Sugar Bowl 2012: Everything You Need to Know About Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

Although Michigan and Virginia Tech were surprise selections for the 2012 Sugar Bowl, New Orleans still ended up with a sweet match up.

Two programs with good football history and national prominence will battle in the Superdome for the right to win a rare Sugar Bowl not involving the SEC conference. 

Although New Orleans will have plenty of local SEC fans a few days later for the BCS Championship, both of these teams will likely be happy to be playing each other and not the SEC in this game.

Michigan dropped from the national spotlight over the past three years, but new coach Brady Hoke brought the Wolverines right back to the BCS promised land in his first season.  This remarkable turnaround will be a nice contrast to Virginia Tech, one of the steadiest performers and a regular BCS bowl participant during the long tenure of Frank Beamer.

Despite the overall success in each program's recent history, minus the three Rich Rodriguez years in Ann Arbor, both teams have struggled mightily to win BCS bowl games.

Michigan's drought stretches back over a decade, while Virginia Tech only has a 2009 Orange Bowl win over an overmatched Cincinnati team in the last few seasons.  Both teams are more than ready to put another significant piece of bowl hardware in the trophy cases on campus.

Let's take a look at all the information you need to know to be ready for Tuesday night's showdown in the Superdome.

TV/Radio/Live Streaming

78th annual Allstate Sugar Bowl

When: Tuesday, Jan. 3

Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. EST

Where: New Orleans, Louisiana

Site: Superdome

Capacity: 76,468

TV: ESPN

Radio: ESPN Radio through nationwide affiliates, coverage starts at 7:30 EST

Live streaming: ESPN3 streaming service, where available

History of the Sugar Bowl

The Sugar Bowl has been played every season since December 1934, although the roots of the game go back to the Great Depression era. A sports editor in New Orleans named Fred Digby coined the famous "Sugar Bowl" name and pushed hard for New Orleans to find investors to finance the game for over five years leading up to the inaugural Sugar Bowl.

The Southern Conference and the Southwest Conference decided to permit teams to be selected for this bowl game, and the first game paired unbeaten and local Tulane to play unbeaten Temple.  The Green Wave and the Owls dueled in a close battle that Tulane won 20-14.

The Sugar Bowl quickly outgrew its home and Tulane University benefited by ending up with the world's largest double-decker steel stadium at the time. The game eventually moved to the Louisiana Superdome in 1975 and has been there ever since.

The bowl has always stayed true to its Southern roots, and has had an agreement with the SEC since 1975.  With the exception of the early Bowl Alliance and BCS days from 1995-1999, the SEC has placed a team in this bowl game every year since 1973.

Moreover, the SEC has recently defended the home turf bowl game by winning seven of the past eleven Sugar Bowls.  However, the Sugar Bowl Trophy will be headed north this season.

How Michigan Got Here

For the third straight season, Michigan roared out of the gate with a sweep of non-conference play.

This opening season streak was highlighted by the first night game in Michigan Stadium history, which also happened to include a 28 point fourth quarter to come back to win with 2 seconds left against Notre Dame.  Despite the change to a pro style offense, QB Denard Robinson showed against the Irish that he was still going to be a dynamic threat for defenses to deal with.

Despite starting 6-0, the national perception of an inflated record caused by a weak schedule led Michigan into the annual showdown with Michigan State with a ton on the line.  The Spartans dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball to drop the Wolverines by 14.

Following a win against Purdue, Michigan struggled once more in a road game at Iowa.  Despite having multiple chances to tie the game from within the 5-yard line late in the game, Michigan failed to complete another comeback and dropped its second game.

However, Michigan rebounded with three sound victories over Illinois, Nebraska, and Ohio State to end the season with a ton of momentum.  That momentum and the lack of a BCS bowl for five seasons drove the bowl officials to select Michigan over some other higher ranked teams for this game.

How Virginia Tech Got Here

Similar to the Wolverines, Virginia Tech rolled through a relatively easy non-conference schedule to win the first four games of the season.

However, the Hokies fell flat at home in a shocking 20 point loss to a hot Clemson team to end the winning streak.  It was Virginia Tech's first ACC loss since 2009, and a big reality check to the highly ranked Hokies.

Virginia Tech survived a possible letdown game the following week against Miami and then strolled into the easy part of their conference schedule.  By the time November rolled around, Virginia Tech was sitting at 8-1 with a solid defense and a top 10 ranking.

