As #3 Virginia Tech steams full speed ahead into Pittsburgh, Frank Beamer has his team on letdown alert - as well he should. For if history has anything to say about it, the Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon locomotive may be headed for a derailment.

Tech has been powerful throughout the 90's, going nose to nose against some of the toughest competition around. They have the best winning record of any Big East team since joining the conference. They've owned Miami the past 4years, and Syracuse has yet to win a game in Lane Stadium. Yet, somehow VT manages to stumble at least once each year to an overlooked underdog. That doesn't bode well for a Tech team that should be favored in all their remaining games.

History can be hard to overcome. Just ask Nebraska head coach, Frank Solich. Although favored to beat conference foe Texas in their last three meetings, the Cornhuskers have been unable to rewrite the script provided them. In the past four years, Texas twice cost Nebraska a potential shot at the national title. Conversely, the one year of Big-12 conference play where the Big Red machine didn't face the Longhorns (1997), they marched on to a perfect season and a National Championship.

Two years ago, coming off a tough Miami win, the Hokies traveled to Pittsburgh ranked #15 in the country. A win there would have secured the conference title for the Hokies, but it was not to be. Pitt prevailed in a 30-23 battle.

This year’s Panthers may pose an even bigger threat to the Hokies. Presently tied for 5th place in the Big East, overlooking them would be easy. However, their 4-3 record includes a close call against Syracuse and a 3-point loss to #2 Penn State where they were a 5-touchdown underdog. The Nittany Lions have averaged 230 yards rushing in 7 other games this season (similar rushing stats to Tech’s 242 ypg average), but could only muster 65 yards on 41 attempts against Pitt. A blocked field goal in the final seconds was the only thing keeping the game from overtime.

The Panthers also boast a potent passing attack to complement their stingy rush defense - a nasty combination that could prove dangerous against the Hokies. Pitt leads the Big East in passing offense with 233.9 ypg. Last week alone, quarterback David Priestly passed for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Before the 1999 season began, everyone was looking ahead to a November 13 matchup with Miami as the measuring stick for this season. Early losses by Miami combined with the woodshed beating administered to Syracuse earlier this month have many Hokies booking trips to Bourbon Street to ring in the New Year. Beamer avoids any talk of National Championships though, choosing instead to focus his troops on winning the next battle. He isn’t even calling his opponents by team name. He is instead referring to them simply by their associated game number in an attempt to prevent overlooking an underdog opponent. But, if the past is any indicator, game number seven is the one that should strike fear into the hearts of Hokie faithful. Especially those who purchased non-refundable tickets to New Orleans.

Looking at the past few years, a disturbing trend becomes apparent. In 1996,the Hokies jumped out to a 3-0 start, losing their 4th game to Syracuse. In 1997, VT had a 4-0 record when Miami of Ohio pulled off the upset. In 1998, the record had grown one more before a loss. This time, it was Temple's turn to dash the hopes of the 5-0 Hokies. Now, it's 1999, and the Hokies are 6-0, facing a Pittsburgh team they are heavily favored against. Can you say deja vu?

Ironically, Tech's best finish came during a year when it started out poorly. In 1995, an unknown VT team snuck up on some people unaware. Starting out the season 0-2, including a loss against Cincinnati, no one expected much from them. That set the stage for them to shock Miami in their next outing with a 13-7 victory in Lane Stadium. The Hokies would not lose a game for the remainder of the season, finishing with a Sugar Bowl victory over Texas.

That season set the stage for Tech’s rise to prominence. Today, few conversations coming from Blacksburg lack the words "undefeated" and "National Championship." However, the only way the Hokies can fulfill that dream is for one of the two teams above them in the polls to falter and for our beloved Hokies to win their remaining games. That’s no easy task, as FSU's Bobby Bowden will attest. Although he's arguably fielded the best teams in the 90's, he too has yet to finish with an unblemished record.

Even so, after watching the Hokies dismantle what I thought to be a powerful Syracuse team, it’s hard for me to imagine Tech having any trouble with Pitt. After all, Syracuse beat the Panthers just a few weeks ago, and VT slaughtered the Orangemen. "There’s no way they can lose this one," I tell myself. "Impossible."

Of course, that’s the same smug and self-assured voice I heard in my head a year ago.... "There’s no way VT can lose to Temple. Impossible."