Michigan beats Va. Tech in Sugar Bowl, 23-20
NEW ORLEANS — Brendan Gibbons drilled a 37-yard field goal down the middle in overtime to lift No. 13 Michigan to a 23-20 victory over 17th-ranked Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night.
The victory capped an impressive debut season for head coach Brady Hoke, who has led the Wolverines (11-2) back to prominence with a BCS bowl victory. Denard Robinson highlighted an otherwise unspectacular night with touchdown passes of 45 and 18 yards to Junior Hemingway.
Virginia Tech (11-3) had more than double Michigan's total yards, 377-184, and had 22 first downs to Michigan's 12 but settled for four field goals in regulation by third-string kicker Justin Myer.
However, Myer was unable to connect on his fifth try from 37 yards away in the opening possession of overtime.
Robinson finished 9 for 21 for 117 yards passing and threw an interception. He rushed 13 times for a season-low 13 yards.
Virginia Tech first-year start Logan Thomas was 19 of 28 of 214 yards with one interception.
Thomas scored Tech's only touchdown on a 1-yard keeper that tied the game at 17 — after a 2-point conversion — early in the fourth quarter.
Virginia Tech senior receiver Danny Coale, who ranks second all-time for the Hokies in catches and yards receiving, had eight catches for 117 yards, and nearly made a spectacular diving catch for a touchdown in overtime. Coale held on to the ball for what was initially ruled a score, but the play was overturned on video review, which showed the receiver narrowly landed on the sideline.
The result of that third-down play forced Tech to try for Myer's failed field goal.
Michigan then ran three conservative runs to set up Gibbons in the middle of the field. As his kick sailed through, Gibbons sprinted toward the Michigan sidelined and was mobbed by teammates while the Michigan band belted out the school's famous fight song, "The Victors," while Michigan fans, in rhythm, thrust a sea of maize pom-poms in the air.
Sugar Bowl winners
By The Associated Press
Jan. 3, 2012—Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20, OT
Jan. 4, 2011—Ohio State 31, Arkansas 26
Jan. 1, 2010—Florida 51, Cincinnati 24
Jan. 2, 2009—Utah 31, Alabama 17
Jan. 1, 2008—Georgia 41, Hawaii 10
Jan. 3, 2007—LSU 41, Notre Dame 14
Jan. 2, 2006—West Virginia 38, Georgia 35
Jan. 3, 2005—Auburn 16, Virginia Tech 13
Jan. 4, 2004—LSU 21, Oklahoma 14
Jan. 1, 2003—Georgia 26, Florida St. 13
Jan. 1, 2002—LSU 47, Illinois 34
Jan. 2, 2001—Miami 37, Florida 20
Jan. 4, 2000—Florida St. 46, Virginia Tech 29
Jan. 1, 1999—Ohio St. 24, Texas A&M 14
Jan. 1, 1998—Florida St. 31, Ohio St. 14
Jan. 2, 1997—Florida 52, Florida St. 20
Dec. 31, 1995—Virginia Tech 28, Texas 10
Jan. 2, 1995—Florida St. 23, Florida 17
Jan. 1, 1994—Florida 41, West Virginia 7
Jan. 1, 1993—Alabama 34, Miami 13
Jan. 1, 1992—Notre Dame 39, Florida 28
Jan. 1, 1991—Tennessee 23, Virginia 22
Jan. 1, 1990—Miami, Fla. 33, Alabama 25
Jan. 2, 1989—Florida St. 13, Auburn 7
Jan. 1, 1988—Syracuse 16, Auburn 16, tie
Jan. 1, 1987—Nebraska 30, LSU 15
Jan. 1, 1986—Tennessee 35, Miami 7
Jan. 1, 1985—Nebraska 28, LSU 10
Jan. 2, 1984—Auburn 9, Michigan 7
Jan. 1, 1983—Penn St. 27, Georgia 23
Jan. 1, 1982—Pittsburgh 24, Georgia 20
Jan. 1, 1981—Georgia 17, Notre Dame 10
Jan. 1, 1980—Alabama 24, Arkansas 9
Jan. 1, 1979—Alabama 14, Penn St. 7
Jan. 2, 1978—Alabama 35, Ohio St. 6
Jan. 1, 1977—Pittsburgh 27, Georgia 3
Dec. 31, 1975—Alabama 13, Penn St. 6
Dec. 31, 1974—Nebraska 13, Florida 10
Dec. 31, 1973—Notre Dame 24, Alabama 23
Dec. 31, 1972—Oklahoma 14, Penn St. 0
Jan. 1, 1972—Oklahoma 40, Auburn 22
Jan. 1, 1971—Tennessee 34, Air Force 13
Jan. 1, 1970—Mississippi 27, Arkansas 22
Jan. 1, 1969—Arkansas 16, Georgia 2
Jan. 1, 1968—LSU 20, Wyoming 13
Jan. 2, 1967—Alabama 34, Nebraska 7
Jan. 1, 1966—Missouri 20, Florida 18
Jan. 1, 1965—LSU 13, Syracuse 10
Jan. 1, 1964—Alabama 12, Mississippi 7
Jan. 1, 1963—Mississippi 17, Arkansas 13
Jan. 1, 1962—Alabama 10, Arkansas 3
Jan. 2, 1961—Mississippi 14, Rice 6
Jan. 1, 1960—Mississippi 21, LSU 0
Jan. 1, 1959—LSU 7, Clemson 0
Jan. 1, 1958—Mississippi 39, Texas 7
Jan. 1, 1957—Baylor 13, Tennessee 7
Jan. 2, 1956—Georgia Tech 7, Pittsburgh 0
Jan. 1, 1955—Navy 21, Mississippi 0
Jan. 1, 1954—Georgia Tech 42, West Virginia 19
Jan. 1, 1953—Georgia Tech 24, Mississippi 7
Jan. 1, 1952—Maryland 28, Tennessee 13
Jan. 1, 1951—Kentucky 13, Oklahoma 7
Jan. 2, 1950—Oklahoma 35, LSU 0
Jan. 1, 1949—Oklahoma 14, North Carolina 6
Jan. 1, 1948—Texas 27, Alabama 7
Jan. 1, 1947—Georgia 20, North Carolina 10
Jan. 1, 1946—Oklahoma St. 33, St. Mary's, Cal. 13
Jan. 1, 1945—Duke 29, Alabama 26
Jan. 1, 1944—Georgia Tech 20, Tulsa 18
Jan. 1, 1943—Tennessee 14, Tulsa 7
Jan. 1, 1942—Fordham 2, Missouri 0
Jan. 1, 1941—Boston College 19, Tennessee 13
Jan. 1, 1940—Texas A&M 14, Tulane 13
Jan. 2, 1939—Texas Christian 15, Carnegie Tech 7
Jan. 1, 1938—Santa Clara 6, LSU 0
Jan. 1, 1937—Santa Clara 21, LSU 14
Jan. 1, 1936—Texas Christian 3, LSU 2
Jan. 1, 1935—Tulane 20, Temple 14