1995 Sta. Lucia Realtors season, Summary
Sta.Lucia finally got the right import in Frederick Pea and since his arrival, the Realtors won six straight games to finish second with eight wins and two losses, a game behind Sunkist after the eliminations. Sta.Lucia were tied with Alaska at 10 wins and five loss after the quarterfinal round. Both teams were seeded number two and three and will play against each other in the best-of-five semifinals. The Realtors were swept in three games by the Milkmen. Sta.Lucia placed third with another two-game sweep over Purefoods in their series for third place.


1995 Sta. Lucia Realtors season, Summary
Coach Nat Canson brought in former North Carolina State's Kelsey Weems as their import but Weems left even before the Governors Cup started after he figured in a spat with Gerald Esplana. Coming in was Robert Francis Allen, a Canadian national player whose stint in the PBA was his first overseas assignment.


1995 Sta. Lucia Realtors season, Summary
The Realtors were four wins and five losses going into their last game in the eliminations on November 10, hoping to create at least a tie for the fifth semifinals berth if San Miguel losses in the second game of the doubleheader, but Sta.Lucia were upset and eliminated by also-ran Pepsi Mega, 91–97, with Robert Allen skipping the game due to an injury.


1995 Stanford Cardinal baseball team
The 1995 Stanford Cardinal baseball team represented Stanford University in the 1995 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Cardinal played their home games at Sunken Diamond. The team was coached by Mark Marquess in his 19th year at Stanford.


1995 Stanford Cardinal baseball team
The Cardinal won the Midwest I Regional to advanced to the College World Series, where they were defeated by the Tennessee Volunteers.


1995 Stanford Cardinal football team
The 1995 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cardinal played in the Pacific-10 Conference. The Cardinal's new head coach was Tyrone Willingham, hired to replace Bill Walsh.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1995 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1994–95 season, and the culmination of the 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils and the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings. This was the first of nine consecutive Finals to feature only American-based franchises. New Jersey was making the franchise's first appearance in the Finals, while Detroit returned to the Finals for the first time since 1966 (and had not won since 1955; both of those appearances had been against the Montreal Canadiens).


1995 Stanley Cup Finals
The Devils swept the series four games to none to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history in their twenty-first season, and they became the sixth team to earn a championship after joining the league in 1967 or later. It was the first of four consecutive sweeps in the finals.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals
Despite the fact that the regular season was cut short by the owners' lockout, both the season and the Finals were saved at the eleventh hour – this was the latest date that the Stanley Cup was awarded. This record was later matched in 2013 and then broken by the COVID-19 pandemic affected 2019–20 NHL season. The fifth seeded Devils held the record as the lowest seeded team to win the Stanley Cup until the Los Angeles Kings broke the record in 2012. Their regular-season winning percentage was also the lowest since the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals
This was the first Cup Finals since 1980 to be played entirely within one time zone.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals
To get to the Finals, New Jersey defeated the Boston Bruins 4–1, the Pittsburgh Penguins 4–1, and their rival the Philadelphia Flyers 4–2.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Paths to the Finals
Detroit defeated the Dallas Stars 4–1, the San Jose Sharks 4–0, and then division rival Chicago Blackhawks 4–1.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game one
The series opened on Saturday, June 17 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Few gave New Jersey much of a chance against the NHL's best team. Going into the game, Detroit was a perfect 8–0 at home in the playoffs, and had outscored their opponents 30–11 in their eight home games. In the first three rounds alone the Red Wings had scored 18 power-play goals. Detroit fans, first greeting their opponents with a chorus of boos, then chanted after every Devils name was read during introductions, "Who cares?"


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game one
After a scoreless first period, the underdog Devils got on the board first, when Stephane Richer blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle that just squeezed through Detroit goaltender Mike Vernon. The power-play goal came at 9:41 of the second period and gave New Jersey a 1–0 lead. The Red Wings responded less than four minutes later and tied the game on a power-play goal by Dino Ciccarelli at 13:08. The Devils would regain the lead on a goal by Claude Lemieux, a slapper from the slot at 3:17 of the third period. New Jersey would go on to win the game 2–1 and take a one-game-to-none series lead. They played a solid defensive game, frustrating the Red Wings and holding them to just 17 shots. The win was their ninth road win of the playoffs.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game two
In game two, Detroit played with a sense of urgency. Vyacheslav Kozlov scored on the power play at 7:17 of the second period to make the score 1–0 in favor of the Red Wings. Devils forward John MacLean would tie the game at 1–1 less than two and a half minutes later with a goal at 9:40. Then, on a Detroit breakaway, New Jersey defenceman and captain Scott Stevens laid a thundering body check on Kozlov as he made a move to the inside past the New Jersey blue line.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game two
Although the Red Wings regained the lead on Sergei Fedorov's goal at 1:36 of the third period, the Stevens hit seemed to inspire the Devils. With the midway point of the third period approaching, New Jersey defenceman Scott Niedermayer picked up the puck in his own zone and skated up the ice. Once over the Detroit blue line, he got a step on Detroit defenceman Paul Coffey and fired a shot towards the Detroit net.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game two
Although the puck missed the net, it bounced off the end boards and came right back to Niedermayer, who shot it past Mike Vernon to tie the game at 2–2. The game remained tied until late in the third period. Devils defenceman Shawn Chambers fired a shot from the point and the rebound came right to Jim Dowd who backhanded the puck into the net to give the Devils a 3–2 lead. Stéphane Richer would add an empty-net goal as New Jersey won, 4–2.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game three
Game three, the very first NHL game ever played after the official summer solstice, shifted the series back to the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. During game one, the Detroit crowd taunted the Devils by collectively jeering "Who cares?" after each player was introduced. The Devils fans countered by raining boos down on the visiting Red Wings and delivering chants of "Red Wings suck." The Devils did their talking on the ice, dominating the Red Wings, scoring five consecutive goals.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game three
Bruce Driver, Claude Lemieux, Neal Broten, Randy McKay and Bobby Holik all scored to give the Devils a 5–0 lead with 11:46 remaining in the game. Detroit scored twice on power-play goals by Sergei Fedorov and Steve Yzerman at 16:57 and 18:27 of the third period, but it was insufficient to keep New Jersey from winning a 5–2 game. They now had a commanding three-games-to-none lead in the series.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game four
The Devils jumped out to a 1–0 lead on Neal Broten's goal just 68 seconds into the game. However, the Red Wings were fighting to stay alive and tied the game on Sergei Fedorov's goal just 55 seconds later. Coffey scored a shorthanded goal at 13:01 to give Detroit a 2–1 lead. New Jersey responded less than five minutes later, at 17:45 on a slap-shot goal by Shawn Chambers that beat Mike Vernon glove-side. Then, in the second period, Scott Niedermayer passed to Broten, who chipped the puck over Vernon's glove from just in front of the net.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game four
The goal, Broten's second of the game, gave the Devils a 3–2 lead. New Jersey would increase its lead with goals by Sergei Brylin and Chambers (his second of the game) at 7:46 and 12:32 of the third period. The Devils won the game 5–2 and the series four games to none. It was New Jersey's first Stanley Cup Championship in team history.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Game summaries, Game four
Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur allowed just seven goals against the Red Wings in the series and Devils forward Claude Lemieux was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, having led all skaters in playoff goals with 13. He would win the Stanley Cup again the very next season with the Colorado Avalanche.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Broadcasting
This was the first year that coverage of the Cup Finals in the United States was split between Fox and ESPN. Fox broadcast games 1 and 4 with Mike Emrick and John Davidson, while ESPN broadcast games 2 and 3 with Gary Thorne and Bill Clement. This was also the first Cup Finals in which the U.S. national networks had exclusive rights, and no longer could any of the regional rights holders of the participating U.S. teams produce local telecasts of their respective games.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Broadcasting
However, because the Devils swept the Red Wings and game 4 of the series was on Fox, their television play-by-play announcer, Emrick, called the win, as he also was part of Fox's lead broadcast team. That game, the first Stanley Cup-clinching game to air on network television in the United States since game 6 in 1980, drew a 4.7 rating and a 10 share. In the New York City area, the game drew a 10.6 rating and 21 share and in Detroit, 14.1 and 26.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Broadcasting
In Canada, Bob Cole and Harry Neale were in the broadcast booth for CBC.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Broadcasting
On the radio side, the series was broadcast continentally on NHL Radio with Kenny Albert and Gary Green announcing. Devils team broadcasters Mike Miller and Sherry Ross called the series on local radio on WABC–AM 770 in New York City and Red Wings team broadcasters Bruce Martyn and Paul Woods called the series on local radio on WJR–AM 760 in Detroit, Michigan.


