The Blacksburg mystique

If you've been around for a while, you remember the days that Lane Stadium was one of the most bland, ordinary and nondescript settings around.

Nothing against what it used to be; I'm sure it had its charms that you aren't able to identify when you're viewing it from afar.

But the evolution of the stadium and the game-day atmosphere over the last, say, 15 years has been nothing short of spectacular. Similar to what happened to Florida State's Doak Campbell Stadium after the Seminoles had risen to prominence, Lane Stadium has gradually transformed from a high-school-looking structure to an impressive setup.

And a rabid, bloodthirsty fan base that fills the 66,000 seats has made this, pound for pound, the most intimidating home-field advantage you'll find.

When the Hokies are whipped into a lather, they're hard to beat at home. One reason for Clemson fans to be nervous is that Virginia Tech 1) hasn't played all that well and isn't feeling great about itself, and 2) has been slowly building to this moment with a procession of decidedly inferior opponents.

We all know what happened in 2006 when Clemson ventured there for the last time, and what unfolded that night is mostly irrelevant five years later. But it is useful to note the Hokies' state of mind entering that game.

They suffered a jolting home loss to Georgia Tech. Then they went on the road and absorbed a 22-3 pummeling at Boston College.

While Clemson was tearing apart Georgia Tech on national television, Virginia Tech was taking care of Southern Miss 36-6.

And no need to rehash what happened five days later in Blacksburg. But the Hokies were underdogs entering that bloodletting and facing a bunch of scrutiny and questions. Clemson was fat and happy and getting a bunch of national love.

The point of all this is to say that a season is an emotional rollercoaster, and well-coached teams often respond when given time to get their minds right.

Two years ago, Virginia Tech was tremendously fortunate to beat Nebraska in an early-season game in Blacksburg. Miami was up next, and just about everyone thought the Hokies were going down. Virginia Tech ended up throttling the Hurricanes 31-7.

Here's a list of Virginia Tech's home losses over the past five-plus seasons:

2006: Georgia Tech, 38-27
2007: Boston College, 14-10
2008: None
2009: North Carolina, 20-17
2010: James Madison, 21-16
2011: None yet

Don't take all this to mean the Tigers can't win Saturday night; they can.

But the bottom line: Expect Virginia Tech's best effort. Expect a crowd that will be jacked to the hilt.

If the Tigers walk out of there with a win, they'll have done something special.

LW