There's been a ton of banter back-and-forth on "why Beamer should stay" and/or "why he needs to hang it up" (and quite a number of threads). This is NOT that kind of thread. Let me repeat: this is NOT that thread. I want to know what the community feels were/are the top 5 (or whatever) high points in the program's history and the top 5 (or whatever) low points during Beamer's history. This is not supposed to be a thread on why Beamer should hang it up or why Beamer is equal to or greater than the sum of Tech football (I cannot overemphasize that enough). So please keep it civil and state your points for both categories. Here's mine:
Top 5 Highs
1. Obvious '99 season
2. '95 season with W over Texas in Sugar Bowl
3. '14 rocking W over anOSU at the Shoe
4. '11 38-0 over uva at Lane Stadium North
5. '09 over Cincy Orange Bowl (1st BCS W and monkey off back)
Honorable mentions: '07 W over fsu while Bowden was still coach (monkey off back) and '10 ACCCG
Top 5 lows
1. Loss to Jmfu '10
2. Loss to WtF '14
3. Loss to Temple '98
4. Loss to Cal (Insight Bowl) '03
5. Marcus Vick debacle '03 and '05
Dishonorable mention: promoting Stinespring to OC and keeping him in that position until '12.
You can have as many or few points as you like but try to have at least 5 for both.
Comments
Mostly agree:
Highs:
National Championship game when VT went up 29-28
Ohio State game 2014
1993 Independence Bowl
1995 Sugar Bowl
1995 Miami game
Lows:
I agree with your top 3
2012 Rutgers bowl game (I actually love the Cal game, despite the loss)
Hiring Mike O'Cain
Good idea for a thread.
I think I would put that 2007 win over FSU on the list over 38-0 Bro and even the BCS win. I remember going absolutely bananas watching that game with the Hokie alum out here in AZ.
As for lows, I would replace #4. The guy that beat us that day is about to win his 2nd MVP (and probably get eaten alive by Kam Chancellor this weekend if his calf doesn't heal miraculously). I think the Orange bowl losses to Stanford and....puke...Kansas were way worse.
In terms of Marcus Vick, I know we as Hokie fans reflect on that time period a lot, but outside of that I don't think people really think about him anymore on a national level, and outside of perhaps some UVA dolts, don't really hold it against us the fact that he was on our team. He was a great talent that was also a mental midget, I think most fans of college football have had a good number of those types of guys on their own teams.
Highs
1 - Sugar Bowl win in 1995
2 - Going up in the 3rd quarter of the 2000 Sugar Bowl
3 - 2009 Orange Bowl
4 - 2014 Ohio St win
5 - 2010 win over FSU in Charlotte
Honorable Mention: 1999 Syracuse, 1995 UVa, 2004 Miami
Bottom 5 lows
1 - 1998 Temple
2 - 2010 JMU
3 - 2014 Wake Forest
4 - 2003 OT win over Temple
5 - 2007 LSU
Dishonorable Mention: 2005 Miami, 1st quarter 2014 ECU, 2008 ECU.
I'll explain... Each of those Top 5 were program-altering moments. Once that made the entire sports world sit back and go "woah, Virginia Tech isn't who we thought". That win over Texas put us on the map and got us the momentum that we carried into the 1999 season. Without that season and without that win, we likely don't continue moving like we did. Single biggest win in school history. It was a huge program changer. 3 years before we were a 2 win team, on the verge of firing a coach, and we go out there and whip big boy Texas with Ricky Williams and put ourselves on the map. And then I have to include the 2010 season because we not only beat Florida St down for the ACC title, but we also ran undefeated through conference play to do it. Nobody had beaten FSU before with a title on the line, and we pulled it off. We showed we're a legitimate power within the conference, and to this day people in the Coastal still understand that the path to Charlotte goes through us.
As for the bad moments, they're all moments that made us an object of ridicule nationally, significantly damaging our reputation in the process. Reason I have 1998 Temple over the JMU loss is that we were #14 that day, at home, on Homecoming, with more than enough time to prepare. At least newscasters somewhat gave us the benefit of the doubt looking back for the 5 days of rest for the JMU game. As for the 2003 game against Temple, I mean... a one point win over awful Temple while you're the #12 team in the country. Even in a win, our rep was hurt that day. And then the 2007 LSU loss, which at the end of the day cost us a chance at playing for the National Championship despite finishing the season #1 according to the computers. The way analysts were talking about us at the time, even a win over Boston College in THAT game wouldn't have helped because of the woodshed beating we took against LSU. Had a tough time not including the 2005 Miami loss, because that one essentially destroyed all positive momentum we had built up on ESPN, and we never again regained it. We died as a legitimate program in ESPN GameDay's mind that night.
