Where was the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl held?

The 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Kansas Jayhawks on January 3, 2008, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spread bettors favored Virginia Tech by three points, but in a game dominated by defensive and special teams play, Kansas defeated Virginia Tech 24–21. The game was part of the 2007–2008 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. This 74th edition of the Orange Bowl was televised in the United States on FOX and was watched by more than eight million viewers.

2008 Orange Bowl

The game between the fifth-ranked ACC champion Virginia Tech Hokies and the eighth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks from the Big 12 Conference (Big 12) was played at neutral-site Dolphins Stadium. Tech served as the home team in the contest. Virginia Tech automatically qualified for the Orange Bowl by virtue of the ACC's tie-in with the bowl, while Orange Bowl selected Kansas over West Virginia, which had been upset by then 4–7 Pittsburgh, and conference rival Missouri. Two weeks after Kansas's selection, controversy erupted when a deal was revealed to put 4th-ranked Oklahoma against Virginia Tech. The deal was vetoed by BCS commissioners, and the selection of Kansas was upheld.

The game marked the first time the Jayhawks had been to the Orange Bowl since the 1969 Orange Bowl and was their first bowl game since the 2005 Fort Worth Bowl, when they defeated Houston 41–13. Virginia Tech last played in the Orange Bowl game in December 1996, losing to Nebraska 21–41. The 2008 Orange Bowl was Virginia Tech's 15th consecutive season with a bowl game, a streak dating to the 1993 Independence Bowl.

Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing completed 20 of his 37 passes for 227 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. On the opposite side of the ball, Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon finished the game 13 for 28 passing, earning 160 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Kansas cornerback Aqib Talib, whose 60-yard interception return for a touchdown gave Kansas its first lead of the game, won the game's Most Valuable Player award. After the game, Talib was one of several players from both teams to announce an intention to enter the 2008 NFL Draft.

As champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Virginia Tech was awarded an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl game. The automatic ACC bid was the result of an off-season deal following the inaugural ACC Championship Game which granted the winner of the ACC Championship Game an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl unless it was ranked high enough in the Bowl Championship Series standings to play in the National Championship Game.

The Virginia Tech Hokies began their 2007 football season with emotion and remembrance. As Virginia Tech recovered from the worst school shooting in American history, football served as a way to help the university community emotionally heal. The opening game of the season, on September 1, 2007, was against East Carolina University and featured numerous remembrance ceremonies and commemorations. Buoyed by the emotion of the day, the Hokies earned a 17–7 victory. Their next game would not be as easy. One week later, Virginia Tech traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to face the No. 2 Louisiana State University Tigers. The Tigers were widely regarded in pre-season polls as favorites to play in the National Championship Game and overwhelmed the Hokies in front of a home crowd, 48–7.

In the wake of the Hokies's defeat, Virginia Tech chose to start a new quarterback and a new offensive plan. Behind freshman Tyrod Taylor, the Hokies rolled to five straight victories, including a win over No. 22 Clemson by 18 points. During the winning streak, Sean Glennon, who had started at quarterback for the Hokies during the first two games of the season, returned to alternate possessions with Taylor in an unusual two-quarterback system. On October 25, the Hokies had a chance to make up for their early-season loss to LSU when they faced No. 2 Boston College on a Thursday night in Blacksburg, Virginia. Though the Hokies dominated for most of the game, Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan managed a late-game comeback to win the game 14–10 with 11 seconds remaining.

With four consecutive victories after the loss, including a win over then-No. 16 Virginia, the Hokies won the Coastal division and secured a bid to the 2007 ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville, Florida. There, they faced a rematch with Boston College, champions of the Atlantic Division. As in the previous matchup, defense dominated, but unlike in the earlier matchup, Matt Ryan was unable to seize the victory. Two fourth-quarter interceptions by Virginia Tech sealed the Hokie win and an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl game.

Kansas began its 2007 football season unregarded and without much consideration from the national media. In the opening Associated Press football poll of the 2007 season, Kansas did not receive a single vote. From their opening game of the year, however, the Jayhawks began to impress voters with their offensive efficiency. Against Mid-American Conference Champion Central Michigan University, Kansas scored 52 points while only allowing a single touchdown.

Over the next three games, Kansas outscored its opponents 162–16. As Kansas's Big 12 schedule began, the Jayhawks' winning ways continued, as they proved themselves against legitimate competition. On October 6, Kansas traveled to Manhattan, Kansas, home of then-ranked No. 24 Kansas State University for the opening game of its Big 12 schedule. In front of 50,924 hostile fans, Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing struggled for the first time in the season. Late in the fourth quarter, Reesing threw a ball that bounced off the facemask of wide receiver Dexton Fields before being intercepted. The interception set up a Kansas State touchdown that put Kansas into a 24–21 hole with seven and a half minutes remaining. Reesing and the Jayhawks struck back quickly, however, and scored a 30-yard touchdown to take the lead for good.

With the win, Kansas broke into the rankings of the top 25 college football teams in the country for the first time since 1996, entering the AP Poll at No. 20. Over the next six weeks, Kansas continued to find ways to win. Traditional Jayhawk rivals such as Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M were defeated during the course of the season, and Kansas climbed the national rankings. By the 13th week of the season, the stage had been set for an epic game against Kansas's traditional rival, Missouri.

Due to prior agreement, the 2007 edition of the Border War was held in Kansas City, Missouri, at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs. In front of over 80,000 fans, No. 4 Missouri defeated No. 2 Kansas 36–28 to hand the Jayhawks their first loss of the season. Missouri, with the win, earned a trip to the Big 12 Championship Game. In that game, Oklahoma defeated Missouri 38–17 to earn an automatic bid to the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. Because the loss gave Missouri its second of the year, Kansas, which lost to the Tigers, was selected as an at-large pick by the BCS and earned a trip to the Orange Bowl.

Although Virginia Tech's selection via automatic bid was relatively quiet, Kansas' selection caused a great deal of controversy. Kansas had lost to Big 12 runner-up Missouri and had a lower Bowl Championship Poll ranking than the Tigers. Some believed that Missouri should have been selected ahead of Kansas because they had defeated Kansas and because they had played in the Big 12 Championship Game. According to BCS officials, however, Missouri's two losses were more of a detriment than Kansas's one loss and subsequent championship game absence.

Pundits and fans who opposed Kansas' selection pointed to the Jayhawks' strength of schedule, which at one point during the season was as low as 109th out of 119 Division I teams. By the time of the BCS selection, however, Kansas's strength of schedule had climbed by a small amount, reaching 88th in the Sagarin rankings and 74th in the CBS rankings. The final rankings rated Kansas' schedule as more difficult than Hawaii, which was also selected to play in the BCS. Aggravating the situation was the fact that Kansas and Missouri had one of the most intense rivalries in college football. Known as the Border War, the roots of the rivalry dated to the years before the American Civil War.

Two weeks after the selection of Kansas, yet another controversy arose when it was revealed that Big 12 and ACC officials had worked out an agreement to feature an Oklahoma/Virginia Tech matchup in the Orange Bowl in the hours leading up to the final selection. Oklahoma, which initiated the proposal, requested that it face the highest-ranked BCS opponent then available, which would have been Virginia Tech (ranked 3rd in the BCS). Normally, Oklahoma, the 2007 Big 12 Champion, would have played in the Fiesta Bowl, which holds the automatic rights to the Big 12 Champion's BCS bid. A little-known clause in the Bowl Championship Series contract, however, allows for the commissioners of the BCS to override that bid if the automatically selected team had played in the game the previous year, or to create a more interesting matchup. Oklahoma had played in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and seemed a perfect candidate for execution of the clause. Representatives from the Orange and Fiesta bowls reportedly worked out a deal to swap Oklahoma and Kansas and Dan Beebe, the commissioner from the Big 12, presented the plan to the BCS committee. The remaining BCS commissioners rejected the request (with only the Big 12, ACC and Big East commissioners in favor) and honored the original selection of Kansas for the Orange Bowl and forced Oklahoma to accept its automatic Fiesta Bowl Bid. The release of this plan upset many fans at both schools and across the country, who perceived that an (4)Oklahoma-(3)Virginia Tech matchup would have been superior to a (8)Kansas-(3)Virginia Tech game. Ironically, while Oklahoma-Virginia Tech was perceived as a better match-up due to their high rankings, both teams went on to be upset by the lower ranked team with Oklahoma losing 48-28 to (9)West Virginia.

Most pre-game media and popular coverage of the 2008 Orange Bowl focused on the matchup between Kansas's No. 2 scoring offense and Virginia Tech's No. 2 scoring defense. Outside factors, such as coaching, previous experience, and fan support were also considered in pre-game analysis of the matchup. Outside story lines included Virginia Tech's recovery from the Virginia Tech Massacre, recovery from late-season losses suffered by each team (against Missouri for Kansas and against Boston College for Virginia Tech).

Heading into the Orange Bowl, Kansas was ranked second in the nation in scoring (44.3) and sixth in yards per game (491). Kansas scored 40 or more points eight times during the 2007 season and scored 50 points five times. Kansas's ground game was led by running back Brandon McAnderson, who averaged 87.5 yards per game during the 2007 season and earned 1,050 yards and 16 touchdowns in the season leading to the Orange Bowl. Through the air, Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing earned the 11th-highest passer rating in the country, averaging a 152.41 quarterback rating in 2007. Reesing completed 62.6% of his passes during the 2007 season, earning 3,259 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Reesing's favorite receiver was Marcus Henry, who was ranked No. 29 in the country for passing yardage, averaging over 82 receiving yards per game. During 2007, Henry earned 994 yards and nine touchdowns. On the offensive line, the Jayhawks were led by All-American left tackle Anthony Collins, who finished as a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded to college football's best offensive lineman. Because of the Jayhawks' effectiveness on offense, they punted the ball just 46 times during the 2007 season, the seventh-lowest total in Division I.

