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Virginia Tech (6-6) ends its 2015 season next Saturday at the Independence Bowl, the program's 23rd straight bowl appearance, which is the nation's longest streak as recognized by the NCAA. The Hokies will take on Tulsa (6-6) at 5:45 ET in Independence Stadium (CLICK HERE for ticket information) and the game can be seen nationally on ESPN. For a complete set of the game notes, click "Download" on the right. CLICK HERE to go to the multimedia page that also has Tulsa's notes, ACC notes and Coach Frank Beamer's quotes from his bowl press conference.

Hokies Seek to Send Beamer Out in Style, VT Returns to Site Where 23-Game Bowl Streak Began

• The Camping World Independence Bowl marks the conclusion of Frank Beamer’s illustrious coaching career at Virginia Tech.
• Tech is making its 23rd consecutive bowl appearance, a streak that began with a win vs. Indiana in the 1993 Independence Bowl.
• The matchup against Tulsa will mark the first time that Beamer has ever led Hokies against the Golden Hurricane.
• Tech has won two of its past three bowls, including last year’s 33-17 victory over Cincinnati in the Military Bowl (12/27/14).
• Tulsa leads the all-time series against Virginia Tech by a 3-1 margin, but the two teams haven’t met since 1978.
• Tech’s lone win came by a 17-14 count in the initial meeting between the squads at Lane Stadium (10/17/70).
• That 1970 Hokies squad included QB Don Strock and TE Mike Burnop. Burnop is in 33rd season as Tech’s football radio analyst.
• VT owns six or more wins 25 times in 29 seasons under Beamer. Since 1995, only Ohio State (16) has more 10-win seasons than VT (13).
• Tech has won three of its last four games. VT’s last two losses were a 4-OT thriller vs. Duke (10/24) and a one-OT loss vs. UNC (11/21).

Key Stats to Watch in Shreveport as Hokies, Golden Hurricane Square Off

• Consensus All-ACC WR Isaiah Ford led the conference with a Tech-record 10 TD catches in 2015. Ford, TE Bucky Hodges (six TDs) and RB Travon McMillian (6 TDs) have accounted for 59.5% (22 of 37) of Tech’s offensive TDs this season.
• Only Clemson (30) and UNC (28) threw more TD passes among ACC clubs than Virginia Tech (23) in 2015.
• McMillian is averaging 105.4 rushing ypg over his last seven games, the third-best among ACC backs down the stretch.
• Tulsa QB Dane Evans averages 329.8 passing ypg, throwing 22 TDs and only eight INTs this season.
• Tulsa’s offense averages 35.9 ppg and 502.8 ypg. The Golden Hurricane registered 38 points and 603 yards in a 52-38 loss at Oklahoma (9/19). No team has scored more points or accumulated over 500 yards against the current No. 4 Sooners.
• Tulsa has scored 40+ points in five of its six wins in 2015, averaging 41.8 ppg in its six victories this season.
• Tulsa has allowed 30 points or more in all six of its losses, being outscored by an average margin of 46.5 to 30.0 in those games.
• Dating back to 1999, VT is 138-11 (.926) when holding opponents to 21 or fewer points, including a 5-1 mark in 2015.
• Tulsa has lost 26 straight games when being held to 21 points or fewer dating back to a 27-10 loss at Houston (11/4/06).
• Dating back to 1996, only Ohio State (16.5) and Alabama (16.6) are allowing fewer ppg than Virginia Tech (17.2).

Tech Typically Thrives When Lunch Pail Defense Generates Turnovers, Sacks - Odds & Ends

• Dating back to 1996, no Power Five program owns more sacks (744.0) or INTs (337) than Virginia Tech under DC Bud Foster.
• Dating back to a win vs. Duke (11/22/08), VT is 30-1 when it forces two or more interceptions.
• Since joining the ACC in 2004, the Hokies are 42-9 (.824) when registering 4.0 or more sacks.
• Over that same span, Tech is 49-2 (.961) when accumulating 200 or more net rushing yards (8-0 since start of 2013 season).
• WR Isaiah Ford (78.1) ranks second in the ACC in receiving yards per game, trailing only Pitt’s Tyler Boyd (79.4).
• VT is +6 (25 takes/19 gives) in the turnover column, while Tulsa is +2 (22 takes/20 gives).
• Hokies DB Chuck Clark leads the team with 100 tackles, making him one of nine ACC players with 100+ stops.
• Tech QB Michael Brewer hails from Lake Travis, Texas, approximately 310 miles southwest of Shreveport.
• Incoming Tech head coach Justin Fuente is a Tulsa native. He played QB at Union HS, where his coach was Bill Blankenship, who would later serve as Tulsa’s head coach (2011-14). Fuente played two seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to Murray State.

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