That defense was tested against the Georgia Tech option attack in Atlanta, but the Hokies emerged once again with an impressive double-digit win against the Yellowjackets.  Wins followed against North Carolina and Virginia to lock up the Coastal Division championship and a rematch with Clemson.

By this point, Clemson seemed to be fading fast after an 8-0 start.  However, the same problems that led to Virginia Tech's dismantling in Blacksburg re-appeared in the ACC Championship as Clemson rolled to a 38-10 win.

The loss dropped Virginia Tech out of the top 10 and seemed to ensure that no BCS bowl invite was coming.  On the contrary, the Sugar Bowl shocked the college football world by picking Virginia Tech to play Michigan instead of Boise State, Kansas State, and others.

Needless to say, both teams are happy to be here.

Michigan's Best Win

Although Michigan fans would likely say breaking the streak against Ohio State was the biggest milestone of the season, the win that vaulted Michigan into the BCS discussion was the blowout over Nebraska 45-17 the week before.

The Cornhuskers rolled into Michigan Stadium seeking a BCS invite of their own, but just like the earlier trip to Madison, Nebraska was not greeted kindly in a new hostile environment.  Michigan's defense put on a clinic in stopping the option running game of Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead and put the Cornhuskers in a big hole in the second half.

Meanwhile, QB Denard Robinson threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more as Nebraska looked lost against the dynamic dual threat quarterback.  The Wolverines racked up 238 yards rushing on the famed Blackshirts defense that had played so well against Penn State the week before this game.

The story of the game was the story of the season for Michigan: a surprisingly dominant defense.  The Wolverines did not allow Nebraska to convert a third down until nearly the fourth quarter, which let the offense stroll to an easy 28 point victory.

Virginia Tech's Best Win

Similar to Michigan, Virginia Tech finished the season with a big statement win against a rival, in this case Virginia.  But the national meter moved much more in early November when the Hokies went into Atlanta and knocked off Georgia Tech 37-26.

The Hokies had struggled in the previous two weekends, but Georgia Tech had serious trouble stopping the Hokies offense.  During a wild stretch in the second and third quarters, each team scored on four out of five possessions.

Hokies QB Logan Thomas threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for 2 more as the Yellowjackets could not bring down the towering quarterback.  RB David Wilson also churned the running game along with 175 yards on 23 carries, highlighted by a 44 yard run that led to the score that put this game away in the fourth quarter.

In typical Virginia Tech fashion, the defense won the turnover battle by generating the only turnover of the game in the second half.  Georgia Tech QB Tevin Washington had a nice game running the ball, but Virginia Tech completely shut down the Georgia Tech passing offense to limit the Yellowjackets to 26 points.

Just like the past five seasons, the winner of this game went on to the ACC Championship.  For Virginia Tech, this impressive win may have turned the tides in December in getting the invite to New Orleans.

Michigan's Bowl History

Michigan has a bowl history dating all the way back to the 1902 Rose Bowl, although most of the 40 bowl appearances have come since 1970.

Michigan holds a 19-21 overall record in bowl games, although the record improves to 11-9 away from the Rose Bowl.  That record has worsened in the last decade as Michigan lost six of the eight bowl games it played in since 2002.

The last BCS bowl win was the 2000 Orange Bowl against Alabama, although the Wolverines have had three chances in Pasadena since then.  Michigan has only played in one previous Sugar Bowl, which was a 7-9 loss to Auburn in 1984.

Michigan has won every other current BCS bowl, so this will be an opportunity to fill a rare gap in the trophy case in Ann Arbor.

Also, considering the sour taste left from last year's 52-14 loss in the Gator Bowl, these Michigan players want to atone for those mistakes and win a bowl game for the first time in four years.

Virginia Tech's Bowl History

Virginia Tech has played in 24 previous bowl games, winning only 9 of these previous games.  The Virginia Tech bowl history started with the 1947 Sun Bowl.

However, Virginia Tech has played in a bowl game every season since 1993, a remarkable achievement for coach Frank Beamer.  The Hokies therefore have the third longest current bowl appearance streak behind only Florida (21) and Florida State (30).

Virginia Tech has played in three previous Sugar Bowls, winning in 1995 against Texas and losing in 2000 (national championship against Florida State) and in 2005 (Auburn).  However, Virginia Tech has become more of a fixture in the Orange Bowl, playing in three of the previous four BCS games in Miami.