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Stanley Cup engraving
The 1995 Stanley Cup was presented to Devils captain Scott Stevens by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman following the Devils 5–2 win over the Red Wings in game four


1995 Stanley Cup Finals, Stanley Cup engraving
The following Devils players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League was played between May 6 and June 24, 1995. The 1994–95 NHL regular season was shortened to 48 games, and the playoffs pushed to a later date, due to a lockout. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for the conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. In the Finals, the New Jersey Devils swept the favored Detroit Red Wings in four games to win their first championship.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs
This was the only time Patrick Roy missed the playoffs in his career. His team, the Montreal Canadiens, missed the playoffs for the first time since 1970. The Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators missed the playoffs this year. Montreal and Ottawa did not miss the playoffs in the same year again until 2016, when all Canadian teams missed the playoffs. The Quebec Nordiques played their last playoff series during this time. They would move to Denver, Colorado during the summer. For the first time since 1980, no league semifinal/conference final games were played in Canada.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (1) Quebec Nordiques vs. (8) New York Rangers
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. This was the final playoff series played by the Quebec Nordiques, as they relocated to Denver, Colorado to become the Colorado Avalanche the next season. Game five was the final NHL game played at the Quebec Coliseum.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (7) Buffalo Sabres
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams; with Philadelphia winning both previous series. They last met in the 1978 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals, which Philadelphia won in five games. Game four was the last playoff game at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (3) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (6) Washington Capitals
This was the second consecutive and fourth overall playoff meeting between these two teams; with Pittsburgh winning two of the three previous series. Washington won last year's playoff meeting in six games.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (3) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (6) Washington Capitals
With their win in game seven, the Pens became the first team to have two 3–1 comebacks in a playoff series against the same team.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (4) Boston Bruins vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
This was the second consecutive and third overall playoff meeting between these two teams; with the teams splitting the two previous series. New Jersey won last year's playoff meeting in six games.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, (4) Boston Bruins vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
Game five was the last game played in the Boston Garden.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Western Conference Quarterfinals, (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Dallas Stars
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams; with Detroit winning the only previous series. They last met in the 1992 Norris Division Semifinals, which Detroit won in seven games against the Minnesota North Stars.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Western Conference Quarterfinals, (2) Calgary Flames vs. (7) San Jose Sharks
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. The series had extremely high offensive output. Calgary set an NHL record by scoring 35 goals, the most by any team in a seven game series, but lost in double overtime in game seven. The 35 goals is also the highest number of goals ever scored by a team that lost a series in NHL history. A total of 61 goals were scored in the series, the highest total between both teams in a seven game series in NHL history.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Quarterfinals, Western Conference Quarterfinals, (4) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (5) Toronto Maple Leafs
This was the second consecutive and ninth overall playoff meeting between these two teams; with Toronto winning six of the eight previous series. Toronto won last year's playoff meeting in six games.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (8) New York Rangers
This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams; with the teams splitting the eight previous series. They last met in the 1987 Patrick Division Semifinals, which Philadelphia won in six games.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Eastern Conference Semifinals, (3) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams; with Pittsburgh winning both previous series. They last met in the 1993 Patrick Division Semifinals, which Pittsburgh won in five games.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (7) San Jose Sharks
This was the second consecutive and second overall playoff meeting between these two teams. San Jose won last year's playoff meeting in seven games.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (4) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (6) Vancouver Canucks
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams; with Vancouver winning the only previous series. They last met in the 1982 Clarence Campbell Conference Final, which Vancouver won in five games.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Semifinals, Western Conference Semifinals, (4) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (6) Vancouver Canucks
Game four was the last game played in the Pacific Coliseum.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Final, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
This was the second playoff series between these two teams, with Philadelphia winning the only previous meeting in two games. They last met in the 1978 Preliminary Round where Philadelphia swept the Colorado Rockies. This was the third conference final appearance for New Jersey and the second consecutive appearance after losing to the New York Rangers in seven games the year before. Philadelphia made their fourth conference final appearance and first since losing to Montreal in six games in 1989.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Final, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
New Jersey handed Philadelphia their first two playoff home losses of the season winning 4–1 in game one and 5–2 in game two and they outshot the Flyers 28–21 and 24–20 respectively. In game three Philadelphia played with a sense of urgency. Trailing 2–1 the Flyers tied the game on Rod Brind'Amour's goal with 6:03 to go in regulation. They went on to win the game 3–2 on captain Eric Lindros' goal at 4:19 of the first overtime period.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Final, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
Playing with their newfound confidence the Flyers won game four by a score of 4–2 despite being outshot 34–19, Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall made 32 saves. In game five the Devils took a 2–1 lead into the second period which ended up scoreless. The Flyers tied the game on Kevin Dineen's second goal of the game at 3:13 of the third period. The Devils almost regained the lead on Stephane Richer's breakaway shot that hit the crossbar with less than four minutes to go in regulation.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Final, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
Then with less than a minute remaining Devils forward Claude Lemieux picked up the puck on a backcheck in the New Jersey zone and skated up the ice, once over the Flyers' blue line Lemieux fired a slap shot that beat Hextall on his blocker side. The goal silenced the Spectrum crowd and gave New Jersey a 3–2 lead with just 44.2 seconds to play. The Devils hung on to win the game 3–2.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Final, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
In game six Philadelphia opened the scoring on Jim Montgomery's goal at 4:05 of the first period. The Devils calmly utilized the neutral-zone trap to shut down the Flyers' offense while their forwards took advantage. Stephane Richer tied the game with a power play goal at 10:25 and Brian Rolston put the Devils up 2–1 with a goal at 18:15. The scored remained 2–1 for New Jersey until midway through the second period.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Final, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
After a blocked shot by Devils defenceman Shawn Chambers led to a three on one rush for New Jersey, Randy McKay scored his seventh goal of the postseason. The Devils made it 4–1 at 10:11 of the third period when Bobby Carpenter passed the puck past Flyers defenceman Karl Dykhuis up to Claude Lemieux at center ice who went in on a breakaway and scored his league leading eleventh goal of the playoffs.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Final, (2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (5) New Jersey Devils
The Flyers fought back as Mikael Renberg scored on the power play at 16:29 to cut the Devils' lead to 4–2 but New Jersey held on to the lead and went on to win the game and series, advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in team history.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Final, (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks
This was the 14th playoff series between these two teams, with Chicago winning eight of the thirteen previous series. They last met in the 1992 Norris Division Final where Chicago swept Detroit in four games. This was the seventh conference final appearance for Chicago and first since 1992 where the Blackhawks swept Edmonton in four games. Detroit made their third conference final appearance and first since losing to Edmonton in five games in 1988.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Final, (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks
Game one of the series at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit saw a goaltending battle between Ed Belfour and Mike Vernon. The two teams skated to a 1–1 tie after regulation before Nicklas Lidstrom scored the game-winning goal for Detroit at 1:01 of the first overtime period. It was the first overtime playoff game that Detroit had won at home since 1960. In game two Chicago led by a score of 2–1 after two periods on goals by Chris Chelios and Tony Amonte. In the third period, Detroit kept pressing and eventually tied the game on Doug Brown's goal.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Final, (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks
Kris Draper scored the winner for Detroit with just 1:45 remaining in regulation. In game three of the series at the United Center, Detroit led 3–2 going into the third period. Jeff Shantz scored at 8:33 to tie the game for Chicago. The game went to double overtime where Vladimir Konstantinov scored the game-winner for Detroit at 9:25. The win gave the Red Wings a commanding 3–0 series lead.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Conference Finals, Western Conference Final, (1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks responded to the urgency and came out flying in game four as Denis Savard and Joe Murphy both scored twice and captain Dirk Graham had a goal to give Chicago a dominating 5–0 lead after 40 minutes. Detroit scored twice in the third period on goals by Kris Draper and Ray Sheppard as the Blackhawks went on to win the game 5–2. In game five Chicago jumped out to a 1–0 lead on Denis Savard's power play goal at 10:18 of the first period. Detroit then tied the game on captain Steve Yzerman's goal at 11:36 of the second. After a scoreless third period the game went into double overtime where Vyacheslav Kozlov scored at 2:25 to give the Red Wings a 2–1 win and a series clinching victory.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Stanley Cup Finals
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Detroit made their nineteenth appearance in the Finals, and first since 1966 where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in six games. New Jersey made their first Finals appearance in their twenty-first season after entering the league in 1974 as the Kansas City Scouts. Detroit last won the Stanley Cup in 1955.


1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, Playoff statistics, Goaltenders
This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage, with at least 420 minutes played. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.


1995 Star World Championships
The 1995 Star World Championships were held in Laredo, Spain between September 10 and 16, 1995.


1995 Star World Championships, Results
Legend: DNC – Did not come to the starting area; DNF – Did not finish; PMS – Premature start; YMP – Yacht materially prejudiced;


1995 State Farm Evert Cup – Doubles
Lindsay Davenport and Lisa Raymond were the defending champions and won in the final 2–6, 6–4, 6–3 against Larisa Neiland and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario.


1995 State Farm Evert Cup – Doubles, Seeds
Champion seeds are indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which those seeds were eliminated.


1995 State Farm Evert Cup – Singles
Steffi Graf was the defending champion but did not compete that year.


1995 State Farm Evert Cup – Singles
Mary Joe Fernández won in the final 6–4, 6–3 against Natasha Zvereva.


1995 State Farm Evert Cup – Singles, Seeds
A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated. The top four seeds received a bye to the second round.


1995 State of Origin series
The 1995 State of Origin series was the 14th annual three-game series between the Queensland and New South Wales representative rugby league teams. Due to the Australian Rugby League's ongoing conflicts with Super League, they ruled that no Super League-aligned players were eligible for State of Origin selection in 1995. This appeared to hurt Queensland, eliminating their mostly Brisbane Broncos back line, and they were not widely expected to win the series. However, they won 3–0, their first series win since 1991. Novice Queensland coach Paul Vautin made only one player change to his squad during the three game series.


1995 State of Origin series
This series once again saw State of Origin football venture to Melbourne, after an enthusiastic Melbourne crowd packed the MCG to watch game two of the 1994 series. Although the crowd in Melbourne was not as high as 1994's then-record origin crowd of 87,161, it was still a success, attracting 52,994 spectators and furthering the case for a first grade team in Melbourne.


1995 State of Origin series
Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett had originally been appointed as Queensland coach for 1995 taking over from Wally Lewis. He stepped down from the job, stating that Queensland would be uncompetitive without its Super League players. Paul Vautin, who had played 22 Origin games for Queensland between 1982 and 1990 (including two games as captain in the absence of Lewis), was brought in to replace him.


