Rooting for their team clearly represents one of the big passions in the life of our TechSideline.com community members. This site greatly enhances this never-ending passion through information, analysis and most importantly through communal dialog and networking.

Our advertising approach is different in that we make it abundantly clear in a direct and honest way that your company's commitment of sponsorship dollars is what enables the site to continue existing and improving into the future.

To learn more about advertising on TechSideline.com, please contact [email protected].

TechSideline.com is a vital part of a unique collegiate sports network that reaches nearly 2 million individuals per month. Like TechSideline.com, each site in the SportsWar network is an organically grown community and the emotional home for its fans.

To learn more about SportsWar network sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected] or visit our online media guide- http://www.sportswar.com. 

CarMax: The Way Car Buying Should Be

CarMax is the nation's largest retailer of used cars. Created more than 13 years ago, CarMax brought integrity and transparency to the automotive industry. Their unique no-hassle, no-haggle process was designed to make car buying easy and fun.

Here's where you, the TSL community, can help:  Show CarMax your appreciation of their support of TechSideline.com by choosing CarMax for your next used car purchase. If you've got a CarMax story, feedback or commentary or just a simply want to say "thanks," email it to us at by clicking here and we'll put the emails together and pass them on to CarMax.

And remember, in the future, please consider CarMax first when you're shopping for a used car.

Miami Excerpts, from the Book Hokie Games

Rich Tandler attended Virginia Tech in the mid 1970's and was immediately hooked on Hokie football. Rich has written the definitive history of the Virginia Tech program, from the standpoint that matters the most: what happened on the field.

The name of the book is Hokie Games, and it recounts the score and key plays from every Virginia Tech football game played from the start of the 1945 season through the last game of the 2006 season. You can get old scores anywhere, but Hokie Games gives you the flow of the action and the important moments and players, not just a line with point totals and a date on it.

From the Hokie Games web site: Hokie Games is the most complete book ever written about any college sports team, ever. The first Hokie game you ever watched? It's in there. Forgotten classics? Got 'em all. Learn about or relive the '72 game when Don Strock lit up Houston for 527 yards in the air or the 1966 VMI game when Tommy Francisco got into the end zone six times. Remember watching a great game with your kid or your dad? You can relive it. Are the details of the '99 thriller at West Virginia, the one that featured Vick's jaw-dropping run and Graham's clutch kick that kept the national title chances alive a little fuzzy? Hokie Games brings back every detail.

** SPECIAL OFFER FOR TSL READERS **

Rich Tandler is also making a special offer for TSL readers: order your copy now, and you'll get free shipping, and Rich will personally autograph your copy. To take advantage of this special offer, go to:

http://www.hokiegames.com/tsl.html

Note that when you're checking out, you need to enter the promo code "TSL" in the appropriate box.

Hokie Games is in stock, ready for shipping, and will arrive in 1-2 weeks, in plenty of time for Christmas for the Hokies on your list!

Now, on to the games ....

#21 Virginia Tech (3-0) 27, Miami (2-1) 20
September 19, 1998, Miami, Florida

Orange Bowl-- Ricky Hall caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Al Clark to give Virginia Tech a 27-20 overtime win over Miami.

The win, Tech's fourth straight over the Hurricanes after the Hokies had dropped the first 12 in the all-time series, was sealed after back-to-back sacks of Miami quarterback Scott Covington set up a fourth-down incompletion on a deflected pass. Cory Moore got to Covington first and then he split credit for the second sack with fellow end John Engelberger.

This was a taut, back-and-forth contest throughout. In the first quarter Covington tossed a perfect deep ball to Santana Moss, who had beaten cornerback Anthony Midget, for 54 yards and a 7-0 Hurricane lead. It was the first touchdown Tech had given up all year. After Tech responded with a field goal Tech gave up its second TD of the year. Covington capped a 73-yard drive with a 15-yard dart to end Reggie Wayne.

It was at that point that the game took a turn in the Hokies' direction. Engelberger blocked the extra point and Tech trailed 13-3. A few minutes later Covington fumbled a snap at his own 27 and defensive end Chris Cyrus made the recovery for the Hokies at the 26. Thirty seconds before the half, Clark was cool in the midst of tremendous pass pressure and found fullback Cullen Hawkins wide open for 14 yards and a touchdown. Shayne Graham booted the PAT and the Hurricane lead was cut to three at intermission.

Miami tried to give the game to Tech in the third quarter but the Hokies refused to take anything close to maximum advantage of the 'Canes' mistakes. Four times in the third quarter Miami turned the ball over, and only once did Virginia Tech manage to get any points off of the miscues.

The one score came after Keion Carpenter recovered a fumble at the Miami 17. Two plays later Clark looked for a receiver, pulled the ball down and scrambled 13 yards to put Tech ahead 17-13.

The Miami offense regained its footing in spectacular fashion in the early fourth quarter. Covington launched another bomb, this one to Wayne who hauled in the pass for 84 yards and a touchdown. The conversion put the Hurricanes back on top 20-17 with 14:44 left in regulation.

Graham tied the game at 20 midway through the final period with a 19-yard field goal. With eight seconds left Graham was wide right on a field goal that would have averted overtime. Instead the Hokies would have to prevail in their first-ever overtime game.

#10 Virginia Tech (10-2) 16, #9 Miami (8-3) 10
December 4, 2004, Miami, Florida

Orange Bowl-- Virginia Tech came to the ACC, saw it, and conquered it.

