–0 Big East)
Head coach	Frank Beamer (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Steve Marshall (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Mike Clark (4th season)
Base defense	4–4
Home stadium	Lane Stadium
Seasons ←  1990 1992  →

1991 Big East Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 11 Syracuse	5	–	0	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
No. 1 Miami (FL)	2	–	0	–	0			12	–	0	–	0
Virginia Tech	1	–	0	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Pittsburgh	3	–	2	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
West Virginia	3	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Rutgers	2	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Boston College	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Temple	0	–	5	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
The Big East did not crown an official champion until 1993 when full league play began. Rankings from AP Poll

The 1991 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) as a member of the newly-formed Big East Conference football league during the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. The season marked the end of the program's 26-year status as a football independent ^[1] . Led by fifth-year head coach Frank Beamer, the Hokies compiled an overall record of 5–6, with a mark of 1–0 in conference play. Although the team finished 1–0 in conference play, the Big East did not crown an official champion until full league play began in 1993 ^[2] . Virginia Tech played home games at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Season Overview

The 1991 campaign served as a foundational year for the program's future in conference play. The schedule was one of the toughest in the program's recent history, featuring matchups against two top-10 teams: No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 1 Florida State ^[2] . The Hokies began the season poorly, compiling a 1–4 record that included a 7–0 shutout loss to NC State and consecutive road losses to South Carolina and the Sooners ^[2] .

The turning point occurred on October 5 when Virginia Tech secured a critical 20–14 road victory over rival West Virginia in Morgantown for its first-ever Big East conference game. The defense clinched the win after a goal-line fumble by the Mountaineers in the final moments of the game ^[3] . The team built on this momentum despite suffering a 33–20 loss to No. 1 Florida State in a neutral-site contest in Orlando; in that game, quarterback Will Furrer threw for 317 yards, demonstrating the offense's ability to move the ball against elite competition ^[4] .

The West Virginia victory ultimately sparked a four-game winning streak that included decisive home victories over Cincinnati (56–9), Louisville (41–13), and Akron (42–24), during which the offense averaged over 43 points per game ^[5] . The momentum, however, failed to carry through to the end of the year, as the Hokies suffered a 24–17 home loss to No. 14 East Carolina and concluded the season with a demoralizing 38–0 shutout loss to archrival No. 20 Virginia in Charlottesville, finalizing the team's record at 5–6 ^[6] . In the aftermath of the season, head coach Frank Beamer dismissed two long-time assistant coaches, citing the need for a "fresh approach with new chemistry" ^[7] .

Senior quarterback Will Furrer finished his career leading the team with 1,820 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. The ground attack was anchored by running back Tony Kennedy, who accumulated 684 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while wide receiver Bo Campbell led the receiving corps with 494 yards and 7 touchdowns. On defense, linebacker Melendez Byrd was the leading tackler with 114 total tackles ^[2] .

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	7:00 p.m.	James Madison *	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA		W 41–12	41,623	[8]
September 7	1:00 p.m.	at NC State *	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC		L 0–7	44,907	[9]
September 21	7:00 p.m.	at South Carolina *	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC		L 21–28	68,200	[10]
September 28	2:30 p.m.	at No. 6 Oklahoma *	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK		L 17–27	73,200	[11]
October 5	12:00 p.m.	at West Virginia	Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV (rivalry)	BEN	W 20–14	57,492	[12]
October 12	12:00 p.m.	vs. No. 1 Florida State *	Florida Citrus Bowl Orlando, FL	BEN	L 20–33	58,991	[13]
October 19	1:00 p.m.	Cincinnati *	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA		W 56–9	36,312	[14]
October 26	12:00 p.m.	Louisville *	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA		W 43–13	45,662	[15]
November 9	1:00 p.m.	Akron *	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA		W 42–24	31,221	[16]
November 16	1:00 p.m.	No. 14 East Carolina *	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA		L 17–24	48,317	[17]
November 23	12:00 p.m.	at No. 20 Virginia *	Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA (rivalry)	JPS	L 0–38	44,100	[18]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

^[19]

References

1. "Conference History - Virginia Tech Athletics". Virginia Tech Athletics. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
2. "1991 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
3. "Hokies stop West Virginia". The Greenville News. October 6, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
4. "Ugly win for No. 1 Seminoles". Fort Myers News-Press. October 13, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
5. "Football 1991 - Virginia Tech Athletics". Virginia Tech Athletics. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
6. "Torrid Cavs crush Tech, await bowl". Daily Press. November 24, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
7. "BEAMER DISMISSES 2 COACHES". The Roanoke Times. February 12, 1992. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
8. "Hokies clobber Dukes". The News and Advance. September 1, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Pack holds Hokies". The Charlotte Observer. September 8, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
10. "USC survives Hokies rally". The State. September 22, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
11. "Victory comes to pass for OU". The Daily Oklahoman. September 29, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
12. "Hokies stop West Virginia". The Greenville News. October 6, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
13. "Ugly win for No. 1 Seminoles". Fort Myers News-Press. October 13, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
14. "Hokies hammer Bearcats". The Daily News Leader. October 20, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
15. "Hokies destroy Louisville 43–13". Bristol Herald Courier. October 27, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
16. "Akron gains respect despite 42–24 defeat". The Akron Beacon Journal. November 10, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
17. "Pirates rally past Hokies, 24–17". Rocky Mount Telegram. November 17, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
18. "Torrid Cavs crush Tech, await bowl". Daily Press. November 24, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
19. "1991 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 3, 2024.