1995 State of Origin series, Game I
Unable to draw on the vast talents of the Brisbane Broncos whose Super League-aligned players were made ineligible for the Origin series by the Australian Rugby League, the Maroons selectors were forced to choose from a limited selection of Queenslanders from ARL-loyal clubs. Consequently, going into Game 1 at the Sydney Football Stadium, the Blues were unbackable favourites with nine internationals in the squad compared to Queensland's two in Dale Shearer and Papua New Guinea halfback Adrian Lam who had to be given dispensation to play for Qld, and an untested commentator-turned-coach in Paul Vautin. Although many considered NSW favourites, the starting sides in Game 1 actually saw Qld have 79 collective Origin games experience, while NSW had only 68 between them.


1995 State of Origin series, Game I
After the first ever try-less State of Origin match, the Maroons left the ground having produced one of the biggest boilovers in rugby league history. A sole penalty goal to Maroons hooker Wayne Bartrim after 30 minutes was enough to see Vautin's unfancied Queensland team home 2–0. Referee Eddie Ward penalised Blues front rower Paul Harragon for a tackle on Gary Larson and Bartrim kicked the goal from 25 metres out. At the time it seemed a minor event but by game's end the goal had become pivotal.


1995 State of Origin series, Game I
New South Wales failed to capitalise on their chances, crossing the Queensland line twice. First winger Rod Wishart stepped into touch after taking a cross-field kick from Andrew Johns. Then in the second half, Blues centre Terry Hill was held up by Queensland debutante winger Matt Sing over the line with 17 minutes to play. It was the lowest ever score in a representative game in Australia, yet still a compelling spectacle as the underdog Maroons repelled the New South Wales attack time and time again.


1995 State of Origin series, Game I
From this match came a moment for the annals of Origin tradition when broadcast sound and vision captured the indelible image of Maroons lock Billy Moore exiting the Sydney Football Stadium tunnel after half-time chanting the Maroon's war cry "Queenslander" over and over to exhort his team-mates.


1995 State of Origin series, Game II
Going into the second game, Qld suffered a blow when Dale Shearer, their most experienced player (having played 25 games since making his Origin debut in 1985) and only Australian test representative, was ruled out with injury. His place in the side was taken by 1994 Kangaroo tourist Jason Smith. Smith, who had initially signed with Super League earlier in the year, had turned his back on the rebels and had only recently re-signed with the ARL. Playing at Five-eighth rather than his usual position of Lock, Smith won the Man of the Match award.


1995 State of Origin series, Game II
Rumours of an all-in brawl that had circulated before Game II at the Melbourne Cricket Ground were realised early when the first scrum erupted into violence after NSW Hooker Jim Serdaris started throwing punches at his opposite Wayne Bartrim. Almost like it was rehearsed, most players from both sides became involved and it took referee Eddie Ward a considerable time to restore order (in the confusion, Ward also failed to stop the game clock and almost 5 minutes elapsed before time was called off). During the brawl there were two main groups.


1995 State of Origin series, Game II
Rival back rowers David Barnhill and Billy Moore waged their own private war throwing a lot of punches that missed their mark before wrestling each other to the ground, while Origin's old cry of "Mate against mate" added another chapter when Manly-Warringah teammates John Hopoate (NSW) and Danny Moore (Qld) squared off after Moore came to Matt Sing's aid. Another outbreak late in the half saw props Paul Harragon and Gavin Allen marched to the sin bin.


1995 State of Origin series, Game II
Queensland had the run of play and again shocked their highly fancied rivals by racing to an 8–0 lead on the back of a Mark Coyne try and two goals from Wayne Bartrim. Blues captain Brad Fittler worked hard to lift his troops but again he found his team out enthused by Paul Vautin's patched-together but spirited combination.


1995 State of Origin series, Game II
With five minutes remaining, Jim Serdaris scored a converted try to close the gap to 14-12 and the Blues began a final wave of attack. Steve Menzies then came within inches of scoring the match winner but was held up, and then Fittler threw what appeared to be the match winning pass to a try-bound Tim Brasher. However referee Ward ruled the pass forward.


1995 State of Origin series, Game II
As they dropped their guard, flying Queensland winger Brett Dallas caught them out in the dying seconds and ran 90 metres from dummy-half, easily out pacing Hopoate, Brasher and Rod Wishart coming across in cover, to score under the posts and seal the series with a 20–12 victory to give Qld what many believe to be the biggest boilover in Origin history.


1995 State of Origin series, Game III
Experts were still favouring a New South Wales win in game III, but again they were proved wrong in a match that lived up to Origin expectations. The chances of popular Maroons' captain Trevor Gillmeister playing in the final game had looked impossible - he had been admitted to hospital with an infected knee and placed on an intravenous drip. In an inspiring gesture that underlined the ferocity of feeling in the side signed himself out to take his place in the team.


1995 State of Origin series, Game III
The two combatants punched and counter-punched before a late try to the previously unheralded Gold Coast rookie Ben Ikin gave the Maroons a 24–16 win and a 3–0 series whitewash. New South Wales led twice at 10-6 after 35 minutes and again 16-12 after 41 minutes, but the Queensland spirit was resolute.


1995 State of Origin series, Game III
The series was career defining for Ikin, a Gold Coast junior who became the youngest player in Origin history at 18 years and 83 days when he debuted in Game I. He would later become a mainstay of Queensland and Broncos' sides up until 2003 although his career was disrupted by injury.


1995 State of Origin series, Game III
Many considered Queensland lucky to play the last 52 minutes of the match with a full team after prop forward Tony Hearn appeared to headbutt NSW prop Mark Carroll in the 28th minute. In retaliation Carroll started throwing punches at Hearn which led to another all in brawl. Remarkably, referee David Manson only put Hearn on report and then penalised Carroll for the use of a forearm while tackling Hearn and awarded a penalty to Qld. Hearn was later suspended for 8 games by the ARL judiciary as a result of his headbutt. After his performances for Qld in the first two games, the front row forward from North Sydney had allegedly been in line for an Australian test jumper before his suspension.


1995 State of Origin series, Game III
After the game, Gillmeister returned to hospital to continue treatment on his knee.


1995 State of the Union Address
The 1995 State of the Union Address was given by the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton, on Tuesday, January 24, 1995, at 9 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 104th United States Congress. It was Clinton's second State of the Union Address and his third speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, Newt Gingrich, accompanied by Al Gore, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.


1995 State of the Union Address
It was the first address to a Republican-controlled Congress since 1954. This was also the first time a Republican Speaker sat in the chair since 1954.


1995 State of the Union Address
The president discussed his proposals of a New Covenant vision for a smaller government and proposing tax reductions. The president also discussed crime, the Brady Bill and the Assault Weapons Ban, illegal immigration, and the minimum wage. Regarding foreign policy, he urged assistance in Mexico's economic crisis, additional disarmament in cooperation with Russia and other international treaties, stopping North Korea's nuclear weapons program, legislation to fight terrorists, and peace between Israel and its neighbors. Discussion of the failed attempt to overhaul health care was refocused on more limited efforts to protect coverage for those who have health insurance and expand coverage for children.


1995 State of the Union Address
The speech lasted nearly 1 hour and 25 minutes and consisted of 9,190 words. In terms of word count it is the longest State of the Union speech in history.


1995 State of the Union Address
The president acknowledged many Americans of past and present in his speech. Among them were:


1995 State of the Union Address
The Republican Party response was delivered by Governor Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey. This was the first response given exclusively by a state governor and, delivered in Trenton, the first outside Washington, DC.


1995 State of the Union Address
Conservative William Kristol called the address the "most conservative State of the Union by a Democratic president in history."


1995 State of the Union Address
Federico Peña, the Secretary of Transportation, served as the designated survivor.


1995 State of the Union Address, Immigration
In his 1995 State of the Union address, President Bill Clinton said: “All Americans … are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers.”


1995 Stella Artois Championships
The 1995 Stella Artois Championships was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor grass courts at the Queen's Club in London in the United Kingdom and was part of the World Series of the 1995 ATP Tour. It was the 93rd edition of the tournament and was held from 12 June through 19 June 1995. First-seeded Pete Sampras won the singles title.


1995 Stella Artois Championships, Finals, Doubles
Todd Martin /  Pete Sampras defeated  Jan Apell /  Jonas Björkman 7–6, 6–4


1995 Stella Artois Championships – Doubles
Jan Apell and Jonas Björkman were the defending champions but lost in the final 7–6, 6–4 against Todd Martin and Pete Sampras.


1995 Stella Artois Championships – Doubles, Seeds
The top four seeded teams received byes into the second round.


1995 Stella Artois Championships – Singles
Todd Martin was the defending champion but lost in the third round to Guy Forget.


1995 Stella Artois Championships – Singles
Pete Sampras won in the final 7–6(7–3), 7–6(8–6) against Forget.


1995 Stella Artois Championships – Singles, Seeds
The top eight seeds received a bye to the second round.


1995 Stevenage Borough Council election
The 1995 Stevenage Borough Council election took place on 4 May 1995. This was on the same day as other local elections. One third of the council was up for election; the seats which were last contested in 1991. There was also a second seat up for election in Martins Wood ward. The Labour Party retained control of the council, which it had held continuously since its creation in 1973.


1995 Stevenage Borough Council election, Overall results
All comparisons in seats and vote share are to the corresponding 1991 election.


1995 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
The 18th Stinkers Bad Movie Awards were released by the Hastings Bad Cinema Society in 1996 to honour the worst films the film industry had to offer in 1995. When asked about their picks for the five worst movies of the 1990s, founders Mike Lancaster and Ray Wright both selected It's Pat for their lists. Lancaster also included Kids. While It's Pat received three nominations (one of which was a win), Kids got only a mere dishonourable mention for Worst Picture.