That LSU loss was terrible. We were never in it and only Tyrod's late heroics put any points on the board. There were LSU fans who heckled me late into the 3rd quarter then said "Man, we feel bad for you, we'll stop". When a fanbase STOPS heckling you it is a dark day indeed. Ouch. Statistically the worse loss in the Beamer era. And in hindsight if we played any other team that year, there is an argument that can be made that we sneak into the national title.
And while were at it, throw the Matty Ice Miracle game in here.
I think you absolutely nailed the top 5 highs, and I would put them in the exact same order as you too. Gotta disagree a little bit with the lows though. I get what you're saying about 98 Temple, but IMO there is nothing that even comes close to the JMU embarrassment. We were ranked #13 in the country and lost to an FCS team, in Blacksburg, with Senior Tyrod Taylor at QB and Williams, Evans, Coale, & Boykin also on offense. I would also replace your #4 low with the '92 season where we only won 2 games in Beamer's 6th year.
Eh...the game wasn't televised. So it's not like many folks outside of Temple saw it.
And it was our lone win following the Miami beatdown, surrounding by losses against Pitt, BC, and UVA. I don't think it was just that game that affected our rep...it was the entire month of November.
the dreaded maroon swoon
Highs:
1. 1999. Simple as that.
2. Texas win in 1995. That was our first awesome, signature win that put us on the map and gained us respect.
3. The 2004 season. Making it to the ACC in 2004, being picked 6th place, and ending up winning.
4. 2003 Miami game. Ass whippin'
5. 2005 Miami game (Pre-game). Before the beat down that we took, I think that was the highest we've ever been on the college football mountain. Even higher than the 1999 NGC, because people actually thought belonged on the top.
Honorable Mention: 2014 Ohio State.
Lows:
1. The 2005 Miami game. That the was best, most talented Tech team since 1999 (2007 was good but had Glennon), and that year was our best shot to make it back to the NCG, but we fell on our face that game.
2. Boise State 2010. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh
3. JMU 2010. 5 days after the Boise game.
4. Wake Forest 2014. Worst football game I've ever seen.
5. Keeping Stiney around. Also, hiring O'cain and Newsome.
Honorable mention:
Michigan, Sugar Bowl 2012. They simply beat themselves, players and coaches. Plus, I was there.
What about the 2006 Chick Fil A Bowl for a low point? Up by 21 and losein OOgly fashion...
34-17 win @ West Virginia in 2005. Secured us the Black Diamond trophy for a long while. Not to mention WVUs only loss of that season.
I am going to go off of what I have experienced
Top 5
1. Beating FSU 07 First win for Beamer against FSU
2. 38-0 vs UVA
3. 2009 Orange Bowl - To my understanding we finally got the monkey off our back
4. 2011 VT vs Miami - Thomas game winning run
5. 2014 Ohio State
Bottom 5
1. BC @ VT 07 - That was ridiculous to watch.....
2. JMU loss
3. Wake Forest loss this year.
4. Loss to Michigan
5. Having to burn TT redshirt
Highs:
1. 2000 Sugar Bowl appearance- I was there. looking up at scoreboard at the end of the 3rd was euphoric.
2. 1995 Sugar Bowl win
3. 2010 ACC championship win over FSU-I was there, and it felt soooo good. Even though it was icing and freezing.
4. beating #2 Miami in 2003-I rushed the field and touched the grass. Awesome
5. beating #8 Ohio state in 2014 on the road- I sold my tickets due to cost and will die regretting it.
Lows:
1. JMU/Boise 2010-driving back from DC was as sick as I've ever felt. ever.
2. Temple 98-ESPN had fun with this one-Temple had potholes in there practice fields man!
3. Michigan 2011-Only sickness worse was after Boise.
4. LSU 2007- I was there but luckily I was very drunk. great tailgate tho.
5. Clemson 2011 ACC championship-that wasn't fun.
I'll never forget N'awlins in 99, Charlotte in 2010, or all the great players we have had. I could name 50 that just make me so proud. I'll also never forget the sickness of driving back from DC after Boise or the aftermath of Michigan in 2011. Those hurt real bad-still do.
the Boise game actually made me reassess my fandom
I'd put the loss to Stanford on the lows list.