Virginia Tech featured an unusual two-quarterback system on offense, as quarterbacks Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor shared time behind center. Though unusual, the system was successful in leading the Hokies to their second ACC Championship in four years. During the 2007 regular season, Glennon threw for 1,636 yards and 11 touchdowns, completing 63 percent of his passes. Taylor, meanwhile, passed for 916 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing for 431 yards. Some pundits predicted that Kansas might have difficulty with Taylor's mobility, as his style of play was similar to that of Missouri's Chase Daniel, who gave Kansas its sole loss of the 2007 season. On the other end of the Virginia Tech aerial offense was a corps of capable receivers, led by senior wide receivers Eddie Royal and Josh Morgan. Morgan was the fifth-ranked receiver in Virginia Tech history, having earned 1,787 receiving yards. Royal was sixth, having earned 1,767 yards. Two of Tech's other receivers, Josh Hyman and Justin Harper, recorded 1,138 and 1,274 receiving yards each, marking the first time in Virginia Tech history that the Hokies had four different thousand-yard career receivers on the same team. On the ground, the Hokies were led by running back Branden Ore, who rushed for 876 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season. One week before the Orange Bowl, Tech coaches revealed that Ore would be suspended for the first quarter of the game against Kansas as punishment for showing up late to the Hokies' final pre-bowl practice. Ore was replaced by sophomore rusher Kenny Lewis Jr.

Virginia Tech finished the season ranked second nationally in points allowed per game (15.5) and fourth nationally in yardage allowed (293). The Hokies didn't allow a fourth-quarter point in the five games after giving up 14 fourth-quarter points to Boston College in Blacksburg. One key player in the Virginia Tech defense was linebacker Xavier Adibi, who had scored his third career defensive touchdown in the ACC Championship Game against Boston College. Adibi, together with fellow linebacker Vince Hall, made up "the best LB duo in the country," according to ESPN commentator Chris Spielman. Hall's effectiveness had, however, been limited in the 2007 season by a broken wrist suffered against Clemson. Hall missed four games with the injury, but returned to play the final three contests of the season for Virginia Tech and promised to be featured heavily in the 2008 Orange Bowl. Backing up the Virginia Tech linebackers was a strong backfield, which had produced 12 NFL draft picks in the nine years preceding the 2007 season. Primary among the backfield players were cornerbacks Victor Harris and Brandon Flowers, who Sports Illustrated.com called "maybe the best cornerback duo in the country".

Kansas, meanwhile, was less-highly regarded on defense and came into the 2008 Orange Bowl ranked 57th nationally in pass defense. On the ground, however, Kansas was ranked far higher, sixth in the nation. In addition, Kansas only allowed an average of 16 points per game, good enough for to be ranked fourth nationally. A key portion of that run defense was defensive tackle James McClinton, who was named the Big 12's Defensive Lineman of the Year and earned second-team All-America honors. McClinton finished the 2007 regular season with 10.5 tackles for loss and promised more of the same for the Orange Bowl. The team captain of the Jayhawk defense, meanwhile, was All-American cornerback Aqib Talib. Talib was also a threat on offense, catching eight passes, including four touchdowns, during the regular season.

The 2008 Orange Bowl kicked off at 8:30 p.m. EST at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The official attendance for the game was listed as 74,111 (the eighth consecutive Orange Bowl sellout), but actual attendance appeared to be lower, and several upper-deck sections of the stadium were sparsely filled. Approximately 15 million viewers watched the game, earning the broadcast a Nielsen rating of 7.4. The broadcast of the 2008 Orange Bowl was the only BCS bowl game to show a rise in television viewers over the previous season's broadcast, as the 2007 Orange Bowl had only earned a Nielsen rating of 7.0. The national anthem was sung by American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee.

The coin toss featured former star players for both schools, Bruce Smith for Virginia Tech and Gale Sayers for Kansas. Kansas won the toss and elected to defer its choice until the second half. Virginia Tech chose to receive the ball to start the game. Kansas would receive the ball to begin the second half. At kickoff, the air temperature was unseasonably cold for Miami at, and the skies were cloudy with intermittent rain.

Virginia Tech's Eddie Royal fielded the opening kickoff from Kansas kicker Scott Webb, returning it 59 yards to the 41-yard line of Kansas. The return gave the Virginia Tech offense excellent field position to begin the game. Tech quarterback Sean Glennon connected on an 11-yard pass to Justin Harper for a first down on the opening play of the game, but Kansas' defense stiffened on subsequent plays. After Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor entered the game at quarterback, Kansas sacked Taylor twice, pushing Virginia Tech 19 yards backward, out of field goal range. Because of the sacks, Virginia Tech was forced to punt the ball away without scoring any points.

The punt was downed in the end zone for a touchback, and Kansas began its first offensive possession of the game at its 20-yard line. Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing proved remarkably effective, completing six of his eight passes during the drive and rushing for five yards on a quarterback scramble. Reesing drove Kansas' offense into Virginia Tech territory, but after Tech's Orion Martin sacked Reesing, Kansas was unable to gain another first down and kicker Scott Webb was sent into the game to attempt a 44-yard field goal. Webb's kick sailed wide of the uprights, however, and the game remained scoreless with 6:44 remaining in the first quarter.

After the missed field goal, Virginia Tech took over on offense at its own 27-yard line. Running back Kenny Lewis, Jr., replacing the suspended Branden Ore, ran for a first down, and Tyrod Taylor connected on an 11-yard pass to Eddie Royal for another first down. Now inside Kansas territory, Taylor attempted another pass. Kansas All-American cornerback Aqib Talib jumped between Taylor's throw and the receiver, intercepting the ball. Talib returned the interception 60 yards to the end zone for a Kansas touchdown, the first points of the game. An extra point kick by Scott Webb made the score 7–0 Kansas with 5:15 remaining in the quarter.

High-stepping into the endzone, Aqib Talib committed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which was enforced on the post-score kickoff. The penalty, coupled with a good kick return by Virginia Tech, gave the Hokies excellent field position for their third possession of the game. Quarterback Sean Glennon capitalized on that field position, connecting on a 24-yard pass to wide receiver Justin Harper. The catch pushed Virginia Tech inside Kansas territory and seemingly set up the Hokie offense for their first score of the game. After two plays for no gain and a five-yard loss when Glennon was sacked by James Holt, Virginia Tech was forced to attempt a 49-yard field goal. Jud Dunlevy's kick fell short, however, and Virginia Tech was denied a score. Kansas recovered the short kick, which landed in the end zone, and returned the ball 39 yards. Despite the momentum earned by the missed kick, Kansas went three plays without gaining a first down and was forced to punt the ball away. Virginia Tech recovered the ball at its 15-yard line and ran two plays before time ran out in the first quarter.

At the end of the first quarter, Kansas had kept Virginia Tech scoreless while capitalizing on a 60-yard interception return by Aqib Talib for the game's only points, a 7–0 lead.

Virginia Tech began the second quarter in possession of the ball and facing a third-and-five from its own 20-yard line. On the first play of the quarter, quarterback Sean Glennon threw for the first down, but was intercepted at the 37-yard line by Kansas' Chris Harris. After the interception, Kansas had the ball at the Virginia Tech 31-yard line. Todd Reesing connected on a first-down pass to Derek Fine, and running back Brandon McAnderson contributed several short rushes. The Kansas offense failed to gain a second first down after the interception, however, and kicker Scott Webb was again called upon to attempt a field goal, this time from 32 yards away. Unlike his first kick, the second sailed through the uprights for three points. With 12 minutes remaining in the second quarter, Kansas extended its lead to 10–0.

Virginia Tech recovered the post-field goal kickoff at its own 31-yard line, and Branden Ore, having entered the game after his one-quarter suspension, advanced the ball three yards. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor also advanced the ball five yards on a scramble, but failed to gain a first down. The Hokies were forced to punt the ball away, and Kansas recovered the kick at its 41-yard line. With good field position and momentum granted by the interception and field goal, Kansas moved the ball quickly. Todd Reesing was sacked by Nekos Brown and Xavier Adibi, but connected to Jake Sharp for 20 yards on two passes, advancing the ball deep into Virginia Tech territory. Passes to Marcus Henry and Dezmon Briscoe advanced Kansas 21 more yards into Hokie territory, and Brandon McAnderson rushed for five yards on the ground. Capping the Kansas drive was a 13-yard toss by Reesing to Henry for a touchdown. The score, which came with 7:03 remaining in the first half, gave Kansas a 17–0 lead, its largest of the game.

Virginia Tech recovered the post-touchdown kickoff desperately needing to score before halftime. Kansas had played strongly on defense throughout the first half, and the game's momentum was firmly behind the Jayhawks, who had capitalized on two Virginia Tech turnovers. Sean Glennon completed a three-yard pass to Josh Morgan to begin the drive, but it was running back Branden Ore who did the vast majority of the work during the Hokies' final offensive drive of the first half. After Glennon's pass, Ore rushed the ball on six straight plays, picking up 33 yards and two first downs on the way. After that, Glennon contributed a five-yard run of his own, which was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty against Kansas. Branden Ore received the ball again, rushing on five consecutive plays, culminating in a one-yard run for a touchdown. The score came with just 1:03 left in the half, giving Virginia Tech its first points of the game and narrowing Kansas' lead to 17–7.

Kansas received Virginia Tech's kickoff, and the Hokies attempted to give themselves another chance at offense by calling timeouts after Kansas rushed the ball. The timeouts stopped the clock, but Kansas managed to earn a first down and run out the clock after Tech used its allotted three timeouts. Heading into halftime, Kansas still had the lead and the momentum, but a Virginia Tech touchdown had cut the Jayhawks' lead to just 10 points, 17–7.

The halftime show of the 2008 Orange Bowl was headlined by American blues rock band ZZ Top, who played their song "Sharp Dressed Man". The band was a favorite of Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing, who expressed regrets prior to the game that he would not be able to listen to the performance. Also featured during the halftime show were a group of high school marching bands, who played Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Crossfire" while ZZ Top's stage was disassembled. Following the halftime show, the FOX truck broadcasting the game experienced a power outage. As Fox crews worked to get the power restored, the second half was delayed by three minutes.

