Bowl Stanford Cardinal will face Virginia Tech Football Game.

Today in Miami, the Stanford football team will make its first appearance at a Bowl Championship Series game since 2000, drawing from across the country thousands of fans and a big academic question: should these students’ absences from the first two days of winter quarter be excused by the University?

After Stanford accepted an invitation to play in the Orange Bowl, Provost John Etchemendy Ph.D. ‘82 wrote an e-mail on Dec. 13 to all faculty asking them to “remain flexible” with students who miss classes for the Orange Bowl. His letter called the game “a tremendous accomplishment for the players and a source of pride and excitement for our students and alumni.” Naming Stanford’s football team as “exceptional in its success,” he requested that faculty accommodate all students who miss classes to “show the team the support they deserve.”

A quick perusal of the Stanford roster of 104 players shows fully a third of them weigh in over 250 pounds and stand 6 feet, 5 inches or taller. Coach Harbaugh likes to recruit players he can literally look up to from his 6 foot 3 inch height.

We’re here to give you play by play and score updates of tonight’s Orange Bowl.

First quarter: at 8:08 Standford gives 4 plays 86 yards Jeremy Stewart rush for 60 yards for a Touchdown (6-0) followed by Nate Waitaker extra point (7-0). Andrew Luck pass complete to Derek Hall for a loss of 5 yards to the Stanf 0 ), tackled by Chris Drager for a safety gives Virginia Tech 2. Stanford with a lead (7-2) end of 1st quarter.

Second Quarter: Tyrod Taylor pass complete to David Wilson for 11 yards for a touchdown at 14:45 of 2nd quarter. Chis Hazely extra good point gives VATECH 9-7 lead. Andrew Luck pass complete to Zach Ertz for 25 yards for a touchdown and Stanford leads at 13-9. At 0:47 Chris Hazley VATECH makes 37 yard field goal 13-12 favor of Stanford and that ends 2nd quarter.