I've come to not regard that game so badly with the success of the QB and the coach from that game.
Turns out Stanford was stacked that game.
On one hand I agree, on the other, that was our shot at redemption. We had barely lost to Boise, then we became the laughing stock of FBS football. We battled our way back and became the first ACC team to go undefeated in conference (I think - someone fact check for me). We were hot going against Stanford. I remember that it was the first VT games ever I had been more confident in our team at half time than at kick off. Then we drop the ball.
Perhaps this game gets filed under "heart breaking losses" rather than "program lows." The list of the former is far longer than the list of the latter. Not sure if that's good or bad.
One game that was on my high and low list was the 2001 Miami game. Such an exciting and heartbreaking game, going toe to toe with the eventual national champs, the punt block, and the dropped 2 pt conversion. I remember just standing there after the game, pissed off that we had lost but proud of the effort and exhausted from the ups and downs of the game.
I strongly considered the block punt/TD for my top 5 highs. The loudest I've ever heard the stadium.
There is no doubt in my mind that was the loudest Lane has ever been. Just imagine if the South EZ had been closed in then.
I remember going nuts in the bleachers and watching my 60 year old dad with 6-7 knee operations jumping like a maniac after the blocked punt.
One of the lows could be this years loss vs. Miami at home on a Thursday night...
we do not lose many night games in Blacksburg.... (except here recently it seems).
Maybe not a top 5 high but I'd think the Nebraska game at Lane, particularly the last drive, might have get honorable mention. Hair on my arms stand up every time I re-watch.
Top:
1) 1995 Sugar Bowl
-First win to propel us into the national spotlight
2) 1999 Sugar Bowl run
3) 2004 ACCCG
-Proved we could win outside of the Big East
4) Seven 10-win seasons in a row
-Nearly unprecedented
5) 2003 Miami
Close 6) 2010 8-0 in the ACC
Locked up in the basement:
1) JMU
2) 1998 Temple
3) Wake Forest
4) LSU 2007
5) 2012-2014 seasons overall
Close 6) Matt Ryan
Let's not forget that we beat the eventual National Champs. I think that's the first time we've done that, at least in any form of "modern" era.
Surprised no one has said Boise State loss. I went to that game and it was one of the most depressed times for me when it comes to Hokie football.
At least it was the first time I saw the team erase a 17 point deficit. Fortunately, we were able to do the same and win later on that year.
Heck I've got 5 highs just for 1999.
1. Making it to the natty title game, no one gave us a chance to even get to it.
2. Mike Vick in the Sugar bowl.
3. MIRACLE In Morgantown!
4. Corey Moore vs Clemson! Welcome to the Terrordome!
5. Game day inside lane vs cuse the start of modern day college gameday and an absolute beatdown!
For program altering mine are similar, but here are mine based on games I attended vs games I watched on TV:
Highs:
1. Neb win at home (I'll never forget the feeling or details of the last few minutes of the game)
2. 1995 Sugar Bowl Win (still sort of recall celebrating on Bourbon St)
3. 1999 BC - Last game when we clinched title shot (I still remember that feeling)
4. 2003 Miami (still remember feeling of taking turf from midfield)
5. 2007 FSU win (I still can hear that Brandon Flowers hit)
6. (Hon Mention): Hurricane Bowl TA&M win (still feel those hurricane wins)
Lows:
1. 2007 BC loss (Rain/Ryan Game) - I remember this heartbreaker the most because it was the most dominating defensive performance for 56+- minutes I had ever witnessed in a complete downpour and loudest Lane that I recall until it stopped raining with 4 minutes left, and after clock hit zero you could hear a pin drop as people left the stadium
2. 2005 Miami loss (what a debacle!!! - biggest real loss was all the recruits that came to that game)
3. 2001 Miami loss (I still remember the Miami fans faces behind sitting behind me)
4. 1998 Temple loss (I can still remember the last few plays of that game like it was yesterday)
5. 2013 Duke loss (I'm still fuming about this one - we never, ever, ever, ever, ever should have lost this game or any football game to Duke.....ever....ever....did I say ever.........
Obviously 2010 JMU and 2014 WF losses are beyond ridiculous but fortunately for me I couldn't attend them...