1995 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
Listed as follows are the different categories with their respective winners and nominees, including Worst Picture and its dishonourable mentions, which are films that were considered for Worst Picture but ultimately failed to make the final ballot (30 total). The most notable change this year is swapping out Worst Resurrection of a TV Show temporarily for Most Painfully Unfunny Comedy. Both categories would appear next year, along with all the other categories listed below. All winners are highlighted.


1995 Stockholm Open
The 1995 Stockholm Open was a men's tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts at the Kungliga tennishallen in Stockholm, Sweden. It was the 27th edition of the tournament and was now part of the ATP International Series of the 1995 ATP Tour, having been replaced as an ATP Masters Series venue by Essen. The tournament was held from 6 November through 12 November 1995. Second-seeded Thomas Enqvist won the singles title.


1995 Stockholm Open, Finals, Doubles
Jacco Eltingh /  Paul Haarhuis defeated  Grant Connell /  Patrick Galbraith, 3–6, 6–2, 7–6


1995 Stockholm Open – Doubles
Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde were the defending champions, but lost in the semifinals this year.


1995 Stockholm Open – Doubles
Jacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis won the title, defeating Grant Connell and Patrick Galbraith 3–6, 6–2, 7–6 in the final.


1995 Stockholm Open – Singles
Boris Becker was the defending champion, but did not participate this year.


1995 Stockholm Open – Singles
Thomas Enqvist won the tournament, beating Arnaud Boetsch in the final, 7–5, 6–4.


1995 Sturt Football Club season
1995 saw the Sturt Football Club set a number of unwanted South Australian National Football League records:


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Background
The Sturt Football Club experienced a long-term decline following a record 1978 season that saw the team win a SANFL record 21 of 22 games, but then lose the 1978 Grand Final by the narrowest of margins to Norwood.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Background
The Double Blues fell from minor premiers to ninth of ten clubs in 1979, and although they recovered to make the Grand Final in 1983 with Rick Davies kicking a then-SANFL record 151 goals, after the controversial sacking of Mervyn Keane at the end of a 1988 season that had seen the club rise from second last to finalists and apparently to potential premiership contenders, the club went into free-fall under the coaching of Davies in 1989. That season the Double Blues won only four games and towards the end as their on-field performances deteriorated the off-field strife that had seen Keane sacked recurred, with Davies resigning after Glenelg beat them by 132 points in the final match.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Background
A succession of coaches failed to lift the Double Blues off the bottom of the table: the team won only sixteen of 106 games between 1990 and 1994, and following the sacking of legendary coach Haydn Bunton junior who guided the Double Blues to only nine wins in 42 games, Sturt entered a serious crisis as many experienced players left the club, notably skipper Jay Viney to North Adelaide, Damian Kitschke to study abroad, Stuart Wigney to Glenelg and ultimately Richmond plus Chris Williams and spearhead Jody Arnol to Darwin.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Background
After an attempt to merge with Norwood and enter the AFL was rejected, Phil Carman, a former VFL star originally from Edenhope, took the reins on a three-year contract for 1995 after having been Sturt’s fitness coordinator.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Background
Nevertheless, the Double Blues’ inexperienced list almost never threatened any of its opponents and by mid-season it was clear that a win was unlikely and results became even worse later on; for instance, in a game against West Adelaide regarded the previous week as Sturt’s “best chance for a win this season”, West Adelaide, when two goals ahead at quarter time, set a goal of keeping the Double Blues goalless on a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval in the last three quarters and succeeded.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Aftermath
Following the 1995 season, it appeared certain that Sturt would not be able to survive for 1996 – indeed the 1995 players began training as soon as the horrific season finished, under uncertainty as to where they would be playing in 1996.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Aftermath
On 9 October 1995, a merger plan with North Adelaide was officially launched and the general public expected it to go through quietly, but a major membership drive to raise the $250,000 needed to keep the club afloat was a surprising success: in the following two months, the Double Blues’ membership rose from seven hundred to two thousand, and as Unley councillor Phil Sanders had feared, the merger with North did collapse.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Aftermath
Sturt were also able to engage in significant recruiting for the first time since the off-field strife of 1988 and 1989, acquiring twice Magarey Medal runner-up Brodie Atkinson and a number of lesser players. Carman, as promised when he began coaching the Double Blues, retained the coaching job for 1996 despite being on a 24-game losing streak. Sturt broke their 27 games losing streak against West Adelaide in Round 3 of 1996, but four wins and an eighth successive wooden spoon was seen as disappointing after the off-season off-field efforts.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Aftermath
It was only in 1997, after further changes to the club’s administrative personnel, that the Double Blues improved seriously, rising from perpetual wooden spooners to fourth place. In 1998, Sturt played in the grand final against rival Port Adelaide but went down by 9 points. The club continued to be competitive on the field and club finances improved with the ultimate success achieved in 2002, beating Central District by 47 points to win its first flag since 1976.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Aftermath
Steady finals performances and strong financials kept the club afloat for a while, but another exodus of players led to two consecutive wooden spoons, and further heavy losses left the SANFL recommending that Sturt relocate or shut its doors in the 2011 off-season.


1995 Sturt Football Club season, Aftermath
Strong executive leadership, key changes to the football and business departments and targeted recruitment, including signing premiership player Marty Mattner as coach in 2016, saw Sturt go back to back for 2016/17 with a 27 point win over favourite Woodville West Torrens in 2016, and another underdog win over Port Adelaide by one point in 2017.


1995 Styrian Open
The 1995 Styrian Open was a women's tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts at the Sportpark Piberstein in Maria Lankowitz, Austria that was part of Tier IV of the 1995 WTA Tour. It was the 23rd edition of the tournament and was held from 24 July until 30 July 1995. First-seeded Judith Wiesner won the singles title and earned $17,500 first-prize money.


1995 Styrian Open, Finals, Doubles
Silvia Farina /  Andrea Temesvári defeated  Alexandra Fusai /  Wiltrud Probst 6–2, 6–2


1995 Styrian Open – Doubles
Sandra Cecchini and Patricia Tarabini were the defending champions but only Cecchini competed that year with Laura Garrone.


1995 Styrian Open – Doubles
Cecchini and Garrone lost in the quarterfinals to Virag Csurgo and Flora Perfetti.


1995 Styrian Open – Doubles
Silvia Farina and Andrea Temesvári won in the final 6–2, 6–2 against Alexandra Fusai and Wiltrud Probst.


1995 Styrian Open – Doubles, Seeds
Champion seeds are indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which those seeds were eliminated.


1995 Styrian Open – Singles
Anke Huber was the defending champion but did not compete that year.


1995 Styrian Open – Singles
Judith Wiesner won in the final 7–6, 6–3 against Ruxandra Dragomir.


1995 Styrian Open – Singles, Seeds
A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.


1995 Sudirman Cup
The 1995 Sudirman Cup was the fourth tournament of the World Mixed Team Badminton Championships. It was held from May 17 to May 20, 1995 in Lausanne, Switzerland.