Virginia Tech has also nearly split the difference in bowl games since 2000, winning 5 and losing 6.  However, none of these games has been against the Big Ten, so this will be a rare ACC-Big Ten bowl pairing for bragging rights in a non-basketball sport.

Virginia Tech also had a clunker of a bowl game in losing 40-12 last year to Stanford, so the Hokies also want to erase that memory by winning a third bowl game in four years.

Meet Michigan's Best Player

QB Denard Robinson

When this junior nicknamed "Shoelace" arrived in Ann Arbor three years ago, many pundits figured this would be the key cog to making the spread offense work at Michigan.  However, Robinson struggled to overtake Tate Forcier as a freshman and did not win the starting job for good until his sophomore season.

Last year Robinson was the only major offensive force for Michigan, accounting for 32 total touchdowns and over 4300 yards of offense.  This season, Robinson's statistics have taken a slight step back to 2056 passing yards and 1163 rushing yards.

However, Robinson still has a knack for finding the end zone, adding 34 total touchdowns (16 rushing) during the 2011 regular season. 

Robinson still brings the spread attack threat to the pro style offense being run under new coach Brady Hoke.  Some defenses like Nebraska have completely failed to slow Robinson in either phase of the offense. 

Virginia Tech may be ready for a physical running quarterback, but perhaps not one as fast or as elusive as Robinson.  This game could launch a Heisman campaign in 2012 if Robinson returns for another year.

Meet Virginia Tech's Best Player

RB David Wilson

Although this junior running back was forced to bide his time the past two seasons behind Darren Evans and Ryan Williams, Wilson has jumped into the starting role with much success this year. 

Wilson was an all-ACC kick returner in 2010, so everyone knew he had some explosive run potential.  However, the surprise in 2011 was Wilson being able to wear down defenses and run over 20 carries a game consistently.

Wilson racked up 1627 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns in only 266 attempts, which is an impressive 6.1 yard per carry average.  Wilson also added 21 receptions, although only five of these have come in the previous four games.

Look for Wilson to be used to stretch out the Michigan defense and force the Wolverines to make good tackles in open field.  If the poor tackling form of previous seasons returns in this bowl game, Wilson will have a huge day running the ball.

Michigan's Strengths and Weaknesses

This will come as a complete shock to those not paying attention to Big Ten football this season, but the biggest strength of Michigan is actually the defense.

A unit that progressively got worse during the Rich Rodriguez years turned things around in a big way in 2011.  After giving up 5,860 yards and 31 points per game in 2010, the 2011 version of the defense only surrendered only 3811 yards and 17 points per game.

The defensive renaissance has all been started with better defensive line play, as the line returned to the usual 4-3 setup after three seasons in a 3-4 defense.  It certainly helped that Michigan returned three experienced linemen in seniors Ryan Van Bergen and Mike Martin and junior Craig Roh.

Also, defensive line is where head coach Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison prefer to spend their time coaching.  Perhaps it should be no surprise that the defense, and in particular the defensive line, is the strength of the Wolverines.

Michigan also runs the ball well with RB Fitzgerald Toussaint and QB Denard Robinson each rushing for over 1000 yards on the season.

If there is one big weakness, it is the passing offense.  Although Michigan did score a lot of points this season, the passing offense only ranked 90th nationally with 187 yards per game.

Furthermore, when Denard Robinson is forced to pass his way out of a deficit, the Wolverines have sometimes been better off bringing in backup QB Devin Gardner.  If Virginia Tech can grab an early lead against Michigan, this could expose the biggest weakness for the Wolverines.

Virginia Tech's Strengths and Weaknesses

Virginia Tech came into this season with seven returning starters on offense, and this experience has not disappointed as the Hokies have been solid on offense.

The Hokies have achieved good balance between passing (227 yards per game) and rushing (189 yards per game).  QB Logan Thomas towers over some defenders at 6' 6", so he has been able to throw for 19 touchdowns and run for 10 more in his first year as a starter.

Thomas has been helped by the emergence of another new starter, the previously discussed RB David Wilson.  Each of these men in the backfield have benefited greatly from the highly experienced offensive line, led by four senior starters.

The Hokies are also solid on special teams, despite replacing their kicker and punter this year.  Cody Journell hit 14 of 17 field goal attempts and is highly reliable outside 40 yards (3/4).

Frank Beamer's teams are usually built on superior special teams and generating turnovers, but one possible weakness has been limited success in winning the turnover battle this season.  Virginia Tech has only generated 3 more turnovers than the offense has given up, which puts additional pressure on the young offensive talent to perform well.