Kansas, which had won the pre-game coin toss, received the ball to open the second half. Todd Reesing initially began where he had left off in the first half, completing a pass to Dexton Fields for 12 yards and a first down. On subsequent plays, however, Virginia Tech showed some of the defensive prowess that had been promoted heavily heading into the game. Aqib Talib was tackled for a loss of six yards after catching a pass. Reesing was sacked under heavy pressure from the Tech defense. On third down, a Reesing pass was nearly intercepted by Cody Grimm, who knocked it down to force a Kansas punt. On the subsequent return, Virginia Tech earned its first big play of the game. Eddie Royal, who had returned every one of Virginia Tech's first-half kicks, received the ball and lateraled it to Justin Harper, who returned it 84 yards for a touchdown. The score cut Kansas' lead to just three points with 11:35 remaining in the third quarter.
With the game's momentum now firmly in their favor, the Virginia Tech defense stopped Kansas' offense on three straight plays, forcing another Kansas punt. The kick traveled 62 yards and was recovered at the Virginia Tech 18-yard line. Virginia Tech's offense, despite the poor field position, moved quickly, partly due to a 15-yard pass interference penalty against Kansas. Sean Glennon completed a controversial 37-yard pass to tight end Greg Boone to drive the Hokies deep into Kansas territory. Initially, the pass appeared to have been intercepted by a Kansas defender, but subsequent replays revealed that Boone had wrested possession of the ball away from the defender. Three rushes deep inside the Kansas red zone netted the Hokies just nine more yards, setting up a fourth-and-one scenario for the Virginia Tech offense. Rather than risk a failed fourth-down conversion, Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer sent in kicker Jud Dunlevy to attempt a 25-yard field goal. During the kick, however, Kansas defender Joe Mortensen rushed through the Virginia Tech line and blocked the kick, denying the Hokies three points and preserving a 17–14 Kansas lead with 6:31 remaining in the quarter.

The block neutralized all the Virginia Tech momentum that had been gained with the punt-return touchdown and kept Kansas in the lead. After the block, however, Kansas failed to gain a first down on offense. Though forced to punt the ball away, punter Kyle Tucker's 42-yard kick was helped by a 10-yard illegal blocking penalty against Virginia Tech that pinned the Hokies at their own 25-yard line. Branden Ore picked up a first down with two rushes, but the Tech offense failed to gain another first down and the Hokies were forced to punt the ball again.
Kansas took over at its own 12-yard line after the punt. On the first play of the drive, Reesing completed a 37-yard pass to Dexton Fields, putting the ball near midfield. Three straight incomplete passes later, Kansas faced a fourth-and-ten and a punt. Instead of punting the ball away, however, Kansas elected to try a risky fake punt-pass. Instead of snapping the ball to the punter, the ball was snapped to running back Brandon McAnderson, who threw the ball 22 yards downfield to Micah Brown for a first down. On the very next play, Reesing, having returned to the field, connected on a 28-yard pass to Dexton Fields, who was pushed out of bounds just short of the goal line. With a first-and-goal from inside the one-yard line, a Kansas touchdown seemed inevitable. On the first play inside the red zone, however, Kansas fumbled the ball. Though the ball was recovered by a Kansas player, the play lost four yards. On the next play, Kansas committed a 15-yard personal foul penalty. The personal foul was followed by a 10-yard holding penalty, and Kansas was pushed entirely outside the Virginia Tech red zone. In an effort to push back, Reesing threw a pass deep downfield. Instead of being completed, however, the ball was intercepted by Virginia Tech's D.J. Parker. With 39 seconds left in the quarter, Virginia Tech had stopped Kansas from gaining a point despite the Jayhawks penetrating inside the Virginia Tech one-yard line.

As the quarter came to an end, the Hokies gained two quick first downs and advanced the ball 26 yards, seemingly having regained the momentum lost with the blocked kick. With one quarter remaining in the game, however, Kansas still had a three-point lead, 17–14.

The first few plays of the fourth quarter failed to live up to the promise that had been shown in the third for the Hokies. Two incomplete passes and one that gained just two yards forced Virginia Tech to punt the ball away with 13:49 remaining in the quarter. After taking over at its 33-yard line, Kansas had no more success on offense than did Virginia Tech. After three straight plays with no gain, Kansas was forced to punt the ball away as well. A 58-yard kick by Kyle Tucker pinned Virginia Tech inside its 10-yard line, and the Hokies were unable to advance the ball much beyond the ten-yard line. An incomplete pass and a two-yard run by Branden Ore were all the offense managed before Sean Glennon threw a 20-yard interception to the Jayhawks' Justin Thornton. Thornton returned the ball 30 yards to the Virginia Tech two-yard line, and on Kansas' first play after the interception, Todd Reesing ran two yards for the touchdown. The score gave the Jayhawks a 24–14 lead with just 10:57 remaining.

After the Kansas kickoff, Virginia Tech took over at its 33-yard line. Needing a score, the Hokies committed a five-yard false start penalty before quarterback Sean Glennon was sacked by Kansas' Mike Rivera. The two plays pushed the Virginia Tech offense back, preventing them from gaining a first down. Forced to punt the ball away, Virginia Tech had to play defense as Kansas took over at its 28-yard line. Secure in their lead, Kansas elected to run the ball in an effort to keep the clock moving and bring the game to an end more quickly. Brandon McAnderson broke free for 28 yards on the first play of the drive, and Jake Sharp contributed another first down on the ground before the Hokie defense stopped Kansas on an attempt to earn a first down on a fourth-and-two deep inside Virginia Tech territory.

Having stopped Kansas on fourth down, Virginia Tech took over on offense at its 22-yard line. With just 5:51 remaining in the game, the Hokies badly needed to score quickly and get a defensive stop in order to have a chance to win. The Hokies advanced on the first aspect of that requirement as Sean Glennon converted several first downs through the air. Kansas allowed no play over nine yards until late in the drive, forcing Virginia Tech to use up valuable time. On the last play of the drive, Sean Glennon connected on a 20-yard strike to Justin Harper for a touchdown. The score cut Kansas' lead to just three points, but with just three minutes remaining in the game, Virginia Tech's comeback would only be complete if the Hokies could recover a difficult onside kick.

Jud Dunlevy kicked the ball, which traveled the regulation 10 yards, but was recovered by Kansas. The Hokies, despite failing to recover the onside kick, still had a chance for another offensive possession if they stopped Kansas' offense short of a first down. Because the Hokies had two timeouts remaining, they could stop the clock after two Kansas plays, thus preserving time for a Virginia Tech offensive drive. An 11-yard pass by Todd Reesing netted Kansas a first down, however, and subsequent runs by the Jayhawks allowed Kansas to run out the clock despite the Virginia Tech timeouts. Kansas preserved its lead by kneeling on the ball inside the Virginia Tech 5-yard line on the final plays of the game, and the 24–21 victory was celebrated as time ran out.

Kansas' Aqib Talib was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Talib's 60-yard interception return for a touchdown was the Orange Bowl's first since the 1968 Orange Bowl, when Oklahoma's Bob Stephenson performed the same feat. When he appeared on stage on the field after the game to receive his award, Talib exclaimed, "I felt like Deion!", a reference to former NFL star Deion Sanders.

The two teams finished with extremely similar statistical totals, as befitting a close game. The two teams were within 38 total yards of each other; Kansas had 344 yards and Virginia Tech had 306. That relative closeness was reflected in the teams' first-down totals as well. Virginia Tech earned 20 first downs: 10 rushing, eight passing, and two via penalty. Kansas, meanwhile, earned 19 first downs: five rushing, 13 passing, and one via penalty.

Over two-thirds of Kansas' offense came through the air as the Jayhawks racked up 249 net passing yards. The Hokies, meanwhile, earned almost half their offense on the ground. The end result of the varying offensive strategies was much the same, however. Kansas successfully converted six of its 17 third-down attempts, while Virginia Tech converted seven of its 17 attempts. The time of possession was one key stat in favor of Kansas, as Kansas controlled the ball for 33:47, over 7 minutes more than Virginia Tech's possession time of 26:13.

The difference in the game came from special teams and turnovers. Virginia Tech turned the ball over three times, while Kansas turned the ball over just once. Kansas converted its three takeaways into 17 points, giving the Jayhawks an enormous advantage on the scoreboard. Virginia Tech failed to convert its sole turnover recovery into any points.

On offense, the Hokies largely kept up with the Jayhawks, despite a losing effort. The two-quarterback system that had been heavily promoted heading into the game was largely abandoned in the first quarter after freshman Tyrod Taylor was sacked on his first two plays and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown during his second time on the field. After those two abortive first-quarter appearances, and a single play at the beginning of the second quarter, Taylor did not re-enter the game until a single play halfway through the fourth quarter. With Taylor largely removed from the game, junior Sean Glennon was left to fill the gaps. Glennon had a solid, if unspectacular, game, completing 13 of his 28 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Glennon did struggle at times against the Jayhawks' defense, however, throwing two interceptions that resulted in 10 Kansas points.

With Glennon behind center, the Virginia Tech offense utilized several different wide receivers in the passing game. Eight different players caught at least one pass, and the leading receiver, Justin Harper, hauled in four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Josh Morgan, meanwhile, caught three passes, bringing him to 122 receptions for his career, passing Antonio Freeman for second place all-time at Virginia Tech. Ernest Wilford remains first in the Virginia Tech record book, with 126 receptions.

The Hokies were slightly more effective rushing the ball. In the ground game, seven different players carried the ball at least once, netting 135 rushing yards. Branden Ore finished the game with 116 yards, leading all rushers on both teams. That total put him just eight yards short of his second-straight 1,000-yard season. Ore's total is even more impressive when one considers that he had been suspended for the entire first quarter of the game, his place taken by backup rusher Kenny Lewis, Jr. Lewis finished the game with four carries for 22 yards, and did not see much action after Ore entered the game at the beginning of the second quarter.

