Sometimes, in football, you just have to believe that something almost divine is going to happen to win a game and keep your unbeaten record intact even if you are losing and there’s little hope.
The Miracle in Morgantown was just one of those games. It hyped up the legend of Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick and kept the Hokies in the chase for an elusive national title.
Michael Vick was a hotshot redshirt freshman from Newport News, Virginia with a cannon for an arm and the ability of the greatest of running backs to advance the ball on the ground if necessary.
Vick had been one of the top recruits in the area and in the entire country before deciding on Virginia Tech and Frank Beamer’s program.
The 1999 team was not just about Vick, they had All American type defensive ends Corey Moore and John Engleberger along with a host of other talented players such as Michael Hawkes and Jamel Smith at linebacker and Anthony Midget at cornerback. It was a stout defense which was par for the course with longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster who is still there today.
Vick sat out his freshman season, but there was no keeping him off the field in 1999. He was too good.
The Hokies opened up with very little challenge with James Madison coming to town and Vick showed flashes of greatness including a play that promoted him directly from hot prospect to legend.
With the Hokies already leading by a 17-0 score and in position to score again at the James Madison 7 yard line, Vick’s receivers were covered. He did what Michael Vick could do like few others, he
took off for the end zone. At about the 4-yard line, he leaped for the end zone. His legs were hit by a potential tackler and he flipped completely over and landed on his feet in the end zone. He was an instant ESPN almost mythological being. He could fly.
However, Vick did land awkwardly in the end zone and injured his ankle which mattered little against James Madison, but it would limit him in the games ahead.
Virginia Tech smoked James Madison 47-0.
Michael Vick was unable to play in game two against the University of Alabama at Birmingham and it was a good thing the Hokies were known for great defense. Backup quarterback Dave Meyer came in and threw 3 interceptions, but somehow the defense pulled them through with a 31-10 win.
Even without Vick, the Hokies had 1,000 yard running back Shyrone Stith and he also helped the Hokies survive.
Then, came the special Thursday night game when the Virginia Tech Hokies hosted the Clemson Tigers coached by Tommy Bowden, the son of Bobby.
This was my first real look at Michael Vick and let me tell you I came away very impressed with the arm and the athletic ability of Vick. Even still struggling with an injured ankle, Vick was able to quarterback his Hokies to a very impressive 31-11 win over the Clemson Tigers.
While Vick didn’t impress with passing yardage, his arm was an unbelievable sight to see. These weren’t the Clemson Tigers of today and Dabo Swinney, but it was still the Hokies first real test and they passed easily. Defensive end Corey Moore was a monster that day and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Another challenge was to come the following game against the 24th ranked Virginia Cavaliers. The Hokies were impressing the pollsters and were then ranked 8th in the polls.
Not only was this a big test against a ranked team, but it was their first road test. All of their early games had been at home at the friendly confines of their very own Lane Stadium in Blacksburg. This game with the Cavaliers was on the road in Charlottesville. Plus, the two teams are huge rivals and they hate each other and anything can happen in a rivalry game.
Vick and that defense prevailed, 31-7. Another test was passed.
Rutgers was terrible and proved to be no problem at all, 58-20.
5-1 and 16th ranked Syracuse was next and the Hokies just mangled them 62-0. Now, people were really starting to talk about these Hokies and this talented redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick.
Now ranked 3rd in the country, the Hokies faced a trip to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers who were 4-3 on the year so far. The Panther’s record was not that great, but all 3 of the losses had been close and could have gone either way and records can be deceiving on the quality of a team.
Virginia Tech came away with another win, but it was closer than expected at 31-20.
A journey to Morgantown, West Virginia to take on the Mountaineers was next up on the schedule. West Virginia was coached by the legendary Don Nehlen who was nearing the end of his career and this was not one of his better teams. However, Morgantown is always a tough place to play for just about anybody, even the 3rd ranked team in the country.
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The Mountaineers were also not without talent with future NFL players like Marc Bulger, Jerry Porter, Anthony Becht, Barrett Green, and a few others.
Bulger was their quarterback, but he went down during the game with an injury. On the other side of the field, Michael Vick was not having the best of games, either.
The Hokies were clinging to a 19-7 lead when Mountaineer back up quarterback came in and tossed 2 touchdown passes. The last one was with about 1:15 remaining in the game to give West Virginia a 1 point lead at 20-19.
The West Virginia kicker booted the ball down to the corner of the field and the Hokie return man grabbed it possibly missing a chance at better field position. But, he returned the ball to the 16-yard line with 1:11 left on the clock.
It wasn’t a lot of time for a freshman quarterback to work with. But, this was no ordinary freshman quarterback. This was Michael Vick.
At the 16, Vick lined up in shotgun formation as the fans and West Virginia players celebrate. It was a little early folks, but it would have been a huge win for the program.
Vick overthrew his first receiver by a long shot. But, on the next play, Vick rolled to his right and
hit wide receiver Terrell Parham for 16 yards and it was his first catch of the day. Parham ran out of bounds stopping the clock which was huge because the Hokies were out of time outs.
The Hokies were ranked 3rd with Penn State ranked right ahead of them at 2nd. Undefeated Florida State was number 1. Penn State had lost earlier in the day as the commentators mentioned, opening the door for the Hokies to move up if they could just win this game.
Vick rolled to his left and hit Ricky Hall but it was only for 9 yards and the clock kept running.
Michael Vick then pulled a Michael Vick and rolled out to his right again looking for an open target. Seeing nothing, he took off for the sidelines, or so we thought. The West Virginia defenders thought he was going out of bounds, but he fooled them. Vick used a burst of speed to take off up the sideline for a 31-yard run putting the Hokies in field goal range at the West Virginia 36-yard line. It would be a 53-yard field goal attempt from there, but Virginia Tech kicker, Shayne Graham, had kicked successfully from that distance before.
The celebrating fans were suddenly very concerned.
Vick hit Ricky Hall one more time, down to the Mountaineer 27-yard line, but he stayed in bounds and did not get the first down. The clock kept running, but the Hokies lined up and Vick spiked the ball with 5 seconds remaining.
Kicker Shayne Graham ran on the field and some members of the Hokie band were seen on the tube covering their faces because of the stress. But, West Virginia had a time out remaining and the legendary Don Nehlen decided to try and ice Shayne Graham and hope that he would miss the now 44-yard kick.
Virginia Tech players are on their faces unable to watch and the same is true of the other sideline with West Virginia players who had fought so hard against a really good team.
Graham lined up and kicked it right through the uprights for the 22-20 win and it was bedlam with Hokies jumping up and down and screaming.
A legend was born and it was a miracle in Morgantown.
That win propelled the Hokies to the #2 ranking in the country and all they needed was to win out to play the Seminoles for the national title.
The Hokies returned home and crushed 19th ranked Miami, 43-10, and they were on fire. They crushed Temple next, 62-7.
The Boston College Eagles were ranked 22nd in the country, but they presented very little problem as well with the Hokies finishing up their season with a 38-14 beating.
Ranked 2nd and at 11-0, the Hokies were invited to play in the Sugar Bowl against the top-ranked Seminoles.
There would be no miraculous comebacks in the Sugar Bowl and Virginia Tech lost to the Noles, 29-46.
I will go ahead and say I am not a fan of anybody that will mistreat a dog.
But, as a football player Michael Vick was pretty incredible as a college quarterback.