1995 Sudirman Cup, Results
49 teams participated in this edition of Sudirman Cup. Nigeria entered but ultimately did not participate.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December)
The 1995 Sugar Bowl was the 62nd edition of the post-season American college football Sugar Bowl bowl game. It featured the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Texas Longhorns and was held at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 31, 1995. The game was the final contest of the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 28–10 victory for Virginia Tech.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December)
In 1995, the Sugar Bowl was held under the rules of the Bowl Alliance. The Alliance, predecessor to the modern Bowl Championship Series, was intended to match the champions of the Southeastern Conference, Big East Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Southwest Conference, and one at-large team against each other in the Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. Each year, the two highest-ranked teams would play in a National Championship Game held in place of one of the bowl games.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December)
The site of the national championship game rotated among the three bowl games, as did the date of each game. Following the 1995 college football season, the Sugar Bowl was designated for December 31, marking the first time since 1972 (and the ONLY time since then) two Sugar Bowls would be held in the same calendar year.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December)
Virginia Tech was selected to play in the 1995 Sugar Bowl by virtue of winning the Big East football championship. The Hokies, who finished 9–2 during the regular season, actually were co-Big East champions. The University of Miami, which tied the Hokies, was ineligible for post-season play due to sanctions imposed as a result of recruiting rules violations. The Hokies played the University of Texas, which finished 10–1–1 during the regular season en route to becoming Southwest Conference champions. The Southwest Conference was scheduled to disband after the football season, but its champion was guaranteed one of the at-large spots in the Bowl Alliance.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December)
The game was marred by the revelation that a Texas player had been competing under an assumed name. Other off-the-field incidents also took place prior to the game. Because the game was Virginia Tech's first trip to a major bowl game, ticket sales were brisk. Texas took an early lead in the competition and led 10–7 at halftime, but Virginia Tech's defense shut out Texas' offense in the second half and Tech scored 21 unanswered points. In recognition of his achievements in the game, Virginia Tech wide receiver Bryan Still was named the game's most valuable player.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection
In the 1995 college football season, teams were selected for the Sugar Bowl under the new Bowl Alliance system. The Bowl Alliance matched up the conference champions of the Big East, Southeastern Conference, Big 12 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, and two at-large teams in games to determine an official national champion. Prior to the introduction of the Bowl Alliance and its predecessor, the Bowl Coalition, national champions were determined by various college football polls that sometimes named different teams as champion.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection
Under the Alliance system, the two highest-ranked members of Alliance conferences were matched up in a national championship game. The lower-ranked conference champions and two-at large teams would play each other in other bowl games. In 1995, one of these at-large spots was reserved for the champion of the Southwest Conference, which had been a member of the Bowl Coalition but was scheduled to dissolve after the 1995 season. Its members joined different conferences in an attempt to increase their revenue.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection
The Fiesta Bowl hosted the national championship game for the 1995 season, and thus had the first and second pick of eligible Bowl Alliance teams. The Orange Bowl had the third and fifth selections, while the Sugar Bowl had the fourth and sixth picks. The three Bowl Alliance games each were assigned a different date: December 31, January 1, or January 2. The dates rotated among the three games, along with which game would host the national championship.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection
The Sugar Bowl was assigned the December 31 date, marking the first time it had been held on that date instead of its traditional January 1 date since December 31, 1975. From December 31, 1972, to December 31, 1975, the game was held on New Year's Eve. Thus, there were two games held during the calendar year 1972 and none in calendar year 1976. There were also two games in calendar year 1995, but since then the game has been held on or after January 1 following the regular season.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Texas
The University of Texas Longhorns began the 1995 college football season after winning eight games and losing four in 1994, a year that culminated with the Longhorns in a five-way tie for the Southwest Conference championship and with a 35–31 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 1994 Sun Bowl. Heading into the 1995 season, Texas was ranked 18th in both the coaches' and Associated Press preseason polls. In the Southwest Conference, which was scheduled to dissolve after the season, Texas was picked to finish second in the annual preseason poll of media covering the Southwest Conference. Texas A&M was predicted to win the conference. Overall, most commentators predicted Texas to improve on its 8–4 performance in 1994 and have an outside chance to compete in the top ranks, nationally.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Texas
The Longhorns got the 1995 season off to a successful start with a 38–17 win against the Hawaii Rainbows in Honolulu. After a bye week, No. 15 Texas repeated that success in its home opener with a 38–27 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers. The consecutive wins raised Texas to No. 13 in the country, but the Longhorns fumbled away their third game of the season, a 55–27 defeat at the hands of Notre Dame that involved five turnovers by the Longhorns.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Texas
After the loss, the Longhorns fell to No. 21 in the country. They quickly recovered however, reeling off two wins in subsequent weeks: a 35–10 victory over Southern Methodist University and a 37–13 win against Rice. After the two wins, the Longhorns were 4–1 and No. 18 in the country heading into their traditional rivalry game against Oklahoma, the Red River Shootout. The 1995 edition of that competition ended in frustration, however, as the two teams battled to a 24–24 tie after Texas failed to convert a fourth down deep in Oklahoma territory late in the game. It was just the fifth tie in the 89-game history of the rivalry that started in 1900.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Texas
Following the tie against Oklahoma, No. 16 Texas struggled against No. 14 Virginia in Austin. Not until the game's final play did the Longhorns secure their 17–16 win over the favored Cavaliers. The game was the 700th victory in Texas football history and marked the only time in Texas' first 103 years of football that a game ended with Texas kicking a winning field goal. Following the victory over Virginia, Texas began a winning streak that continued through the remainder of the regular season.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Texas
Heading into the final game of the regular season, it appeared that the winner of the Texas/Texas A&M game would clinch the Southwest Conference championship and a bid to a Bowl Alliance game. In Texas' final Southwestern Conference game, it secured the conference championship with a 16–6 win that guaranteed it a spot in a Bowl Alliance game. On the next day, the Sugar Bowl's pick of Texas was made official.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech Hokies entered the 1995 season after having finished with an 8–4 overall record in 1994. That season culminated with a 45–23 loss to Tennessee in the 1994 Gator Bowl. Heading into the 1995 season, fans and coaches expected Tech to improve on its previous performance. Most commentators, however, expected a season comparable to 1994's: a second-place finish in the Big East and a trip to the Gator Bowl. This was borne out by the preseason college football polls. The AP Poll put Tech 24th, while the coaches' poll had Tech 26th.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Virginia Tech
Those who tempered their expectations of the Hokies appeared to be vindicated in Tech's first game of the season, which took place on September 7, a week later than most teams started regular-season play. Tech rose to No. 20 in the country on the basis of other teams losing their season openers. A similar fate befell the Hokies, who lost to Boston College, 20–14. The opening-game loss was a "discouraging note" to begin the season in the eyes of at least one commentator.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Virginia Tech
Because Tech's opening game was on a Thursday night, the Hokies had an extra two days to prepare for their next opponent, Cincinnati. The extra time did not help, however, and the Hokies were shut out, 16–0 by underdog Cincinnati. The shutout was the first scoreless effort by the Hokies since 1981 and caused sportswriters to call the Hokies "the most overrated team in the country."