On special teams, the Hokies had several highs and lows. Justin Harper's 84-yard punt-return touchdown sparked a Virginia Tech rally that brought the Hokies within striking distance, but failures on special teams also ended the rally and turned the momentum of the game against Virginia Tech. Kicker Jud Dunlevy had been the third-most accurate kicker in the nation heading into the Orange Bowl, having hit 21 of his 24 field goal attempts during the season. He only needed two field goals to break Tech's record for most field goals in the season, set at 22 by Shayne Graham in 1998. Though Dunlevy had two chances for field goals, one fell short and the other was blocked.

On defense, the Hokies were led by linebacker Vince Hall, who recorded seven solo tackles, one assisted tackle, and one pass break-up. Hokies' defender Orion Martin also had a big game, recording six solo tackles, one assisted tackle, and two sacks of Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing. Two other defensive players recorded one sack apiece, and D.J. Parker recorded the Hokies' sole interception on defense.

On offense, the Jayhawks recorded a total of 344 yards, 249 of which came through the air. Quarterback Todd Reesing was the key contributor to the Kansas aerial attack, completing 20 of his 37 passes for 227 yards and just one interception. The only other Kansas player to record passing yards was running back Brandon McAnderson, who threw a 22-yard first-down pass during a fake punt. Though under pressure for much of the game, Reesing was sacked four times, Kansas continued to maintain an effective pass attack throughout the game.

Eight different receivers caught at least one pass, with Dexton Fields leading all receivers in the game with seven catches for 101 yards. Both totals were the highest marks recorded in the game by either team. Fields was also the recipient of a play that tied for the longest pass play of the game, a 37-yard toss from Reesing halfway through the third quarter. Cornerback and game MVP Aqib Talib came into the game as a receiver several times, but because his appearance in the game was such an unusual occurrence, the Virginia Tech defense was able to zero in on him and prevent him from catching the ball.

The Jayhawks' ground game was less effective than their pass offense, but still had success against a tough Virginia Tech defense. Running back Brandon McAnderson, Kansas' leading rusher, finished the game with 15 carries for 75 yards. Backup running back Jake Sharp rushed nine times for 33 yards, including several key first-down runs.

As successful as Kansas' offense was, it was the Jayhawks' special teams (beating Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer at his own game) that earned them the victory. Kansas blocked one Virginia Tech field goal, and caused Tech kicker Jud Dunlevy to miss another short. Kansas punter Kyle Tucker did an excellent job pinning Virginia Tech deep in its own end of the field, kicking the ball five times for a total of 250 yards, averaging 50 yards a punt. His longest punt, a 62-yard kick, was one of three punts that were downed inside Tech's 20-yard line.

The Kansas defense, which had been ill-regarded heading into the game, performed well, as MVP Aqib Talib finished the game with five tackles in addition to the interception that he returned for a touchdown. The Jayhawks' leading tackler was Mike Rivera, who earned 12 tackles, including one sack of quarterback Sean Glennon. Altogether, the Jayhawks sacked Virginia Tech's quarterbacks five times, including two sacks on the opening drive of the game.

Kansas' victory in the 2008 Orange Bowl had far-reaching effects for both Virginia Tech and Kansas as well as college football teams around the country. The victory allowed Kansas to finish its 2007 season with a final record of 12–1, while the loss brought Virginia Tech to a final record of 11–3. The game itself provided tens of millions of dollars of economic impact for the South Florida region, which attracted tens of thousands of visitors from both Virginia and Kansas. In Kansas, bars and liquor stores benefited from the game, as Jayhawks' fans stocked up on food and alcohol for the game.

A bet on the game between the governors of Kansas and Virginia was resolved when Virginia Governor Tim Kaine sent a Virginia smoked ham to the Kansas state capitol. Had Virginia Tech won, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius would have sent Kaine an assortment of Kansas beef.

The Hokies' loss to Kansas lowered its bowl winning percentage since 1993 to 40 percent. In the 15 bowl games played between the 1993 Independence Bowl and the 2008 Orange Bowl, the Hokies amassed a record of six wins and nine losses. Despite the loss to the Jayhawks and the loss of several graduating players, Virginia Tech was a popular pick to repeat as ACC champions heading into the off-season. The seniors who graduated following the Orange Bowl game were the winningest team in Virginia Tech history, becoming one of just three teams in Division I to win at least 10 games each of the previous four years. Junior Sean Glennon's second consecutive failure to win a bowl game, however, re-opened the question of whether he or Tyrod Taylor would be the Hokies' starter at quarterback in 2008.

Kansas' victory over Virginia Tech was the Jayhawks' fifth bowl victory and was the 11th bowl game in the history of the Kansas Jayhawks football team. Because of the unexpected nature of the Jayhawks' success, some pundits proclaimed the 2008 Orange Bowl as ranking among the greatest Kansas sports victories of all time. The game paid $17 million to the Big 12 Conference and helped to boost the Kansas football team's national profile among potential recruits. In addition, the program saw an increase in ticket sales in the years immediately following the bowl appearance. Two months after the football team's Orange Bowl win, the men's basketball team won the National Championship becoming only the second school to win a BCS Bowl game and National Championship in basketball in the same school year. Additionally the 49 wins combined from the football team and basketball team were the most combined wins in NCAA history from a football team and men's basketball team.

The 2008 Orange Bowl provided an excellent national platform for players from both Kansas and Virginia Tech to impress National Football League scouts prior to the 2008 NFL Draft, held April 26 and April 27, 2008. Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Flowers was one of the first Orange Bowl participants to announce his intent to enter the draft following the game. Flowers, a redshirt junior, finished the season with five interceptions.

Two Kansas players announced that they would leave early for the NFL. Aqib Talib, the game's MVP, and All-American Anthony Collins announced they would enter the 2008 draft, capitalizing on their successful season. In total, twelve players that played in the game were drafted, eight from Virginia Tech and four from Kansas.

The 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl was the 75th edition of the annual American college football bowl game known as the Orange Bowl. It pitted the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champion Virginia Tech Hokies against the Big East Conference champion Cincinnati Bearcats on January 1, 2009, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Virginia Tech defeated Cincinnati, 20–7. The game was the second contest in the 2008–2009 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) of the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. The game was televised in the United States on FOX, and an estimated 9.3 million viewers watched the broadcast live.

2009 Orange Bowl

Virginia Tech was selected to participate in the Orange Bowl after a 9–4 season that culminated in a 30–12 victory in the 2008 ACC Championship Game. Cincinnati was selected as the other half of the matchup after an 11–2 season that ended with a 29–24 win against Hawaii. In the weeks between the teams' selection and the playing of the game, media attention focused on the nature of Cincinnati's first BCS game appearance and Virginia Tech's attempt to win its first BCS game since 1995. Attention also focused on Cincinnati's proficient offense and Virginia Tech's highly rated defense.

The game kicked off at 8:47 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in warm weather, and Cincinnati scored first, converting the game's opening possession into a touchdown and a 7–0 lead in the first quarter. Virginia Tech responded in the second quarter, tying the game at seven before taking a 10–7 lead with a field goal as time expired in the first half. In the third quarter, the two teams battled defensively, with only the Hokies able to score any points as Tech extended its lead to 13–7. During the final quarter, Virginia Tech scored its second touchdown of the game, giving the Hokies a 20–7 lead that lasted until time expired.

In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans was named the game's most valuable player. He set a Virginia Tech bowl-game record for carries and tied the Tech record for rushing yards in a bowl game. Cincinnati replaced two coaches after the loss, and three months after the game, players from each team entered the National Football League (NFL) via the 2009 NFL Draft. Cincinnati had six players selected in the draft, while Virginia Tech had one.

The Orange Bowl is one of five Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl games that have been played at the conclusion of every college football season since 2006. As defined by contract, the bowl matches the champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) against an at-large pick chosen by a special committee. On December 6, 2008, the Virginia Tech Hokies defeated the Boston College Eagles in the 2008 ACC Championship Game, thus winning an automatic bid to the 2009 Orange Bowl Game.

The at-large spot in the Orange Bowl was filled via a round-robin selection procedure defined by the other Bowl Championship series games (the Sugar, Fiesta, and Rose bowls) and the automatic bids. The order of at-large selections rotates annually among the BCS bowls. In 2009, the Fiesta Bowl picked first, followed by the Sugar Bowl, then the Orange Bowl. The Fiesta Bowl picked Ohio State, while the Sugar Bowl selected Utah. The Orange Bowl was thus left to select Big East Conference champion Cincinnati, fulfilling the BCS' contractual obligation to provide a game for the conference's champion.

The Cincinnati Bearcats ended the 2007 college football season with a 10–2 record, including a win in the 2007 PapaJohns.com Bowl over Southern Miss, 31–21. It was only the second time in school history that Cincinnati had won 10 games in a season. Before the 2008 season, the Bearcats hoped quarterback Ben Mauk would be allowed to play an unusual sixth year of college football, a possibility created by a year lost to injury and a redshirt year. After Mauk's request was denied by the NCAA, the annual poll of media covering Big East football picked Cincinnati to finish fifth in the eight-team Big East.

The Bearcats opened the 2008 college football season against, winning 40–7 in an offensive effort led by senior quarterback Dustin Grutza, who was named the team's starter at that position following Mauk's dismissal. For its second game of the season, Cincinnati traveled to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the Oklahoma Sooners for the first time. In a 52–26 loss to a team that would play for the national championship that season, Grutza broke his ankle and was replaced by junior Tony Pike.

For their third game of the season, the Bearcats returned to Nippert Stadium—their home field—to play the first of two Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponents, in-state rival Miami. In the 113th Battle for the Victory Bell, Cincinnati won, 45–20. Following the victory against Miami, the Bearcats traveled to Akron, Ohio to play the Akron Zips. Against the Zips, Pike broke his arm and was replaced by redshirt freshman Chazz Anderson, who was also injured during the game. Fellow redshirt freshman Zach Collaros then entered the game and led the Bearcats to a 17–15 victory. The close win against Akron was followed by a 33–10 win over Marshall, the Bearcats' final nonconference game before beginning Big East play.

