1966 Virginia Tech Gobblers football team

The 1966 Virginia Tech Gobblers football team represented the Virginia Polytechnic Institute or VPI (now known as Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University or Virginia Tech) as an independent during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Jerry Claiborne the Gobblers compiled an overall record of 8–2–1 and were defeated by Miami (FL) in the Liberty Bowl. VPI played home games at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.^[1]

1966 Virginia Tech Gobblers football
Liberty Bowl, L 7–14 vs. Miami (FL)
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 20
Record	8–2–1
Head coach	Jerry Claiborne (6th season)
Home stadium	Lane Stadium
Seasons ← 1965 1967 →

1966 NCAA University Division independents football records

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Notre Dame		–		–				9	–	0	–	1
Colgate		–		–				8	–	1	–	1
No. 8 Georgia Tech		–		–				9	–	2	–	0
Army		–		–				8	–	2	–	0
Dayton		–		–				8	–	2	–	0
Houston		–		–				8	–	2	–	0
Memphis State		–		–				7	–	2	–	0
No. 9 Miami (FL)		–		–				8	–	2	–	1
Virginia Tech		–		–				8	–	2	–	1
Syracuse		–		–				8	–	3	–	0
Colorado State		–		–				7	–	3	–	0
New Mexico State		–		–				7	–	3	–	0
West Texas State		–		–				7	–	3	–	0
Villanova		–		–				6	–	3	–	0
Holy Cross		–		–				6	–	3	–	1
Southern Miss		–		–				6	–	4	–	0
Texas Western		–		–				6	–	4	–	0
Tulane		–		–				5	–	4	–	1
Florida State		–		–				6	–	5	–	0
Buffalo		–		–				5	–	5	–	0
Penn State		–		–				5	–	5	–	0
Air Force		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Boston College		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Navy		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Utah State		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Xavier		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Pacific		–		–				4	–	7	–	0
San Jose State		–		–				3	–	7	–	0
Pittsburgh		–		–				1	–	9	–	0
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 17		at Tulane	Tulane Stadium New Orleans, LA		L 0–13	22,500	[2]
September 24		George Washington	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA		W 49–0	18,000	[3]
October 1		West Virginia	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA (rivalry)		T 13–13	25,000	[4]
October 8		at Kentucky	McLean Stadium Lexington, KY		W 7–0	31,000	[5]
October 15		vs. Vanderbilt	City Stadium Richmond, VA (Tobacco Bowl)		W 21–6	22,000	[6]
October 22		at Virginia	Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA (rivalry)		W 24–7	29,000	[7]
October 29		Florida State	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	ABC	W 23–21	31,000	[8]
November 5		at Wake Forest	Bowman Gray Stadium Winston-Salem, NC		W 11–0	9,000	[9]
November 12		at William & Mary	Cary Field Williamsburg, VA		W 20–18	13,000	[10]
November 24		vs. VMI	Victory Stadium Roanoke, VA (rivalry)		W 70–12	21,000	[11]
December 10	12:15 p.m.	vs. No. 9 Miami (FL)	Memphis Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Liberty Bowl, rivalry)	ABC	L 7–14	25,012	[12]
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[13]

Roster

The following players were members of the 1966 football team according to the roster published in the 1967 edition of The Bugle, the Virginia Tech yearbook.^[14]

VPI 1966 roster
	Art Aguilar S. Backs Ken Barefoot Eddie Barker Frank Beamer Judson Bigelow Andy Bowling Jud Brownell Donnie Bruce Eddie Bulheller James Edward "Eddie" Carter Paul Frederick Cobb Chris Frank Collis George Constantinides J. Dee Crigger Clarence Culpepper Daniel Cupp Ron Davidson Scott Dawson Damon William Dedo Steve Divita Daniel W. Etzold David Lowell Farmer		Rusty Fife Gene Fisher Chester Arthur Forrester George Foussekis Tommy Francisco Doug Gainous Sal Garcia Ted Georges Jerry Green Bob Griffith Tommy Groom Waddey Harvey Jeff Haynes Bert Henderson Erick Johnson Al Kincaid Karsten Koepcke Frank Leonard Ronnie Lindon Dickie Longerbeam Frank Loria Leonard Angelo Luongo Fred Magarian		John Lawrence Maxwell Ronald Lee McGuigan Milton E. Miller Richard Mollo Dan Mooney Frederick Marshall Mooney Carl Edward Omohundro Thomas Irwin Parks Rick Piland John Raible James John Reba Jim Richards John Schrecker Dennis Michael Semones Tommy Stafford Tom Swords Don Thacker John Randolph Treadwell Jonathan Titley Utin Ken Whitley Sands Woody Pete Wrenn Carl Yaras

References

1. "1966 Virginia Tech Hokies Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
2. "Tulane rolls to 13–0 victory over Va. Tech". The Danville Register. September 18, 1966. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Virginia Tech trounces outmanned GWU 40 to 0". The Danville Register. September 25, 1966. Retrieved February 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Virginia Tech and West Virginia battle to 13–13 tie". Bristol Herald Courier. October 2, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Late Virginia Tech score whips Kentucky Wildcats". The Selma Times-Journal. October 9, 1966. Retrieved October 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Virginia Tech trims Vanderbilt for third victory, 21–6". Bristol Herald Courier. October 16, 1966. Retrieved October 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Francisco rips line, defense contains UVA". The Lynchburg News. October 23, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "VPI's stand beats Seminoles, 23–21". The Miami Herald. October 30, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Tech shuts out Deacons, 11–0". The Roanoke Times. November 6, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "VPI slips past William & Mary". Florence Morning News. November 13, 1966. Retrieved October 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Francisco scores 6 TD's as Va. Tech romps, 70–12". The Baltimore Sun. November 25, 1966. Retrieved January 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Size stands taller than valor by bare touchdown in Liberty". The Commercial Appeal. December 11, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Virginia Tech Football Past Schedules "1966–1967". Virginia Tech Sports Information Department, Hokiesports.com. Accessed January 21, 2018.
14. "The Bugle 1967" (PDF). Virginia Tech Bugle. 1967. p. 88. Retrieved December 7, 2017.