Virginia Tech also had a solid year defensively, but the unit seemed to fall apart at times against better competition.  Georgia Tech dominated the Hokies defense until the fourth quarter, and Clemson blew away Virginia Tech with speed at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver.

Michigan may not be able to match the speed of Clemson, but the Wolverines offense could reveal that Virginia Tech's strong defensive statistics may be built on bad ACC offenses.

Michigan's Expected Starting Lineup

Offense

QB - (16) Denard Robinson

RB - (28) Fitzgerald Toussaint

FB - (33) Stephen Hopkins

WR - (12) Roy Roundtree

WR - (21) Junior Hemingway

TE - (86) Kevin Koger

C - (50) David Molk

OG - (52) Ricky Barnum

OG - (65) Patrick Omameh

OT - (77) Taylor Lewan

OT - (72) Mark Huyge

Defense

DE - (88) Craig Roh

DE - (53) Ryan Van Bergen

DT - (68) Mike Martin

DT - (76) Quinton Washington (Will Heininger may return from injury)

LB - (90) Jake Ryan

LB - (25) Kenny Demens

LB - (44) Desmond Morgan

SS - (32) Jordan Kovacs

FS - (29) Troy Woolfolk

CB - (8) J.T. Floyd

CB - (18) Blake Countess

Special Teams

P - (43) Will Hagerup

PK - (34) Brendan Gibbons

KO - (45) Matt Wile

KR - (9) Martavious Odoms

PR - (10) Jeremy Gallon

Virginia Tech's Expected Starting Lineup

Offense

QB - (3) Logan Thomas

RB - (4) David Wilson

FB - (45) Joey Phillips

WR - (81) Jarrett Boykin

WR - (19) Danny Coale

TE - (33) Chris Drager

C - (74) Andrew Miller

OG - (75) Greg Nosal

OG - (68) Jaymes Brooks

OT - (62) Blake DeChristopher

OT - (72) Andrew Lanier

Defense

DE - (42) J.R. Collins

DE - (99) James Gayle

DT - (98) Derrick Hopkins

DT - (92) Luther Maddy

LB - (58) Jack Tyler

LB - (24) Tariq Edwards

LB - (28) Alonzo Tweedy

SS - (1) Antone Exum

FS - (15) Eddie Whitley

CB - (17) Kyle Fuller

CB - (20) Jayron Hosley

Special Teams

P - (29) Scott Demler

K - (89) Cody Journell or (48) Justin Myer

KR - (4) David Wilson

PR - (20) Jayron Hosley

Key Matchup

Hokies RB David Wilson vs. Wolverines DE Ryan Van Bergen and DT Mike Martin

The one area where the top strengths of each team in the Sugar Bowl align is the Virginia Tech running game against the Michigan defensive front.

David Wilson is only 5' 10" and 205 pounds, but he has taken over 20 carries per game to wear down opposing defenses.  Wilson was only held below 120 yards three times this season, and he only had one terrible game in the ACC Championship against Clemson (11 carries, 32 yards).

Wilson will need to challenge the much improved defensive line of Michigan, but most particularly the seniors Van Bergen and Martin.  Martin is great at coming off blocks to stop inside runs, while Van Bergen has produced 12 tackles for loss and 3 fumble recoveries this season.

Wilson may stretch a lot of his runs with his speed to the corners to force linebackers to make plays, but at some point he will need to challenge the Michigan defensive line.  When that happens, the winner of the battle in the trenches between these senior linemen and Wilson could determine who has the advantage in the fourth quarter.

Game Prediction

Look for both teams to come out of the tunnel fired up and ready to put some points on the board in the first half.  Virginia Tech will force an early turnover from Denard Robinson to grab the lead, but Robinson will have some explosiveness or a trick play to bring Michigan right back into the game.

Expect a close halftime score. 

When the second half starts, Michigan will begin to wear down the Virginia Tech defense with speed and toughness in the backfield.  The Hokies defense will not fold like it did against Clemson, but Michigan will continue to score in the second half.

Meanwhile, Michigan's defense will begin to stuff any running attack from David Wilson and Logan Thomas.  Thomas will be forced to pass the ball, and his youth will lead to a late interception to seal the first BCS bowl win for Michigan in a decade.

Michigan 34, Virginia Tech 23.

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David Fitzgerald II is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, focusing on Big Ten Football