 Virginia Tech 's turnaround from a 2 – 8 – 1 season in 1992 was the largest single @-@ season turnaround in school history and was the second @-@ best in the country that year . Tech hoped to improve upon a 1 – 4 all @-@ time record in bowl games , while Indiana hoped to do likewise for its 3 – 4 historical bowl @-@ game record . In the week prior to the game , bad weather in Virginia caused travel delays that prevented many fans and the Virginia Tech marching band from arriving at the game early . Two days prior to the Independence Bowl , Tech was shocked by the death of Dr. Richard Bullock , who served as the team 's physician from 1971 to 1988 . Bullock designed a special football neck protector worn by players during the 1980s and 1990s before being phased out in favor of more advanced padding . 