At the start of conference play, the Bearcats were 4–1, and their only loss was against top-five opponent Oklahoma. With Pike still injured, Cincinnati beat Rutgers, 13–10, in the Bearcats' first Big East game of the season. The Bearcats suffered their second defeat of the season in the following week, however, losing to the UConn Huskies, 40–16. Pike returned from the injury and had the Bearcats leading at halftime, but he left the game at the half when numbness in his non-throwing hand prevented him from being able to take the snap. In the two weeks that followed the loss to the Huskies, Cincinnati recovered to beat two top-25 opponents: No. 23 South Florida and No. 20 West Virginia. The two victories pushed the Bearcats to a 3–1 conference record and the No. 22 position in the AP Poll before Cincinnati's annual rivalry game against Louisville. That game, also known as the Battle for The Keg of Nails, ended in a Cincinnati victory for the first time since 2002.

Following the rivalry game win, Cincinnati played the Pittsburgh Panthers in a game for control of first place in the Big East. In front of a record crowd at Cincinnati's home field, the Bearcats claimed first place with a 28–21 win. Heading into its game against the Syracuse Orange, Cincinnati was assured at least a share of the Big East Championship, but a 30–10 win over Syracuse gave the Bearcats sole possession of the championship, the first Big East title in school history. After clinching the Big East Championship and a bid to a BCS bowl, Cincinnati ended the regular season with a game in Hawaii against the Hawaii Warriors. Despite trailing for much of the game, the Bearcats scored 19 unanswered points and ended the regular season with a 29–24 victory. Already assured a BCS berth by virtue of their Big East championship, on December 7, 2008, the Bearcats were selected to participate in the 2009 Orange Bowl.

The Virginia Tech Hokies entered the 2008 season after an 11–3 overall 2007 record that included a win in the 2007 ACC Championship Game and a loss to the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2008 Orange Bowl. Although the Hokies won the ACC for the second time in less than four years, fans and analysts anticipated Virginia Tech would spend 2008 rebuilding a team that saw 12 starters graduate or enter the National Football League (NFL) Draft. Though picked in a preseason poll to win the Coastal Division of the ACC, the Hokies were upset in their season opener by East Carolina University.

Following the loss, Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer announced that backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who had previously been expected to redshirt and sit out the season, would play in the Hokies' second game, against. Both Taylor and Sean Glennon performed well against Furman, and Tech won, 24–7. Tech's third game of the season came against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who were debuting a new offensive system the spread option under first-year head coach Paul Johnson. Unlike the game against Furman, Taylor started the game and remained at quarterback throughout, guiding the Hokies to their first ACC victory of the season, 20–17. The win gave Tech the tiebreaker against the Yellow Jackets in the event of a tie in the division standings at the end of the season. The Hokies' fourth game of the season came against the North Carolina Tar Heels, who were defeated by the same margin of victory as Tech's win against Georgia Tech, 20–17.

The twin conference victories were followed by two out-of-conference wins: at Big 12 opponent Nebraska and against independent Western Kentucky. At the end of the four-game winning streak, the Hokies had a 4–1 record, 2–0 in conference, and were ranked No. 17 in the country. On October 18, however, the Hokies lost to unranked Boston College in Boston, 28–23. The game was a rematch of the previous year's ACC Championship Game and was a preview of the 2008 ACC Championship Game matchup. The loss was the start of a skid that saw Tech lose three of four games, only managing a victory against Maryland, 23–13. The final contest of that four-game stretch was a 16–13 loss to Coastal Division rival Miami, which then held the tiebreaker over the Hokies in the event of any head-to-head tie.

During the last two games of the regular season, however, the Hokies managed two victories: a 14–3 win against last-place ACC team Duke, and a 17–14 triumph over traditional rival Virginia. Miami, meanwhile, lost its final two games of the season: against Georgia Tech and North Carolina State. These losses dropped Miami to a 4–4 record in the ACC, one game behind the Hokies, who were tied with Georgia Tech at 5–3 following the end of the regular season. By virtue of the Hokies' head-to-head win against the Yellow Jackets, Virginia Tech won the Coastal Division and a spot in the ACC Championship Game. When Tech won the championship game against Atlantic Division champion Boston College, 30–12, it was awarded the ACC's automatic bid to the Orange Bowl.

Pregame media coverage of the game focused on the fact that the 2009 Orange Bowl was Cincinnati's first Bowl Championship Series game in school history. For Virginia Tech, coverage focused on the Hokies' winless history in BCS games since 1995, as Tech had lost all four of its appearances in a BCS game since an upset win over Texas in the 1995 Sugar Bowl. Also mentioned was the fact that the two teams had faced each other in the 1947 Sun Bowl, which had been each school's first bowl game. The low win rate of ACC teams in general was another point of interest. Teams from the conference had won just one of their ten appearances in a BCS bowl before the Orange Bowl. Before the Orange Bowl matchup, the two teams last played in 2006, when the Hokies defeated the Bearcats, 29–13, at Virginia Tech's home field, Lane Stadium. For the Orange Bowl, spread bettors favored a reversal of that 2006 final, as Cincinnati was initially favored by one point. This expanded to 1.5 points by December 9. The trend toward Cincinnati continued, and on December 27, betting organizations gave Cincinnati the edge by two or two and a half points.

The game featured two teams both ranked lower than the two teams playing in a non-BCS bowl, a first in BCS history. The 2008 Poinsettia Bowl featured the No. 9 Boise State Broncos against the No. 11 TCU Horned Frogs. In Miami, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati each made preparations to switch accommodations to a different hotel on the day before the game to better simulate the feel of a regular-season game. Cincinnati's move was accelerated a day when rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs moved into the hotel and coaches, seeking to avoid a distraction, moved up the date of the team's departure.

The pace of ticket sales for the Orange Bowl varied wildly between the two schools. Each team received an allotment of 17,500 tickets to sell to its fans, and each school sold about 4,000 tickets in the two days immediately following the announcement. Media covering Virginia Tech considered the rate of ticket sales to be slow because the Hokies had sold 50 percent more during a similar timeframe the previous year. Media following Cincinnati ticket sales considered the pace to be fast, calling the Orange Bowl game a "hot ticket". The $125 tickets sold by Cincinnati generated the largest amount of ticket sale revenue ever recorded by the Cincinnati Athletics Department, netting the school more than $500,000 in the first day of sales. Travel agencies offered packages including game tickets, airfare, and a hotel room to fans of both teams. Owing to the demand, fans were warned against the danger of counterfeit tickets.

In the days immediately following the announcement of the matchup, ticket sales diverged. By December 12, Cincinnati sold about 9,000 tickets. This total increased to approximately 13,000 tickets by December 20, and the school prepared multiple tour buses for a student convoy to the game. At Virginia Tech, meanwhile, sales lagged. In an effort to spur sales, Tech administrators had head football coach Frank Beamer star in a video asking Hokies fans to buy tickets to the game. Owing to limited demand for tickets, prices in the secondary market plunged.

As late as December 31, neither team had sold its entire allotment of 17,500 tickets. Cincinnati fans had bought 13,000 tickets, while Virginia Tech fans bought fewer than 5,000 tickets from the school's allotment. Countering Virginia Tech's low direct ticket sales were large numbers of fans who avoided paying face value for tickets—US$125—by buying them on the secondary market, often for as little as 99 cents.

Before the Orange Bowl, Cincinnati was ranked 50th (of 119 Division I FBS teams) in total offense. The team was ranked 24th in passing offense, with the five quarterbacks pressed into service during the season averaging 254.1 passing yards per game. By the end of the season, Tony Pike emerged as Cincinnati's sole starting quarterback. He finished the regular season having completed 183 of 291 pass attempts for 2,168 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He ranked second in the Big East and 29th nationally in passing efficiency with a passer rating of 141.07.

Among Cincinnati receivers, there was none of the uncertainty that afflicted the Bearcats' quarterbacks. Wide receiver Mardy Gilyard caught 74 passes during the regular season, setting a Cincinnati record with 1,118 receiving yards. He also had 10 touchdowns during the season, leading all Cincinnati players. Gilyard also played as the Bearcats' primary kick returner. He returned 32 kicks, accumulating a school-record 897 yards and 2 touchdowns. Fellow wide receiver Dominick Goodman outpaced Gilyard in receptions with 78, but he had only 977 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. On the first play of Cincinnati's game against Hawaii, Dominick injured his shoulder and his ability to play in the Orange Bowl was in doubt.

Cincinnati's ground offense was less statistically significant than its passing offense. It was led by running back Jacob Ramsey, who carried the ball 148 times for 630 yards and two touchdowns. Backup running back John Goebel had 124 rushing attempts for 581 yards and 7 touchdowns.

At the conclusion of the regular season before the Orange Bowl, Virginia Tech's offense was ranked among the worst in Division I, 107th among 119 teams. The Hokies averaged just 296 yards per game during the regular season, and during the ACC Championship Game—the last Tech game before the Orange Bowl—had created a season-low 234 yards of offense. Starting left guard Nick Marshman was not expected to play after becoming academically ineligible following the fall semester, and was replaced by redshirt freshman Jaymes Brooks.

On the field, the Hokies' offense was led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who completed 86 of his 151 pass attempts for 896 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions in the season before the Orange Bowl. He also carried the ball 132 times for a total gain of 691 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground. As successful as Taylor was rushing the ball, Virginia Tech's offense on the ground was led by freshman running back Darren Evans, who set a Virginia Tech freshman record for rushing yards by accumulating 1,112 during the regular season. He also scored 10 touchdowns, was named a second-team All-ACC player, and finished second in the voting for the ACC's rookie of the year award. Evans became the sixth freshman in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference to rush for more than 1,000 yards and set a Virginia Tech single-game record for rushing yards when he ran for 253 yards in Tech's game against Maryland.

