The game was the final contest of the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams, and ended in a 20–10 victory for Miami.

Tech was awarded a bid to the Peach Bowl as a reward for finishing 8–3 during the regular season, a record that included wins over nationally ranked teams such as the Clemson Tigers and the Virginia Cavaliers.

Late in the second quarter, Tech was finally able to get on the scoreboard with a field goal, but at halftime, the Miami Hurricanes led 14–3.

During that season, the team was nicknamed the "Jet Lag Kids" after they traveled an NCAA-record 28,000 miles (45,000 km), including a trip to the Mirage Bowl in Tokyo, Japan.

[2] Miami got off to a good start doing just that as it raced out to four consecutive wins to begin the season, including a victory over nationally ranked rival No.

In the season opener, Tech traveled to North Carolina to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

[7] Virginia Tech won its first four games of the regular season before falling to the nationally ranked Clemson Tigers on October 4.

[7] Tech recovered from the loss, defeating Rhode Island, then Virginia before a then-state record crowd of 52,000 people,[8] but lost a second game, to Richmond on October 25.

[10] Tech's selection by the Peach Bowl was announced in the locker room following the team's final regular season game.

[14] Leading the aerial portion of the Miami offense was sophomore quarterback Jim Kelly, who completed 109 of 206 passes for 1,519 yards, 11 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

[14] The Hurricanes' ground offense was led by running back Smokey Roan, who carried the ball 152 times for 669 yards and five touchdowns.

Miami offensive tackle John Canei was named as an honorable mention to the Associated Press All-America team, which recognizes the best college football players in the country.

[16] Middle guard Jim Burt was one of the Hurricanes' defensive leaders, recovering four fumbles in a single game during the regular season.

[20] Casey's favorite target was wide receiver Sidney Snell, who caught a Tech-record eight touchdown receptions during the regular season.

[10] The leading tackler on the Tech defense was freshman linebacker Ashley Lee, who accumulated 95 tackles during the regular season.

Tech head coach Bill Dooley lobbied in vain for Brown's inclusion in the annual All-America list recording the best college football players in the country, saying, "Robert Brown is an All-American football player ... but because he was a transfer student, he received no preseason buildup.

[10] The 1981 Peach Bowl kicked off at 3 p.m. EST on January 2, 1981, at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia in front of a crowd estimated at 45,384 people.

Miami won the traditional pregame coin toss used to decide first possession and elected to receive the ball to begin the game.

After a one-yard rush, Kelly completed his first pass of the game, an 18-yard toss that drove Miami to the Tech 49-yard line and gave the Hurricanes a first down.

Fullback Chris Hobbs and running back Smokey Roan alternated carries, picking up yardage and first downs before entering Virginia Tech territory.

[21] From their one-yard line, the Hurricanes ran a short rush up the middle, then Kelly connected on a 28-yard pass to tight end Mark Cooper for a first down.

After entering the Miami red zone, however, Tech was unable to gain a first down and Casey was sacked for a loss of 13 yards.

With just 21 seconds remaining in the first half, Tech attempted to gain quick yardage in an effort to close within field goal distance.

Though Lawrence picked up 15 yards and a first with a rush, the Gobblers were unable to enter the Miami side of the field before time expired.

There, Casey completed his longest pass of the game – a 42-yard throw to tight end Rob Purdham – that gave Tech a first down at the Miami 14-yard line.

Despite having a chance to take the lead with a successful drive, the Gobblers also went three and out, punting back to Miami and allowing the Hurricanes to begin a possession at their 33-yard line.

Miami received the ball with 1:24 remaining and ran a series of inconsequential plays to draw down the clock and bring the game to an end.

[28] Virginia Tech running back Cyrus Lawrence finished the game with 27 carries for 137 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Eventual star players Bruce Smith and Jesse Penn signed letters of intent with Virginia Tech following the game.

Miami quarterback Jim Kelly, a sophomore during the 1981 Peach Bowl, was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft and went on to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his performance during 10 seasons with the Buffalo Bills.