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Virginia Tech
Following the Cincinnati loss, the Hokies had one week to prepare for a matchup against No. 17 Miami, the team predicted to win the Big East in preseason polls. The Hokies had not beaten Miami in 12 previous matchups, but they managed an upset 13–7 victory on September 23. At the time, the one-week turnaround from embarrassing defeat to unexpected triumph caused some commentators to declare the win the biggest in Virginia Tech football history. Following the Miami win, Virginia Tech started a winning streak that continued for the remainder of the regular season. In total, Tech won its final nine regular-season games, including two wins over ranked opponents: No. 20 Syracuse and at No. 13 Virginia. The 36–29 defeat of Virginia was Tech's closest victory during the span and elevated Tech to No. 13 in the nation.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Virginia Tech
The Miami Hurricanes kept pace with the Hokies throughout the regular season, winning every conference game after their loss to Tech. After Miami won its final game of the season and tied the Hokies for the Big East football championship (the Big East had no tiebreaker at the time), it appeared that Virginia Tech would be passed over for a Bowl Alliance game in favor of the Hurricanes. Miami traditionally had a stronger football team and a wider following on television, making it more attractive to bowl-game officials.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Team selection, Virginia Tech
But Miami's bowl hopes evaporated after the NCAA announced Miami would be put under sanctions for recruiting rules violations. One of the sanctions included a ban from bowl games, which Miami elected to take after the 1995 season instead of delaying until 1996. After the sanctions were announced, the only question for the Hokies was whether they would be bound for the Orange Bowl in Miami or the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. That question was resolved on December 3, 1995, when Bowl Alliance officials announced their selection of Virginia Tech and Texas for the Sugar Bowl.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup
The game between the Hokies and the Longhorns was the first meeting of the two teams. The competition marked Virginia Tech's first trip to the annual Sugar Bowl game, but it was the Hokies' third consecutive bowl appearance. It was Texas' third Sugar Bowl appearance and its first since 1958. In exchange for playing in the game, each team received $8.3 million. Thanks to revenue-sharing agreements with Big East conference members, Virginia Tech received $3.5 million, minus expenses, for playing in the Sugar Bowl. Pregame media coverage of the event focused on Virginia Tech making its first appearance in a major bowl game and Texas' resurgence as a major college football power. On the field, attention was focused on Virginia Tech's strong defense and Texas' successful offense.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup
After the matchup was announced and betting on the game began, oddsmakers favored Texas to win the game, with spread bettors predicting Texas to win by one point. By December 21, Texas' margin had increased to 1.5 points. By December 31, the date of the game, oddsmakers predicted the Longhorns would win by two points.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Ticket sales, Virginia Tech
Because the 1995 Sugar Bowl was Virginia Tech's first major bowl game in school history, tickets and travel packages were in high demand. Prior to the first day of ticket sales, the price of travel packages skyrocketed due to demand. In Virginia, travel agencies hired temporary workers to meet demand, and in New Orleans, the demand for hotel rooms was so great that many hotels instituted a three-night minimum stay.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Ticket sales, Virginia Tech
Tickets officially went on sale December 4, and three days later, Virginia Tech had sold out its entire initial allotment of 15,000 tickets. A second allotment of 2,400 tickets was sold out in a few hours, leaving ticketless fans disgruntled. Many fans who were turned away at the Virginia Tech ticket office bought tickets from the secondary market or traveled to New Orleans in hopes of buying tickets at the game. So many Virginia Tech fans traveled to the game that the Montgomery County school district extended its winter break one day to avoid a shortage of teachers and students. The crowds also caused problems at Roanoke Regional Airport, the nearest airport to Virginia Tech. Forty-three aircraft chartered by Virginia Tech fans arrived in New Orleans on a single day.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Ticket sales, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech moved a December 31 men's basketball game from Blacksburg to the University of New Orleans' Lakefront Arena. The game tipped off at 11 a.m. CST, allowing fans enough time to attend both events.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Ticket sales, Texas
At the University of Texas, ticket sales likewise were rapid. On the first day of sales, Texas' ticket office received 10,500 orders. The demand was so great that some students camped overnight in front of the ticket office to ensure they would receive a ticket. Despite that initial surge in orders, as late as December 27, four days before the game, tickets were still readily available. In terms of chartered flights and the number of fans spending money at New Orleans businesses, Texas also trailed Virginia Tech.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Off-field problems
Three Virginia Tech players were charged with crimes before the Sugar Bowl: Linebacker Tony Morrison and receiver James Crawford were suspended indefinitely from the team and did not travel to the game. Morrison was arrested for public intoxication, petty larceny and destruction of property, while Crawford was charged with defrauding a garage keeper and felony hit and run. On December 12, cornerback Antonio Banks was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, but was not suspended from the team and played in the Sugar Bowl.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Off-field problems
On Virginia Tech's first night in New Orleans, redshirt center Keith Short missed the team's 2 a.m. curfew; in response, Tech head coach Frank Beamer ushered Short to the local Greyhound bus depot, and put the player on a bus back to his home in Richmond, forcing Short to pay the fare. The move was part of Beamer's attempt to keep his players focused on the upcoming game and not be distracted by the attractions of New Orleans.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Off-field problems
Beamer himself was the object of some off-field controversy when Georgia considered offering him its head football coaching job during the days prior to the Sugar Bowl. Beamer, a Virginia Tech alum, denied any interest in the position, and the controversy abated when Georgia hired Kansas' Glen Mason as its head coach on December 18. Mason changed his mind  hours before the Jayhawks faced UCLA in the Aloha Bowl, and Georgia hired Jim Donnan instead.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Off-field problems
The biggest off-the-field incident was revealed on the final weekend before the Sugar Bowl, when Texas reserve defensive back Ron McKelvey was revealed to be using an assumed name. In reality, he was a 30-year-old man named Ron Weaver who had played for a junior-college team and a small-college team under other assumed names. Weaver disappeared prior to the Sugar Bowl, but stated that he had used the assumed name in order to gather information for a book about the inner workings of Texas football. Weaver later pleaded guilty to a felony charge of misusing Social Security numbers, but he avoided jail and paid no fine.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Off-field problems
Due to the situation, Texas was not sanctioned by the NCAA, but Longhorns players later said the event was a severe distraction from pre-game preparations.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Texas offense
In 1995, the Texas Longhorns boasted a high-powered offense that accumulated 5,199 yards of total offense during the regular season. Texas' offense was No. 17 in the country and averaged 31.7 points per game and 6.1 yards per play.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Texas offense
The Longhorns were led on offense by quarterback James Brown, who completed 163 of 322 passes (50.6%) for 2,447 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. These figures were enough for him to set the Texas single-season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns. Brown finished the season with a passer rating of 177, No. 1 in the NCAA in 1995. He was limited in practices prior to the Sugar Bowl because of a sprained ankle suffered in Texas' final regular-season game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Texas offense
Brown's favorite receiver was Mike Adams, who led the Southwest Conference by catching 53 passes for 876 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. Adams was assisted by Justin McLemore, a sixth-year senior who caught 30 passes for 488 yards, including a 161-yard game against Houston. McLemore's 30 receptions were tied by tight end Pat Fitzgerald, who had eight touchdowns, No. 2 in the country for tight ends.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Texas offense
On the ground, Texas' rushing offense was led by two running backs: Ricky Williams and Shon Mitchell. Together, they averaged 207 yards per game, good enough for No. 22 nationally. Mitchell started at running back and gained 1,099 rushing yards. Williams accumulated 990 rushing yards during the regular season. That figure was a record for Texas freshmen. Protecting Williams, Mitchell, and Brown was a successful offensive line led by All-America guard Dan Neil.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Virginia Tech offense
The Virginia Tech offense progressed during the course of the regular season. In the Hokies' first six games, they averaged just 13.4 points. In their final six games, they averaged 42.3 points per game. Averaged across the season, Tech scored 29.2 points per game, good enough for No. 28 nationally. The Hokies also finished with 4,233 net yards and 321 points; both figures were in the top five for Virginia Tech season offenses to that point.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Virginia Tech offense
The Hokies were led on offense by quarterback Jim Druckenmiller, who completed 151 of his 294 pass attempts (51.4%) for 2,103 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Druckenmiller's favorite receiver was Bryan Still, who caught 32 passes for 628 yards and three touchdowns despite missing 2½ games due to an injured shoulder. Two of Still's receptions were for more than 80 yards apiece, making him the first Virginia Tech wide receiver to catch two passes of more than 80 yards in the same season.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Virginia Tech offense
On the ground, the Tech offense was led by two running backs: Ken Oxendine and Dwayne Thomas. Thomas was a fifth-year senior who accumulated 673 rushing yards and seven touchdowns despite missing three games due to injury. Opening the field for the Tech rushing attack was the offensive line led by center Bill Conaty, who played in the Sugar Bowl despite a leg fracture suffered in Tech's final regular-season game. Conaty underwent surgery and played despite not being fully healed.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Offensive matchups, Virginia Tech offense
One weakness in Virginia Tech's offense was in the kicking game, controlled by placekicker Atle Larsen. During the regular season, Larsen was successful on just 12 of 20 field goal attempts, and his longest successful kick was from just 44 yards away.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Defensive matchups, Virginia Tech defense
Virginia Tech's defense came into the 1995 Sugar Bowl ranked 10th in the country in total defense. This was due in large part to the Hokies' success in rushing defense. Tech boasted the No. 1 rushing defense in the country, allowing an average of only 77.4 yards per game on the ground. Tech also had the No. 5 scoring defense in the country, allowing just 14 points per game on average. Tech's defense was No. 11 in total, allowing just 285.9 yards per game. The Hokies also sacked opposing quarterbacks 44 times during the regular season and were ranked No. 23 in pass defense.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Defensive matchups, Virginia Tech defense
The Hokie defense was led by Cornell Brown, a first-team All-America selection who also won the Dudley Award, which is given to the top Division I college football player in Virginia. Brown finished the regular season with 103 tackles and 14 sacks during the regular season. Free safety William Yarborough led the Hokies' pass defense. He was named to the first-team All-Big East team and finished the 1995 regular season with five interceptions and 11 pass breakups, the most on the team in each category.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Defensive matchups, Virginia Tech defense
The Hokies also had excellent special teams defense. During the regular season, the Hokies blocked eight kicks, including four punts. In total, Tech scored six defensive touchdowns, a school record.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Defensive matchups, Texas defense
On defense, the Longhorns were ranked No. 55 nationally in total defense and No. 5 in the Southwest Conference. This was despite a marked improvement as the regular season progressed. Through their first six games, the Longhorns allowed 146 points and sacked opposing quarterbacks nine times. In their final six games, Texas allowed 81 points and accumulated 17 sacks. Their 16–6 win over Texas A&M marked the first time that school had been held without a touchdown in a Southwest Conference game in more than a decade.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Pregame buildup, Defensive matchups, Texas defense
Texas' defense was led by All-American Tony Brackens, who led the Longhorns in sacks (7) and tackles for loss (16) despite not playing three games due to a broken tibia. Brackens also had a blocked kick, five forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries. Defensive back Chris Carter led Texas in interceptions with six, which he returned a total of 146 yards. He also had the most pass break-ups on the team with nine. In total tackles, the Longhorns were led by linebacker Tyson King, who had 137—an average of 11.4 tackles per game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary
The 1995 Sugar Bowl kicked off at 6:30 p.m. CST on December 31, 1995, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game's officials were from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Michael Dover was the referee, William Wampler was the umpire, and Sam Stephenson was the linesman. A capacity crowd of 70,283 people attended the game, which was televised by the American Broadcasting Company. The crowd was the smallest to attend a Sugar Bowl in the Superdome to that point. Mark Jones was the play-by-play announcer for the broadcast, Todd Blackledge was the analyst, and Dean Blevins was the sideline reporter. Approximately 6,041,700 American households watched the broadcast, giving it a television rating of 6.3.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
Virginia Tech kicked off to Texas to begin the game, and the Longhorns returned the kick to the 35-yard line. On the first play of the game, Brown attempted to pass downfield, but Tech defended the Texas receivers and Brown scrambled for a four-yard loss. Texas regained the yardage after Tech committed a five-yard offsides penalty, then Longhorns running back Ricky Williams gained six yards on a run up the middle. A third-down pass fell incomplete, and the Longhorns went three and out on the first possession of the game. Texas punted, and the Hokies returned the kick to their 26-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
On Tech's first offensive play of the game, a pass by Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller was dropped. During the next play, Tech picked up four yards on a running play. On third down, Druckenmiller completed a pass to wide receiver Bryan Still, but the play fell one foot short of a first down. Tech punted after three plays, just as Texas had done. Texas returned the kick to its 22-yard line, and with 11:49 remaining in the quarter, the Longhorns began their second possession of the game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
The first play of the possession resulted in a five-yard penalty against Tech. The second play resulted in the initial first down of the game as Brown completed a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Mike Adams. After the first down, Williams picked up two yards on a running play, but Texas lost that short gain when Brown fumbled the ball during the next play. Brown lost seven yards, but recovered the ball. On third down, Brown attempted to scramble for the first down, but was stopped short of the line of scrimmage. Texas' punt was fair caught at the 29-yard line, and Virginia Tech began its second possession.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
Tech running back Dwayne Thomas gained nine yards on the first Tech play, then the Hokies earned their initial first down on an option run that gained three yards. After the first down, Druckenmiller threw an incomplete pass, then Thomas ran for a six-yard gain. On third down, a long pass downfield was knocked down by a Texas defender, and the Hokies punted back to Texas. The kick was fair caught at the 13-yard line, but Tech was penalized 15 yards for interfering with the catch.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
Texas began its third possession with 7:58 remaining in the quarter. From the 28-yard line, running back Shon Mitchell gained 14 yards and a first down at the 42-yard line. Brown then completed a 26-yard pass to Adams, who earned a first down at the Tech 32-yard line. Now in Tech territory, Mitchell gained eight yards on a run to the left side of the field. On second down, Williams ran straight ahead for a first down at the Tech 17-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
Mitchell then advanced to the 12-yard line on a running play, but Brown threw an incomplete pass on second down. Facing a third down and needing five yards, Texas was stopped for a short gain, but Tech was called for an offsides penalty. The five yards negated the third-down stop and gave Texas a first down at the six-yard line of Virginia Tech. Two plays later, Brown completed a pass to tight end Pat Fitzgerald, who ran into the end zone for a touchdown. The subsequent extra point kick was good, and Texas took a 7–0 lead with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
Virginia Tech downed Texas' subsequent kickoff in its end zone for a touchback, and the Hokies attempted to answer the Texas score starting at the Tech 20-yard line. During the first play after the kickoff, Texas and Tech both committed penalties. After the penalties, Tech had a first down at its 27-yard line. After the penalties, running back Ken Oxendine attempted to run up the middle of the field, but had the ball knocked loose by defender Tony Brackens. Texas recovered the fumble and the Longhorns' offense returned to the field at the Tech 32-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
After the turnover, Texas attempted a trick play, but the pass by a wide receiver was knocked down by the Virginia Tech defense. After an eight-yard gain on a running play, Texas was penalized 10 yards for holding. The Longhorns were unable to regain the yardage lost to the penalty and punted to the Hokies. With 2:15 remaining in the opening quarter, Tech fair caught the punt at its 19-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, First quarter