Entering the Orange Bowl, the Bearcats were ranked 26th in total defense, allowing an average of 316 yards per game to opposing offenses. Cincinnati was 26th in scoring defense, permitting an average of 20.2 points per game. The Bearcats were No. 1 in sacks among Big East teams, recording 35 during the season.

Defensive end Connor Barwin led the Bearcats' defense in sacks with 11, a figure that also was the highest in the Big East and No. 14 nationally. He finished the regular season with 48 tackles, a figure that included the 11 sacks. In recognition of his performance, he was named a first-team All-Big East selection, signifying his status as the best player at his position in the conference.

In the defensive secondary, the Bearcats were led by cornerback Mike Mickens and safety Brandon Underwood. Mickens was a second-team All-Big East selection, and Underwood was a first-team All-Big East selection. Mickens was Cincinnati's career leader in interceptions and interception return yardage, and had 65 tackles (third on the team) despite missing three games due to injury. Underwood was fifth on the team in tackles with 60, and had 3 interceptions and 6 pass breakups.

The most notable player for Cincinnati, however, was punter Kevin Huber, who was named an Associated Press All-American and became the first player in Bearcats history to earn that honor in two consecutive years. Thanks to Huber's performance during the regular season, Cincinnati led the country in punting average (41.5 yards per kick) and was No. 1 in the Big East for the second consecutive year.

Virginia Tech's defense was considered among the best in Division I before the Orange Bowl. The Hokies were ranked seventh in total defense, allowing just 277.08 yards per game on average. Virginia Tech also was highly ranked in several other defensive categories: eighth in turnovers gained (30), 13th in scoring defense (17.46 points per game), 15th in pass defense (170.08 yards per game), and 19th in rushing defense (107.00 yards per game). The Hokies' defense also scored five defensive touchdowns during the regular season.

Tech's defense was led on the field by senior cornerback Victor "Macho" Harris. During the regular season, Harris tied for fifth in the country in interceptions with six, including two returned for touchdowns. He also had 44 tackles, and was named the top defensive player in the state of Virginia. At defensive end, Tech featured Orion Martin, a former walk-on who rose to a starting position and had 7.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 53 tackles during the regular season. Heading into the Orange Bowl, the Hokies' defense was afflicted by injuries. Defensive end Jason Worilds had a shoulder injury. Starting linebacker Brett Warren, who had 86 tackles, with 5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions during the regular season, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and was expected to miss the game.

The 2009 Orange Bowl kicked off at 8:47 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. An estimated total of 73,602 tickets were sold for the game, but bowl officials estimated 15,781 sold tickets went unused, giving a turnstile attendance of 57,821. The game was televised on FOX, and the announcers were Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, and Chris Myers. An estimated 9.3 million viewers watched the broadcast, earning it a Nielsen rating of 5.4. Figures on the total payout vary, but Virginia Tech and Cincinnati each received between $17 million and $18 million for playing in the Orange Bowl, an amount that was shared with the other teams in each school's athletic conference.

The ceremonial performance of the national anthem was played on trumpet by Arturo Sandoval. At the start of the game, the weather was clear, with an air temperature of and relative humidity of 69 percent. The wind was from the northeast at. J. O'Neill was the referee, B. Neale was the umpire, and the linesman was J. Quinn. Orange Bowl Committee chairman Daniel Ponce performed the ceremonial pre-game coin toss to determine first possession. The toss was won by Virginia Tech, which elected to receive the ball to begin the second half, ensuring Cincinnati the right to receive the ball to begin the game.

Virginia Tech's opening kickoff was returned to the Cincinnati 28-yard line, where the Bearcats executed the game's first play, a five-yard run by running back John Goebel. On the next play, the Bearcats earned the game's initial first down with a 13-yard pass from quarterback Tony Pike to wide receiver Dominick Goodman. Now at their 46-yard line, Pike then threw his second-longest completed pass of the game, a 38-yard pass to wide receiver Mardy Gilyard. The play advanced the Bearcats' offense to the Virginia Tech 16-yard line, and three plays later, Pike completed a 15-yard pass to Gilyard for a touchdown and the game's first points. The extra point kick by Cincinnati kicker Jake Rogers was good, and with 13:08 remaining in the opening quarter, the Bearcats took a 7–0 lead over Virginia Tech.

Cincinnati's kickoff after the touchdown was returned to the Virginia Tech 24-yard line, and the Hokies prepared for their first offensive possession of the game. That play was a 27-yard run by wide receiver Dyrell Roberts, who ran an end-around for the big gain. Now on the Cincinnati side of the field, Virginia Tech running Back Darren Evans ran for one yard, then Hokies quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed a 34-yard pass to wide receiver Danny Coale. The catch gave Virginia Tech a first down at the Cincinnati 14-yard line. On the first play following the long completion, Evans was tackled for a six-yard loss, pushing the Hokies back to the Bearcats' 20-yard line. On the next two plays, Tyrod Taylor rushed for a total of 11 yards, but was unable to gain another first down. Facing fourth down, Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer sent kicker Dustin Keys into the game to attempt a 26-yard field goal. The kick sailed right of the uprights, however, and Virginia Tech was denied a scoring opportunity.

After the missed kick, Cincinnati's offense took to the field at their 20-yard line. The Bearcats were not able to gain a first down, however, and went three and out before punting back to Virginia Tech. Following the kick, the Hokies started at their 16-yard line. Tech's first play of the drive was a 14-yard pass from Taylor to wide receiver Jarrett Boykin for a first down, but the Hokies were unable to gain another first down. Tech punted back to Cincinnati, and the ball rolled out of bounds at the Cincinnati 30-yard line. The first play of the drive resulted in a short loss, but on the second play, Pike completed a 39-yard pass to Gilyard. The play advanced the Bearcats deep into Virginia Tech territory and gave them a first down. Despite the long play, Cincinnati was unable to gain another first down, and Rogers entered the game to attempt a 44-yard field goal. The kick was partially blocked and fell short, denying the Bearcats three points. With 3:07 remaining in the quarter, Cincinnati still held a 7–0 lead.

Following the missed field goal, Virginia Tech's offense took over at their 27-yard line, the spot from which the kick had been missed. Taylor completed a 12-yard pass to Coale, then Evans ran 11 yards, advancing the ball to the 50-yard line. After a pass from Taylor fell incomplete, he completed his next two attempts for a total gain of 19 yards and a first down. Virginia Tech then committed a five-yard false start penalty, pushing the Hokies back to the Cincinnati 26-yard line. With time running out in the quarter, however, Virginia Tech running back Josh Oglesby made good the penalty with a 13-yard run to the Cincinnati 23-yard line. At the end of the first quarter, Cincinnati still led, 7–0.

The second quarter began with Virginia Tech in possession of the ball and facing a second down and two at the Cincinnati 24-yard line. On the first play of the quarter, Cincinnati committed an offsides penalty, giving the Hokies five yards and a first down. From the Bearcats' 19-yard line, Taylor completed a two-yard pass. On the next play, Taylor attempted to run forward with the ball, but fumbled before recovering the loose football. Now facing third down, Taylor scrambled 18 yards to the goal line for Virginia Tech's first touchdown of the game. The extra point kick by Keys was good, and with 13:00 remaining in the quarter, the game was tied at 7–7.

Virginia Tech's post-touchdown kickoff was returned to the Cincinnati 28-yard line, and the Bearcats' offense began its first possession of the second quarter. Pike threw an incomplete pass, then connected on a 10-yard throw for a first down. That gain was countered on the next play by a 10-yard holding penalty against the Bearcats. Cincinnati was unable to regain the yardage lost to the penalty and punted. Following the kick, Virginia Tech was similarly stymied by consecutive penalties and a sack of Taylor by Cincinnati's Terrill Byrd. Tech punted, and the kick was returned by Cincinnati wide receiver D.J. Woods to the Virginia Tech 45-yard line. Despite starting in Virginia Tech's half of the field, Cincinnati was unable to capitalize and went three and out. The Bearcats' punt was downed at the Virginia Tech three-yard line, and the Hokies' offense returned to the field.

Despite being pinned against their own goal line, the Hokies initially had some success moving the ball. Taylor completed a two-yard pass, Evans ran for six yards, and Taylor ran for two yards on third down to earn a first down at the Tech 13-yard line. After a Tech timeout, Darren Evans ran for five yards. On the next play, he broke free for a 32-yard run, advancing the ball to the 50-yard line. The Hokies were unable to capitalize on Evans' run, however, as on the next play, a pass from Taylor was intercepted by Cincinnati defender Brandon Underwood at the Cincinnati 28-yard line.

Cincinnati's offense took over at the spot of the interception and immediately began moving down the field. Pike completed three consecutive passes: a five-yard pass to Gilyard, a 10-yard throw to Goodman, then a 31-yard toss to Gilyard. After the long throw, Cincinnati had a first down at the Virginia Tech 26-yard line. The Bearcats continued their drive after an incomplete pass by Pike with an 18-yard completion to Goebel that gave the Bearcats a first down at the Virginia Tech eight-yard line. Two plays later, however, Cincinnati's drive came to an end when Virginia Tech defender Stephan Virgil intercepted a pass from Pike to a player in the end zone, denying the Bearcats a chance to score. Virgil was downed in the end zone for a touchback, and Virginia Tech's offense started at its 20-yard line after the turnover.

Tech's drive began with a completed pass for no gain to Evans. This was followed by a five-yard run by Evans and a 23-yard pass from Taylor to tight end Greg Boone for a first down at the Tech 48-yard line. Taylor then completed a nine-yard pass to Boone. After two plays were stopped for no gain, Taylor ran two yards for a first down, keeping the drive alive. With time running out in the first half, Taylor completed a nine-yard pass to Boone, then ran six yards for a first down at the Cincinnati 26-yard line. The Hokies then called another timeout to stop the clock with three seconds remaining in the quarter. Tech kicker Dustin Keys returned to the game, and as time expired in the first half, he kicked a 43-yard field goal that gave the Hokies a 10–7 lead.

