Virginia Tech Football

Must see in town: The mountains around Blacksburg, which is located on a plateau in southwest Virginia between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Nearby are such recreational areas as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, Clayton Lake and the New River.

Stadium: Lane Stadium/Worsham Field

Size: 66,233

How named: Alumnus Edward H. Lane headed a foundation that raised $3 million for the original construction. Fans Wes and Janet Worsham helped raise $18.6 million for expansion in 1992.

History: The team’s longest winning streak at Lane is 16 games, between 1999 and 2001.

Stadium record: 161-64-6

Greatest moment: Nov. 26, 1999. Quarterback Michael Vick produced 366 yards of offense as the Hokies beat Boston College 38-14 to finish 11-0 and advance to the Sugar Bowl to play Florida State for the national championship.

Unique feature: In 2002, Virginia Tech became the first college team to have a state-of-the-art Green Tech ITM grass field. The grass and drainage system can handle up to 16 inches of rain an hour.

Best tradition at school: Hokies, the Tech nickname. What’s a Hokie? It’s a product of the imagination of student O.M. Stull, who won a contest by writing the best cheer. Stull liked the sound of the word “Hokie” in his cheer. A “Hokiebird” has become the Virginia Tech mascot.

Legend you might see at the game: Vick, the Falcons quarterback, when he has an open weekend.

Most famous player: Bruce Smith, an All-American for the Hokies, went on to become the all-time sacks leader in the NFL. He was known as “Mr. Sacks.”

Most famous coach: Frank Beamer, the current coach of the Hokies, has taken the team to 13 consecutive bowls and has been named ACC coach of the year for both of the seasons Tech has been a member of the conference. Beamer is 146-79-2 in 19 seasons. No other Tech coach has won more than 64 games.

Most famous fan: Carroll Dale, Virginia Tech’s first All-American and the first Hokies player to have his jersey retired. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Best reason to dislike Virginia Tech: They fire a cannon, called “Skipper,” after every Virginia Tech score. That can get old if you are on the losing side.