The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A productive NCAA freshman season will end in a post season appearance for Demitri Knowles and the Virginia Tech Hokies.

The Hokies have accepted a bid to face Rutgers in the Russell Athletic Bowl 5:30pm December 28 at Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

Virginia Tech, who finished a dissappointing 6-6 by head coach Frank Beamers’ standards, will meet the Big East Conference representative Rutgers (9-3) in the 65,438-seat Citrus Bowl Stadium nationally televised by ESPN with a national radio broadcast on ESPN Radio.

It will be the 20th consecutive bowl appearance for Virginia Tech, which boasts the third-longest active streak in NCAA football.

Knowles finished the regular season with 19 receptions for 240 yards and one touchdown, good for an average of 12.6 yards per catch. His biggest impact came on special teams where he returned 21 kickoffs for 595 yards and one touchdown, an avergae of 28.3 yards per return. He finished third on the Hokies’ roster in all purpose yards with 859.

Knowles opened his NCAA career with a touchdown reception in his debut, set several career highs and reached the end zone for the second time four games later.

In perhaps his best all around game, he finished with six catches for 83 yards and returned a 93-yard kickoff for a touchdown in the Virgina Tech Hokies’ 48-34 loss against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

He finished with three returns for 141 yards to set career highs in receptions, receiving yards, return yards and all-purpose yards (224).

His score was the first kickoff return touchdown for the Hokies since 2010.

In late October, he was elevated to co-number one’s on the Hokies’ depth chart with starter at flanker Dyrell Roberts.

Fellow reserve Corey Fuller also moved up the depth chart to co-number one with the team’s leading receiver Marcus Davis.

Virginia Tech and Rutgers will meet for the 15th time on the gridiron when they meet in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

The Hokies lead the series, which began in 1920, 11-3 but the two haven’t met since 2003.

In 2004 the Hokies made the jump from the Big East to the ACC.

Rutgers won the first three games in the series, coming in 1920, 1953 and 1992, but the Hokies have won the last 11 games between the two.

From 1992-2003, the two were members of the Big East Conference together with the Hokies winning 11 of 12 conference games.