Following a halftime musical performance by The Doobie Brothers, the second half began. Because Cincinnati received the ball to begin the game, Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the second half.

The Bearcats' kickoff was returned to the Tech 14-yard line, and the Hokies began the first drive of the third quarter. Evans rushed for four yards, but Oglesby lost four yards on a run during the next play. Facing third and ten, Taylor picked up the first down with an 11-yard run, but fumbled the ball at the end of the play. The loose ball was scooped up by Boone, who kept the Hokies' drive going at the Tech 30-yard line. After the fumble, Evans ran for seven yards and Taylor completed a 10-yard pass to Roberts for a first down at the Tech 47-yard line. Coale then rushed for seven yards on an end-around, and his run was followed by one by Boone, who ran for 16 yards and a first down at the Cincinnati 30-yard line. Two more rushes by Roberts and Evans resulted in another first down, but once the Hokies passed the Cincinnati 20-yard line, the Bearcats' defense stiffened and denied the Hokies another first down. Facing fourth down, Tech again sent in Keys, who kicked a 35-yard field goal. The kick extended Tech's lead to 13–7 with 8:32 remaining in the quarter.

Following Virginia Tech's kickoff, Cincinnati began its first drive of the second half at its 36-yard line. Pike was stopped for no gain on a rushing attempt, then attempted a long pass downfield. The ball was intercepted by Virginia Tech defender Kam Chancellor, and the Hokies' offense returned to the field after just two Cincinnati plays. Tech's first play after the interception resulted in Taylor being sacked by Cincinnati defender Brandon Underwood for a loss of three yards, but Darren Evans made up the lost yardage by rushing 14 yards to the Tech 43-yard line for a first down. Taylor and Evans alternated short rushes, then Taylor completed a five-yard pass to Coale for another first down, this one at the Cincinnati 47-yard line. Once in Cincinnati territory, however, the Hokies' offense faltered. Evans was tackled for a two-yard loss, then Taylor was sacked again, this time by John Hughes. A long pass attempt fell incomplete, and Tech punted for the first time in the second half. Returner Danny Milligan fumbled the ball, but he recovered the loose ball and returned it to the Cincinnati 20-yard line.

The Bearcats' second possession of the second half was more successful than their first. On the first play of the drive, running back Jacob Ramsey broke free of the Tech defense for a 25-yard run, the longest run of any Cincinnati player in the game. He followed that first-down run by gaining eight more yards on consecutive runs. Pike then ran three yards for a first down at the Tech 44-yard line. There, however, Cincinnati's offense sputtered and could not gain another first down. The Bearcats' punted, and the ball rolled out of bounds at the Tech 14-yard line with six seconds remaining in the quarter. The Hokies had time for one play, a 21-yard run by Evans to the Tech 35-yard line. With one quarter remaining, Virginia Tech had a 13–7 lead over Cincinnati.

The fourth quarter began with Virginia Tech in possession of the ball and facing a first down at their 35-yard line. The first play of the quarter resulted in a 20-yard gain by Evans on a running play. After that, however, the Hokies did not gain another first down and punted to Cincinnati. Following the kick, the Bearcats started their first possession of the fourth quarter at their 14-yard line. Running back Isaiah Pead ran for three yards, but then a pass by Pike was intercepted at the 10-yard line by Tech defender Orion Martin. Three rushing plays later, Evans ran six yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick was good, and with 11:29 remaining in the game, Virginia Tech took a 20–7 lead.

The Tech kickoff was returned 17 yards by Gilyard to the Cincinnati 40-yard line, giving the Bearcats good field position to start their drive. Two rushes by Goebel resulted in 11 yards and a first down at the Tech 49-yard line. This success on the ground was followed by more through the air, as Pike completed three consecutive passes: a 16-yarder to Gilyard, a 3-yarder to Goodman, and a 14-yarder to Gilyard. Goebel then ran five yards to the Tech 11-yard line. Two Pike passes fell incomplete, setting up fourth down. Rather than attempt to kick a field goal, Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly ordered the offense to attempt to convert the fourth down. This was done when Pike completed a seven-yard pass to Goodman for a first down at the Virginia Tech four-yard line. Two more Pike passes fell incomplete before Goebel rushed three yards to the Virginia Tech one-yard line. Cincinnati again faced a fourth down, and again, Kelly elected to attempt to score a touchdown rather than kick a field goal. Pike attempted to cross the goal line on a running play, but was stopped by the Virginia Tech defense. With 7:25 remaining in the game, Cincinnati turned the ball over on downs to the Virginia Tech offense, which returned to the field.

With a firm lead and now in possession of the ball, Virginia Tech began to run out the clock by executing short rushing plays up the center of the field. Since the game clock does not stop in American college football if a player remains in bounds short of the first down marker, the Hokies could hasten the end of the game and preserve their lead by following this strategy. From their one-yard line, Taylor ran the ball for a one-yard gain, followed by two rushes by Evans for another four yards. The Hokies prepared to punt the ball, but during the kick, Cincinnati committed a 15-yard personal foul penalty by tackling Tech punter Brent Bowden. The penalty gave Virginia Tech a first down and kept their drive going. From the Tech 21-yard line, Evans was stopped for a loss of one yard, but broke free for an 11-yard gain and a first down on the next play. As the clock continued to tick down, Cincinnati began to use its timeouts in an effort to stop the clock after each play. This strategy was partially successful, as Tech was denied another first down and punted with 2:31 remaining in the game.

The kick was returned to the Cincinnati 48-yard line, and the Bearcats prepared for a desperation drive in hopes of narrowing the Hokies' lead. On the first play after the punt, however, Pike threw an interception to Virginia Tech defender Cody Grimm. Back in possession of the ball, Taylor kneeled on the ball four times to wind down the game clock. After the final kneeldown, Virginia Tech secured the 20–7 win.

In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech running back Darren Evans was named the game's most valuable player. Evans finished the game with 28 carries for 158 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for five yards, set a Virginia Tech bowl-game record for carries, and tied the Tech record for rushing yards. Evans finished the season with 1,265 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns–both marks were Virginia Tech records for a freshman. On the opposite side of the ball, Cincinnati's rushing offense was led by Jacob Ramsey, who finished the game with 4 carries for 34 yards. Cincinnati's John Goebel had nine carries but only accumulated 26 rushing yards.

Most of the Bearcats' offense came through the air, however. Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike finished the game having completed 16 of his 33 pass attempts, resulting in 239 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions. Pike also ran the ball five times for four yards. Pike's four interceptions were a career-high and marked only the second time he threw more than one interception in a game. For Virginia Tech, quarterback Tyrod Taylor finished the game with 13 completions from 22 pass attempts, resulting in 140 passing yards and 1 interception. In addition to his passing, Taylor ran with the ball 15 times, gaining 47 yards and a touchdown in the process.

Taylor's favorite passing targets were wide receiver Danny Coale, who finished the game having caught three passes for 52 yards, and tight end Greg Boone, who caught 3 balls for 41 yards. On the Bearcats' side of the field, Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard led all receivers with 7 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown. Gilyard's receiving total was his best of the season and set a new Cincinnati bowl-game record. He also set a Bearcat bowl-game record for kickoff return yardage, recording 97 yards in that category. Fellow Cincinnati receiver Dominick Goodman caught 6 passes for 51 yards, in the process becoming Cincinnati's all-time leader in career receiving yards.

The two teams' defenses also performed statistically well during the game. Cincinnati's Terrill Byrd led all defenders by recording 11 tackles during the game. Included in that total were four tackles for loss, including one sack. That performance was his best in terms of quantity during the season, and his four tackles for loss moved him into sixth place on Cincinnati's list of career tackles for loss leaders. For the Hokies, Dorian Porch had eight tackles, leading all Tech players. Cody Grimm, Orion Martin, Stephan Virgil, and Kam Chancellor each recorded one interception. The four interceptions were a Tech bowl-game record, and Chancellor's catch gave him six for the season, tying him with Victor Harris for the most on the team. It was the first time since 1968 that two Virginia Tech players had six interceptions apiece. Cincinnati's sole interception came at the hands of Brandon Underwood, who tallied his third of the season.

Each team found success on special teams as well. Cincinnati punter Kevin Huber, a first-team All-American, kicked the ball four times, averaging 45.8 yards per punt. A 56-yard punt in the first quarter marked the ninth consecutive game he had a kick of at least 50 yards. Virginia Tech placekicker Dustin Keys missed his first field goal attempt of the game but successfully converted his next two kicks, giving him 23 field goals and the Tech single-season record in that category.

Virginia Tech's victory raised it to a final record of 10–4, while Cincinnati's loss dropped it to a record of 11–3. The Hokies' 10-win season was the fifth consecutive year in which Tech recorded at least 10 wins, a feat matched only by the University of Southern California and the University of Texas during the same time period. As a reward for coaching the Hokies to an ACC Championship and an Orange Bowl championship, Virginia Tech coaches were given hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses.

In Miami, hoteliers and Dolphins Stadium had to quickly prepare for the arrival of Oklahoma and Florida, the two teams that played in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game one week after the Orange Bowl. Signs were changed, the playing field was repainted, and accommodations were prepared for the thousands of expected spectators. In total, South Florida's economy received an estimated $220 million boost from visitors who arrived to watch the two games.

In the postseason that followed the Bearcats' loss to Virginia Tech, Cincinnati assistant head coach and defensive line coach Keith Gilmore resigned to accept the position of defensive line coach at the University of Illinois. To replace Gilmore, Cincinnati promoted special teams coach Mike Elston, who assumed assistant coaching and defensive line duties. In February, Cincinnati defensive coordinator Joe Tresey was fired by the school. He subsequently was hired by the University of South Florida to fill that school's vacant defensive coordinator position. Replacing Tresey is Virginia defensive coordinator Bob Diaco.