After a short gain on first down, Druckenmiller completed a 13-yard pass to fullback Brian Edmonds. The play resulted in a first down at the Tech 34-yard line. Two short plays resulted in six yards, setting up a third down and four yards. Rather than attempt a conversion prior to the end of the quarter, the Hokies let the clock roll down with the Longhorns in the lead, 7–0.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
The second quarter began with Virginia Tech in possession of the ball at its 40-yard line and facing a third-and-four situation. On the first play of the quarter, Druckenmiller completed a pass to Holmes for 13 yards and a first down at the Texas 47-yard line. Once there, however, Druckenmiller threw a pass that bounced off a Tech receiver and was caught by Texas defender Jason Reeves, who returned it to the Tech 33-yard line. On the first play after the turnover, the Texas offense lost four yards on a rushing play that went out of bounds.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
Brown then completed a two-yard pass to Fitzgerald, setting up a long third-down play. The Longhorns were unable to earn a first down and sent in kicker Phil Dawson to attempt a 52-yard field goal. The kick attempt equaled his career long and grazed one of the uprights of the goal post, but the kick was successful and gave Texas a 10–0 lead with 13:19 remaining in the first half.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
Texas' post-score kickoff was returned to the Tech four-yard line. A two-yard run was followed by an 11-yard carry by Ken Oxendine who earned a first down at the Tech 17-yard line. After the first down, Oxendine earned another six yards. Druckenmiller then completed a 13-yard pass to tight end Bryan Jennings for a first down at the Tech 35-yard line. Texas committed a five-yard offsides penalty, then a long pass downfield fell incomplete. Two more plays failed to gain a first down, and the Hokies punted.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
The Tech kick was returned to the 16-yard line of Texas, and with 9:15 remaining in the first half, the Longhorns began their first full possession of the quarter. On the first play of the possession, Brown completed a 15-yard pass to Adams. From the 31-yard line, Texas gained six yards on two plays, then the Longhorns were called for having an illegal player downfield during third down. Texas' punt was returned to the 20-yard line, and Tech's offense returned to the field.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
Running back Dwayne Thomas gained six yards on the first play, then earned a first down at the 30-yard line on an option play. After an incomplete pass, Druckenmiller completed a nine-yard throw to Still. Tech committed a false-start penalty on third down, but the Hokies made up the penalty and earned a first down when Druckenmiller completed a pass to Jennings at the Texas 45-yard line. On the first play after the completion, Druckenmiller was sacked for a one-yard loss. A second-down pass was dropped, a third-down pass was incomplete, and the Hokies punted again.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
Texas fair caught the punt at their 14-yard line. On the first play after the kick, a run up the middle was stopped for the loss of a yard. Williams then gained two yards, and Brown threw an incomplete pass. Texas went three-and-out for the first time in the second quarter and prepared to punt. Bryan Still fielded the kick at the Tech 40-yard line and returned it 60 yards to the end zone for Virginia Tech's first points of the game. The subsequent extra point was good, and with 2:34 remaining in the first half, Tech cut Texas' lead to 10–7.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
Adams returned Tech's kickoff to the Texas 21-yard line, and the Longhorns' offense took the field. On the first play, Brown completed a 13-yard pass to Adams, who earned a first down at the 34-yard line. Mitchell gained four yards on a running play, then Texas was penalized for having an ineligible player downfield. On the play after the penalty, Texas was penalized for an illegal formation, negating a completed pass for a first down. The Longhorns then faced a third down and 11, but Brown's third-down pass was knocked down and the Longhorns punted to end their final possession of the first half.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Second quarter
The ball bounced off a Virginia Tech player, causing a scramble for the loose ball. Virginia Tech recovered it at their 19-yard line, and Druckenmiller started a hurry-up offensive drive for the Hokies, who had 56 seconds to move into scoring possession. On the first play, Druckenmiller completed an 18-yard play to move the ball to the Tech 38-yard line. Druckenmiller then completed a 16-yard pass to Holmes for a first down at the Texas 46-yard line. From there, however, Druckenmiller threw three incomplete passes and Tech punted with 15 seconds remaining in the first half. Texas ran out the remaining seconds on the clock and went into halftime with a 10–7 lead.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Third quarter
The game's halftime show featured both school marching bands and a musical ensemble featuring music by The Beatles. Various high school marching bands also participated in the show, which was produced by Bowl Games of America.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Third quarter
Following halftime, Virginia Tech received the ball to begin the second half. Texas' kickoff was fielded by Antonio Banks, who returned it to the Tech 41-yard line. On the first play of the half, Thomas was tackled for a loss of two yards on a running play up the middle. After an incomplete pass, Druckenmiller completed a pass to Jennings, who fell down short of the first down marker. The Hokies punted, but Texas was called for a five-yard running into the kicker penalty and Tech opted to re-kick. After the second kick, Texas' offense started at its 17-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Third quarter
Texas' first possession of the second half began with a two-yard run to the right. After that, Brown completed a first-down pass to Adams at the Texas 28-yard line. Following an incomplete pass, Williams ran for a short gain and Texas was stopped short of the needed yardage on third down. After the punt, Tech's offense started at their 11-yard line. Thomas gained six yards on a rushing play, then Druckenmiller completed a two-yard pass to Edmonds. On third down, Texas' Brackens moved offsides and Tech was given a first down at their 24-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Third quarter
Thomas then broke free on a running play for an 11-yard gain and a first down at the Tech 35-yard line. After the first down, Druckenmiller scrambled for no gain, then Edmonds gained six yards on a running play. On third down, a Druckenmiller pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage by a Texas defender and the Hokies had to punt.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Third quarter
Texas returned the kick to its 32-yard line, and on the first play from scrimmage, Tech sacked Brown for a loss of nine yards. Williams regained five of the lost yards, but on third down Brown threw an incomplete pass. Texas' punt bounced out of bounds at the 33-yard line, and Virginia Tech's offense returned to the field with 5:30 remaining in the quarter.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Third quarter
The Hokies began their drive with a seven-yard pass from Druckenmiller to Marcus Parker. Oxendine then ran ahead and gained a first down at the 46-yard line. From there, Druckenmiller completed a 28-yard pass to Jennings at the Texas 26-yard line. Oxendine was tackled after a gain of two yards, then Tech was penalized five yards for an illegal shift. After being pushed back to the 30-yard line, Druckenmiller completed a 28-yard pass to Still, who picked up a first down at the Texas two-yard line. On the next play, Parker rushed through the Texas defense for the Hokies' first offensive touchdown of the game. The extra point kick was good, and with 2:32 remaining in the third quarter, Virginia Tech took its first lead of the game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Third quarter
Virginia Tech's kickoff was downed in the end zone for a touchback. Texas' offense thus began its drive at its 20-yard line. The first play of the drive was an end-around that gained 10 yards and a first down for Texas. After an incomplete pass, Mitchell gained five yards on a counter run. On third down, Williams caught a six-yard pass for a first down at the Texas 41-yard line. Mitchell ran six yards on first down, but was stopped after a gain of just one yard on second down. The second-down play caused the final seconds to tick off the clock in the third quarter, which ended with Virginia Tech leading, 14–10.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
The fourth quarter began with Texas in possession of the ball and facing a third down-and-three situation at its 47-yard line. On the first play of the quarter, Brown completed a first-down pass to wide receiver Matt Davis at the Tech 47-yard line. After a Texas pass was batted down, Mitchell ran to the left for a gain of two yards. On third down, Brown was pressured by the Virginia Tech defense and threw an interception to Virginia Tech's William Yarborough, who caught the ball at the Tech 31-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
After the turnover, Druckenmiller got Virginia Tech's drive started with a first-down pass to the Tech 42-yard line. After a short run by Edmonds, Druckenmiller threw an incomplete pass, setting up a third-and-seven for Virginia Tech's offense. During the third-down play, wide receiver Bryan Still broke free of the Texas defense and caught a 55-yard pass from Druckenmiller for Tech's second offensive touchdown of the game. The extra point kick was successful, and Tech took a 21–10 lead with 12:28 remaining in the game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
After Tech's kickoff was downed in the end zone, the Longhorns' offense began a new drive from their 20-yard line. Brown threw an incomplete pass, then completed a first-down pass to Adams at the 32-yard line. From there, Brown threw an incomplete pass, then tossed a 15-yard screen pass to Fitzgerald, who gained a first down at the Texas 42-yard line. Williams crossed into Virginia Tech territory on the next play as he ran straight ahead for a 13-yard gain. A one-yard run was followed by an incomplete pass, and on third down Brown threw an interception directly to Virginia Tech defender Torrian Gray, who returned the pass to the Tech 33-yard line.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
On the first play after the turnover, Druckenmiller completed a 16-yard pass to Cornelius White, who picked up a first down at the Tech 49-yard line. Texas then committed a five-yard offsides penalty before Oxendine ran forward for four yards. On the next play, Oxendine fumbled the ball after being hit by a Texas defender. The loose ball was picked up by a Texas defender, who returned it to the 50-yard line. Brown threw two incomplete passes, then Tech committed a five-yard penalty.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
On third down, Brown completed a 21-yard pass to Davis, who gained a first down at the Tech 24-yard line. After the long gain, Brown threw two more incomplete passes. On third down, Brown threw another interception to Gray, who returned the ball to the Tech 31-yard line and allowed the Hokies' offense to return to the field with 7:33 remaining in the game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
Tech's Thomas gained six yards on a run up the middle, then Druckenmiller ran ahead for a one-yard gain. On third down, Tech committed a 10-yard penalty, negating what would have been a first-down run. A long pass on third down fell incomplete, and Tech punted for the first time in the quarter. The Longhorns fair caught the ball at their 30-yard line with 5:25 remaining in the game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
Trailing by 11, and with time running down, Texas needed to score quickly. Brown threw an incomplete pass, then was sacked by the Virginia Tech defense. During the sack, Brown fumbled, and the ball was picked up by Virginia Tech's Jim Baron who returned it into the end zone for a Virginia Tech defensive touchdown. The extra point was good, and Tech expanded its lead to 28–10 with 5:06 remaining in the game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
After the score, Tech was penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration, allowing Texas a better chance to return the post-score kickoff. Texas' kick returner fumbled the return, however and the ball rolled out of bounds at the Texas 10-yard line. On the first play after the kickoff, Brown was sacked at the Texas two-yard line. Williams regained some of the lost yardage with a five-yard run, but on third down he was stopped after another five-yard gain. Rather than attempt to convert the fourth down, Texas punted with 2:33 remaining in the game.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Game summary, Fourth quarter
Virginia Tech returned the kick to their 43-yard line, and the Hokies proceeded to run out the clock by executing running plays—which do not stop the clock at their conclusion. Tempers ran high among Texas players, and Texas defender Stoney Clark was ejected from the game after throwing the football at a Virginia Tech player following the conclusion of a play. Texas was assessed two personal-foul penalties, which advanced the ball to the Texas 31-yard line and gave Virginia Tech a first down. Tech continued to run down the clock with rushing plays, and the Hokies brought in freshman backup quarterback Al Clark to supervise the game's final plays. The clock rolled to zero, and Virginia Tech secured a 28–10 victory.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Statistical summary
In recognition of his performance during the game, Virginia Tech wide receiver Bryan Still was named the game's most valuable player. He caught six passes for 119 yards and one touchdown. He also returned a punt for 60 yards and a touchdown, and his 27-yard reception in the third quarter set up Tech's third touchdown two plays later. Still's punt return was the longest in Virginia Tech bowl-game history to that point and was surpassed in the 2008 Orange Bowl when Justin Harper returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown. Tech tight end Bryan Jennings was the Hokies' second-leading receiver; he finished the game with six catches for 77 yards. Four other players had two or fewer receptions.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Statistical summary
On the opposite side of the ball, Texas' receiving corps was led by Mike Adams, who had six grabs for 92 yards. Tight end Pat Fitzgerald had the Longhorns' only receiving touchdown, and he finished the game with three catches for 21 yards. Three other players had two or fewer receptions.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Statistical summary
Both teams' quarterbacks benefited from the profusion of passing. Virginia Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller finished the game having completed 18 of his 34 pass attempts for 266 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also ran three times for a total gain of one yard. Texas quarterback James Brown completed 14 of his 36 pass attempts for 148 yards, three interceptions, and a touchdown. He rushed six times for -43 yards because sacks are counted as runs for negative yardage. Texas also was hurt by penalty yardage. The Longhorns' nine penalties for 91 yards are both Texas bowl-game records.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Statistical summary
On the ground, both teams' running back tandems gained appreciable yardage. Texas' Ricky Williams ran the ball 12 times for 62 yards, while Shon Mitchell had 15 carries for 59 yards. Virginia Tech's Dwayne Thomas carried the ball 15 times for 62 yards, and Ken Oxendine had eight carries for 31 yards. Four other Hokies (including Druckenmiller) had at least one carry.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Statistical summary
Defensively, both teams found success at times. In the first half, Texas' defense held the Hokies to just one touchdown, and that was not recorded until the second quarter. Virginia Tech's offense was extremely successful in shutting down the Longhorns' offense in the second half of the game. The Hokies shut out the Longhorns in that half, setting a bowl-game record for fewest points allowed in a half. Texas' 10 points, 78 yards rushing and 226 yards total offense were all season lows. In total, Tech's defense had nine tackles for loss, including five sacks of Brown.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Statistical summary
Linebacker Brandon Semones was Tech's leading tackler, and he had nine tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup. In pass defense, Torrian Gray had two interceptions, and William Yarborough had one. Gray's interceptions tied a Virginia Tech bowl-game record. Defensive tackle Jim Barron's fumble return for a touchdown was the first such score in the Sugar Bowl since a rule change in 1990.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Postgame effects
Virginia Tech's win lifted it to a final record of 10–2, while Texas' loss dropped it to a record of 10–2–1. Tech improved to 3–6 in bowl games, while Texas fell to 17–17–2. As a result of the win, Tech jumped to No. 10 in the final AP Poll of the year and No. 9 in the final coaches' poll of the year. Texas fell to No. 14 in both final polls. A large portion of Virginia Tech's bowl-game proceeds were devoted toward improving athletic facilities at the school, and more money was generated by a boom in merchandise sales that followed the game. Texas saw a similar but smaller boom in merchandise sales.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Postgame effects, Coaching changes
Several coaches from each team were fired or moved on to other jobs in the offseason following the 1995 Sugar Bowl. Virginia Tech co-defensive coordinator Rod Sharpless resigned to become the defensive coordinator at Rutgers University. Tech defensive line coach Todd Grantham was replaced by Charley Wiles after Grantham resigned to take the same job at Michigan State. To prevent Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer from likewise seeking a different position, the school signed him to a new five-year contract at a salary of more than $148,000 per year.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Postgame effects, Coaching changes
Texas head coach John Mackovic likewise received a contract extension through 2000. The new contract included an annual salary of $600,000, plus various other financial incentives. However, Mackovic was fired after the Longhorns went 4-7 in 1997, including an embarrassing 66-3 loss to UCLA in Austin.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Postgame effects, 1996 NFL Draft
As the final game of the 1995 college football season for Texas and Virginia Tech, the 1995 Sugar Bowl provided a final opportunity for players to demonstrate their skills on the field prior to the next NFL Draft. Several players from both teams announced their intention to enter the draft and attempt to play in the National Football League. Star Virginia Tech defender Cornell Brown was not one of these players. Prior to the draft, he announced his intention to remain at Tech for his senior year.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Postgame effects, 1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft took place on April 20–21, 1996. Virginia Tech had two players selected: wide receiver Bryan Still (41st overall) and J.C. Price (88th). Texas also had two players taken in the draft. Defensive end Tony Brackens was selected 33rd overall, and guard John Elmore was picked 139th.


