1997 Virginia Tech Hokies football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1997 Virginia Tech Hokies football Virginia Tech Hokies logo.svg Big East Conference Big East 7–5 5–2 Frank Beamer 11th Rickey Bustle 4th Multiple Bud Foster 3rd 4–4 Lane Stadium Gator Bowl L 3–42 vs. North Carolina The 1997 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented the Virginia Tech as a member of the Big East Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Frank Beamer, the Hokies compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, placing second in the Big East. Virginia Tech was invited to the Gator Bowl, where the Hokies lost to North Carolina. The team played home games at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia. Schedule 1997 AP Eastern August 30 12:30 p.m. w y Rutgers Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ ESPN 59–19 26,713 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-news-rutgers-crushed-by-virg/152136787/ The Courier-News Rutgers crushed by Virginia Tech in home opener, 59–19 August 31, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 13 6:00 p.m. w 22 Syracuse Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA ESPN 31–3 50,137 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-hokies-beat-orange-to/152136881/ The Roanoke Times Hokies beat Orange to a pulp September 14, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 20 6:00 p.m. w y 18 Temple Veterans Stadium Philadelphia, PA 23–13 12,056 https://www.newspapers.com/article/danville-register-and-bee-hokies-survive/152136972/ Danville Register and Bee Hokies survive scare, down Temple, 23–13 September 21, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 27 1:00 p.m. w y 14 Arkansas State Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA 50–0 42,178 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-va-tech-in-tun/152137069/ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Va. Tech in tune with 50–0 win September 28, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 4 1:00 p.m. l y y 14 Miami (OH) Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA 17–24 42,878 https://www.newspapers.com/article/dayton-daily-news-miami-shocks-virginia/152137194/ Dayton Daily News Miami shocks Virginia Tech, 24–17 October 5, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 11 12:00 p.m. w 23 Boston College Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA rivalry ESPN Plus 17–7 47,681 https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-press-va-tech-handles-boston-coll/152137319/ Daily Press Va. Tech handles Boston College October 12, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 25 3:30 p.m. l y 19 West Virginia 21 Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV rivalry CBS 17–30 63,649 https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinsville-bulletin-mountaineers-humbl/152135609/ Martinsville Bulletin Mountaineers humble Hokies 30–17 October 26, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 1 1:00 p.m. w y 23 UAB Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA 37–0 37,411 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90541993/hokies-rip-uab-370/ The Daily News Leader Hokies rip UAB, 37–0 November 2, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 8 6:00 p.m. w 20 Miami (FL) Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA rivalry ESPN2 27–25 53,117 https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-journal-no-20-virginia-tech-escap/152137447/ Press Journal No. 20 Virginia Tech escapes Hurricanes 27–25 November 9, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 22 3:30 p.m. l y 19 Pittsburgh Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA 23–30 30,144 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-leader-panthers-stun-virg/152137573/ The Daily News Leader Panthers stun Virginia Tech November 23, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 29 5:30 p.m. l y y Virginia Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA rivalry ESPN 20–34 44,200 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-cavaliers-stoke-bo/152097215/ The News and Observer Cavaliers stoke bowl hopes November 30, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com January 1, 1998 12:30 p.m. l y y North Carolina 7 Alltel Stadium Jacksonville, FL Gator Bowl NBC 3–42 54,116 https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-north-carolina/152078648/ Fort Worth Star-Telegram North Carolina makes statement in rout January 2, 1998 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com Rankings 1997 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 17 NR NR NR 22 18 14 14 23 22 19 23 20 19 19 NR NR NR NR Coaches Poll 0 17 25 22 19 14 12 12 21 19 17 22 18 17 15 21 NR NR NR Roster 1997 Virginia Tech Hokies f 4 rFr Andre Kendrick TB 5 rJr Al Clark QB 7 rJr Lamont Pegues TB 13 rFr Dave Meyer QB 14 rFr Nick Sorensen QB y 15 rFr Marcus Gildersleeve FL 18 rJr Mike Kocicka QB 19 rSo Greg Shockley SE 22 rSr Shawn Scales FL 23 Fr Andre Davis SE y yes 28 Sr Ken Oxendine RB y 31 rSr Michael Stuewe SE 34 Sr Marcus Parker FB 36 Fr Chris Steadley FB 38 So Shyrone Stith RB y yes 42 So Cullen Hawkins FB 44 rSo Shelly Ellison FB 48 Jr Ken Handy FL 52 rSo Keith Short C y 57 rJr Dwight Vick OG 62 So Tim Schnecker C 64 Sr Gennaro DiNapoli OG y 65 So Ryan Baird OT 67 Sr Brad Baylor OT 69 Fr Matt Lehr OG y 70 Fr Troy Smith OG 74 rJr Derek Smith OT 75 Sr Todd Washington C y 76 Fr Dave Kadela OT y 79 rFr Josh Redding OT 80 rFr Greg Myers TE 81 rFr Brain Remley SE 82 Jr Ricky Hall SE 83 Jr Angelo Harrison FL 85 Fr Derek Carter TE 86 Fr James Lomax TE 88 rSr Sean Sullivan TE 89 So Robert Adams TE 1 Jr Keion Carpenter FS y 2 Jr Tyron Edmond LB 3 rFr Ike Charlton CB y 6 rFr Lorenzo Ferguson FS 8 rFr Phillip Summers ROV 9 So Anthony Midget CB y 11 rSr Larry Green CB 12 Jr Loren Johnson CB 16 rFr Cory Bird LB y 20 Jr Pierson Prioleau CB y 21 rFr Manny Clemente LB 24 Sr Tony Joe CB 26 rSr Korey Irby LB 33 So Steven Hunt FS 37 rFr Jaime Forrest LB 40 rFr Sean Ruffing LB 43 rSo Michael Hawkes LB y 46 rSo Jamel Smith LB 47 rJr Ryan Smith DE 49 rSr Steve Tate LB 53 rSo Jason Buckland DE 56 rSo Corey Moore DE y 59 rFr Anthony Lambo DT 66 Fr Chad Beasley DT y 71 Fr David Pugh David Pugh (American football) DT y 77 So Carl Bradley DT 90 rSr Danny Wheel DE 92 rSo Nat Williams DT 93 rSr Kerwin Hairston DT 96 So John Engelberger DE y 99 rSo Chris Cyrus DE 17 So Shayne Graham K y 25 rSo Shane Beamer LS y 68 So Cliff Anders LS 91 So Caleb Hurd H 95 rSo Jimmy Kibble LS https://web.archive.org/web/19980206185829/http://www.hokiecentral.com/football97/roster.htm * Frank Beamer Bud Foster (defensive coordinator) Rickey Bustle (offensive coordinator) J. C. Price (strength and conditioning) Brent Pry (graduate assistant) 2026-09-30 (archived 1998-02-06) References Virginia Tech Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football seasons Virginia Tech Hokies football Category:Long stubs with short prose