As the final game of the 2008–2009 regular season, the 2009 Orange Bowl gave Virginia Tech and Cincinnati players a chance to show their skills before the 2009 NFL Draft. Cincinnati had six players selected in the draft. Defensive end Connor Barwin was the first Bearcats player taken. He was picked in the second round, 46th overall. He was followed by punter Kevin Huber (142nd overall), cornerback DeAngelo Smith (143rd), cornerback Brandon Underwood (187th), cornerback Mike Mickens (227th), and guard Trevor Canfield (254th). Several Cincinnati players were signed as free agents after the draft. These included defensive tackle Adam Hoppel, linebacker Corey Smith, and offensive lineman Khalil El-Amin.

Virginia Tech had just one player taken in the 2009 draft: cornerback Victor Harris, who was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 157th overall selection. Four Hokies were taken as free-agent selections after the draft. Defensive end Orion Martin, quarterback Sean Glennon, center Ryan Shuman, and fullback Devin Perez were signed to try out for various NFL teams.


How many members are in the New York City Ballet?

NYCB still has the largest repertoire by far of any American ballet company. It often stages 60 ballets or more in its winter and spring seasons at Lincoln Center each year, and 20 or more in its summer season in Saratoga Springs. City Ballet has performed "The Nutcracker", "Romeo and Juliet", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and many more. City Ballet has trained and developed many great dancers since its formation. Many dancers with already developed reputations have also joined the ballet as principal dancers.

New York City Ballet

New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's first music director. City Ballet grew out of earlier troupes: the Producing Company of the School of American Ballet, 1934; the American Ballet, 1935, and Ballet Caravan, 1936, which merged into American Ballet Caravan, 1941; and directly from the Ballet Society, 1946.

In a 1946 letter, Kirstein stated, "The only justification I have is to enable Balanchine to do exactly what he wants to do in the way he wants to do it." He served as the company's General Director from 1946 to 1989, developing and sustaining it by his organizational and fundraising abilities.

The company was named New York City Ballet in 1948 when it became resident at City Center of Music and Drama. Its success was marked by its move to the New York State Theater, now David H. Koch Theater, designed by Philip Johnson to Balanchine's specifications. City Ballet went on to become the first ballet company in the United States to have two permanent venue engagements: one at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater on 63rd Street in Manhattan, and another at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, in Saratoga Springs, New York. The School of American Ballet (S.A.B.), which Balanchine founded, is the training school of City Ballet.

After the company's move to the State Theater, Balanchine's creativity as a choreographer flourished. He created works that were the basis of the company's repertory until his death in 1983. His vision influenced dance both across the United States and in Europe. He worked closely with choreographer Jerome Robbins, who resumed his connection with the company in 1969 after having produced works for Broadway.

In 1960, Balanchine mounted City Ballet's "Salute to Italy" with premieres of "Monumentum pro Gesualdo" and "Variations from Don Sebastian" (called the "Donizetti Variations" since 1961), as well as performances of his "La Sonnambula" and Lew Christensen's "Con Amore". The performance was repeated in 1968.

In 1972, Balanchine offered an eight-day tribute to the composer, his great collaborator, who had died the year before. His programs included twenty-two new works of his own dances, plus works by choreographers Todd Bolender, John Clifford, Lorca Massine, Jerome Robbins, Richard Tanner, and John Taras, as well as repertory ballets by Balanchine and Robbins. Balanchine created "Symphony in Three Movements", "Duo Concertant", and "Violin Concerto" for the occasion. He and Robbins co-choreographed and performed in "Pulcinella". Balanchine had produced an earlier Stravinsky festival in 1937 as balletmaster of the American Ballet while engaged by the Metropolitan Opera. The composer conducted the April 27th premiere of "Card Party".

In 1975, Balanchine paid his respects to the French composer Maurice Ravel with a two-week "Hommage à Ravel". Balanchine, Robbins, Jacques d'Amboise, and Taras made sixteen new ballets for the occasion. Repertory ballets were performed as well. High points included Balanchine's "Le Tombeau de Couperin" and Robbins' "Mother Goose".

In 1981, Balanchine planned a two-week NYCB festival honoring the Russian composer Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky. Balanchine, Joseph Duell, d'Amboise, Peter Martins, Robbins, and Taras created twelve new dances. In addition to presenting these and repertory ballets, Balanchine re-choreographed his "Mozartiana" from 1933. Philip Johnson and John Burgee's stage setting of translucent tubing was designed to be hung and lit in different architectural configurations throughout the entire festival.

In 1982, Balanchine organized a centennial celebration in honor of his long-time collaborator Igor Stravinsky, during which the City Ballet performed twenty-five ballets set to the composer’s music. Balanchine made three new ballets, "Tango", "Élégie", and "Persephone", and a new version of "Variations". The choreographer died the following year. Balanchine’s 50th Anniversary Celebration was held by the company in 2002.

On April 26, 1984, NYCB celebrated the 20th anniversary of the New York State Theater. The program started with Igor Stravinsky's "Fanfare for a New Theater," followed by Stravinsky's arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner. The ballets included three of Balanchine's works, Serenade, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and "Sonatine"; and Jerome Robbins' Afternoon of a Faun. The performers included Maria Calegari, Kyra Nichols, Heather Watts, Leonid Kozlov, Afshin Mofid, Patricia McBride, Helgi Tomasson, Karin von Aroldingen, Lourdes Lopez, Bart Cook, and Joseph Duell.

After Balanchine's death in 1983, Peter Martins was selected as balletmaster of the company. After 30 years, Martins was judged to have maintained the New York City Ballet's financial security and the musicality and performance level of the dancers, but he has not emphasized the Balanchine style to the extent that many observers expected he would. Martins retired from his position in 2018.

For the company's 40th anniversary, Martins held an American Music Festival, having commissioned dances from choreographers Laura Dean, Eliot Feld, William Forsythe, Lar Lubovitch, and Paul Taylor. He also presented ballets by George Balanchine and Robbins. The programs included world premieres of more than twenty dances. Martins contributed "Barber Violin Concerto", "Black and White", "The Chairman Dances", "A Fool for You", "Fred and George", "Sophisticated Lady", "Tanzspiel", "Tea-Rose", and "The Waltz Project".

A major component of the Spring 2008 season was a celebration of Jerome Robbins; major revivals were mounted of the following ballets:
Friday, June 27, 2008, the first "Dancers’ Choice" benefit was held for the Dancers' Emergency Fund. The program was initiated by Peter Martins, conceived and supervised by principal dancer Jonathan Stafford, assisted by Kyle Froman, Craig Hall, Amanda Hankes, Adam Hendrickson, Ask la Cour, Henry Seth, and Daniel Ulbricht, and consisted of:and excerpts from:
On June 14, 2009, the second "Dancers’ Choice" benefit was held at a special evening performance. The program included "Sleeping Beauty" and "Union Jack". The program was supervised by principal dancer Jenifer Ringer.

NYCB performs fall, winter and spring repertory seasons at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center as well as George Balanchine's "Nutcracker" during November and December; they have a summer residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and regularly tour internationally.

Introductory talks about a current performance, called First Position Discussions, are held before some performances or during some intervals in the fourth ring, house right; the docents are volunteers and include laymen as well as former dancers. Hour-long Inside NYCB events explore the history and inner workings of New York City Ballet through performance and discussion, often with dancers and artistic staff.

Other public programs include Family Saturdays, one-hour interactive programs for children 5 and up; Children's Workshops and In Motion Workshops, pre-performance explorations of the music, movement, and themes of a ballet featured in the matinee performance for children ages 5–8 and 9-11, respectively; and Ballet Essentials, a 75-minute informal ballet class for adults ages 21 and up with little to no prior dance experience. These programs are all facilitated by NYCB dancers.

New York City Ballet offers day-of tickets to patrons age 30 and under for $30, the day of the performance at the box office. Availability is announced on Mondays during performance periods.

New York City Ballet's Fourth Ring Society offers discounted tickets to members. This program was closed to new members in 2011.

City Ballet's Choreographic Institute was founded by Irene Diamond and Peter Martins in 2000. The institute has three main programmatic programs: choreographic sessions, providing choreographers with dancers and studio space; fellowship initiatives, annual awards in support of an emerging choreographer affiliated with a ballet company; and choreographic forums, symposia and round-table discussions on choreography, music, and design elements.

The following is the current artistic staff (except dancers, who are listed at List of New York City Ballet dancers):The 66-member NYCB Orchestra is an important symphonic institution in its own right, having played for virtually all of the thousands of performances NYCB has given over the decades. It is one of the most versatile orchestras in the world, on any given week performing perhaps three or four times the repertoire that another symphony might be expected to do. Principal players of the orchestra also perform the majority of the concertos, other solos, and chamber music in the NYCB repertory as well. The orchestra accompanies the ballet on all of its North American tours, and while the ballet uses local orchestras on its international tours, members of the NYCB Orchestra often go along as soloists or extras.

Besides the members of the orchestra, the NYCB has six pianists on full-time staff. They all perform in the pit with the orchestra on a regular basis.

The NYCB Orchestra also occasionally accompanies other dance companies when they visit The David H. Koch Theater from other cities. These engagements have included the Australian Ballet in the spring of 2012, and the San Francisco Ballet in the fall of 2013.

Over the decades the NYCB Orchestra has welcomed other noted orchestral musicians to collaborate on special performances. Included among this group was John Serry Sr., who served as the lead orchestral accordionist during the NYCB's 20th anniversary season in the premiere of Jacques d' Amboise's "Tchaikovsky Suite" (1969).

In January of 2019 it was announced that an anonymous donor had funded the re-naming of the orchestra pit as the "Stravinsky Orchestra Pit" presumably in honor of the great number of premieres and performances of that composer's works the ballet has done, perhaps more than any other orchestra in the world.

Andrew Litton was appointed to the position on December 16, 2014, and started in September 2015.

New York City Ballet

New York City Ballet dances Winter, Spring and — since 2010 — Fall seasons each year at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center and tours. Their repertory exceeds 400 ballets, approximately 40 of which are danced each in the winter and spring seasons. This is a list of the dances in the City Ballet repertory:

List of New York City Ballet repertory