With their 16-10 upset victory over Miami, the Hokies won the ACC title outright in their first year in the conference. The title earned them a trip to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

"This is a sweet as it gets and we are going to the Sugar Bowl, so it's going to get even sweeter," said Tech cornerback Eric Green.

The sugar rush the Hokies and all of their fans experienced was the result of Tech's stout, solid defense holding the Hurricanes under 31 points for just the third time all year.

"The defense --  it was special today," Tech coach Frank Beamer said.

On the other hand, the special teams were, well, not so special. Some uncharacteristic breakdowns in Tech's kicking game helped keep the Hurricanes in the game until the late going.

The Hokies broke out on top after a scoreless first quarter. Green picked off Brock Berlin's pass in the end zone, sparking a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. Bryan Randall was sharp during the advance, completing all three of his passes including a three-yard toss to tight end Jeff King for the score.

Miami evened it up after a blocked punt set the 'Canes up at the Hokie 14 yard line. Four plays later, Frank Gore scored on a two-yard run to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:20 to go in the first half.

The teams exchanged field goals as the game settled back into a defensive struggle. Early in the fourth quarter, however, Tech struck suddenly to grab the lead. Eddie Royal returned a punt 18 yards to the Miami 39. On the very next play, Randall found Royal on a slant. The freshman receiver caught the pass in stride and streaked into the end zone. The Tech lead remained 16-10, however, as the point after was blocked.

The missed conversion caused some concern but, thanks to the Tech defense, there was never any high anxiety. The Hurricanes had three possessions after Royal's TD and none of them got any further than their own 32.

Sweet.

#21 Virginia Tech (8-1) 21, #18 Miami (6-3) 7
November 16, 1996, Miami, Florida

This game ended the Hokies' 0-fer at the OB. It was the most significant win in a season that ended with Tech making an Orange Bowl appearance.

Orange Bowl-- Keion Carpenter returned an interception 100 yards for the clinching touchdown in Virginia Tech's 21-7 win over Miami.

It was Tech's first win in the Orange Bowl in eight tries. The Hokies are now 2-12 all time against the Hurricanes but the good part is that the two wins have come in their last two contests.

Carpenter certainly was not the game's only hero. Jim Druckenmiller threw for 202 yards and a touchdown. His 13-yard touchdown pass to receiver Michael Stuewe late in the third quarter gave the Hokies the lead that Carpenter sealed with his interception return.

Druckenmiller had his list of stellar performers as well. "The offensive line just did a great job of blocking for me," he said. "I was really proud of our goal-line defense today. That was really the key to the game."

Tech scored the first time it had the ball, moving 86 yards in 12 plays. On fourth and goal at the one the Hokies made an early statement by going for the touchdown. Ken Oxendine got in and Tech had a 7-0 lead.

Miami stormed right back. They took 12 plays to move 92 yards and Ryan Clement capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to Chris Jones.

The teams' respective defenses took over the game after that. The only serious scoring threat in the second quarter came right at the end of it. The Hurricanes drove down to the Tech one and, out of timeouts, they had to take a penalty to stop the clock for a field goal try. Andy Crossland missed the 22-yard attempt as time in the half ran out.

The game remained tied at seven until Druckenmiller threw to Stuewe in the end zone. The receiver made a diving catch for the touchdown to give Tech a 14-7 lead with 4:10 left in the third quarter.

Again the defenses stiffened until Miami's final, desperate drive. Clement had been knocked out of the game in the third quarter and it was up to backup Scott Covington to tie up the game. On fourth and four at the eight, Convington threw over the middle to the goal line. Carpenter picked it off, headed to the right sideline and he was gone, as was the Hokies' 0-for at the Orange Bowl.

TSL Brings in Over $3,600 for MDA

This year's MDA Lockup was another big success, thanks to you, the TSL readers.  Despite the fact that we only promoted the Lockup event for one week, we raised over $3,600 for MDA, bringing our two-year total to almost $7,800!

Although the Lockup event itself is over -- it was held yesterday -- it's not too late to donate. It's very simple: just click on the link below to make a donation and help me get out of jail that day. Every dollar donated by TSL's readership through the link below will be collected together and credited to my "bail" (TechSideline.com's donation to the MDA) and will be used to help LOCAL MDA families. This particular lockup event is to benefit the Radford/Dublin/Pulaski area.

Here are some other notes and details:

• The link below enables you to donate via credit card only (VISA, MC, AMEX, and Discover). If you prefer to make a donation by check or cash, click the "Donation Slip" button at the bottom of the page linked below.
• All donations are tax deductible (by you, not me or TechSideline.com) as a charitable contribution.
• My bail goal of $5,000 is very modest, and the TSL faithful should be able to donate much, much more than that. If every TSL reader donates just $10 ... holy smokes, that would be a lot of money.
• For details on what your donation will be used for, see the "What Your Money Will Buy" button located at the link below. There are also links for "MDA Local Services" and the "MDA Website".

To donate by credit card: Click below.

Please contribute, even if it's a small amount -- individuals, consider donating $25 or more, and businesses, please consider donating $100 or more.

Last year, TSL was the top donor of the event, with $4,156 raised (as noted above). When I walk into jail on November 15th, I want it to be as the top donor in this lockup event for the second year in a row, and the money won't be donated in my name; it will be donated in the name of the TechSideline.com community.

Thanks for your help!

Contribute to MDA Here