1995 Sugar Bowl (December), Postgame effects, Official promotion
Side judge Rick Patterson was hired by the National Football League for the 1996 season. He was the side judge for Super Bowl XXXVII and Super Bowl XXXIX.


1995 Sugar Bowl (January)
The 1995 Sugar Bowl (January) was the 9th Sugar Bowl played on January 2 (since January 1 fell on a Sunday) and only the 13th to not be played on January 1. This was the 61st held Sugar Bowl, and it was the postseason game for the 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season. The game was a bowl rematch between the Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles who had played each other in the regular season on November 26.


1995 Sugar Bowl (January), Background
The two teams had drawn earlier in the season at Tallahassee just 37 days earlier on November 26. Florida State was champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference for the third straight year with a perfect 8-0 ACC record. This was the Seminoles' first Sugar Bowl since 1989. The Gators were 7-1 in the SEC with a loss to Auburn derailing their #1 ranking, but the Gators won the SEC East and beat Alabama in the 1994 SEC Championship Game to be SEC champions for the 2nd straight year and go to the Sugar Bowl for the third straight year. Due to the thrilling 31-31 tie earlier in the season, the rematch was billed as "The Fifth Quarter in the French Quarter".


1995 Sugar Bowl (January), Game summary
Judd Davis and Dan Mowrey traded field goals in the first quarter before Fred Taylor fumbled the ball, recovered by the Seminoles, which set up a crucial score. Warrick Dunn (who had 182 all purpose yards) threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to O'mar Ellison that gave the Seminoles a 10-3 lead early in the second quarter as FSU added a McCorvey touchdown catch from Danny Kanell later in the quarter to make it 17-3. But Danny Wuerffel retaliated with an 82-yard touchdown pass to Ike Hilliard to make it 17-10.


1995 Sugar Bowl (January), Game summary
Mowrey kicked a field goal before halftime to give the Seminoles a 20-10 lead at halftime. He later kicked his fourth field goal of the day in the third quarter to make it 23-10. But in the fourth quarter, Wuerffel would not be deterred, driving the Gators on an 80-yard drive that took 17 plays, culminating in a Wuerffel touchdown run with 3:47 left to play. Florida was given a chance at their own 19 with 2:27 remaining after a Seminole punt, but Derrick Brooks intercepted Wuerffel's pass as the Seminoles held on to win their first Sugar Bowl since 1989.


1995 Sugar Bowl (January), Aftermath
The Bowl Alliance would replace the Bowl Coalition and the Sugar Bowl was part of the agreement (along with the Orange and Fiesta Bowls) to try and provide a proper national championship while also working with the premier conferences to satisfy them. The first season that the Alliance would be in place would be the 1995 season, which consequently moved that season's Sugar Bowl to December 31. Both teams would return to the Sugar Bowl two years later, this time for the national championship.