When learning about the history of Virginia Tech football, an oft-asked, inherent question… When learning about the history of Virginia Tech football, an oft-asked, inherent question must first be addressed.

What the heck is a Hokie, anyway?

In 1896, Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College changed its name to Virginia Polytechnic Institute. In order to celebrate the name change, the school held a contest to produce a new school cheer for its fledgling football program (Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical began club play in 1891).

Virginia Tech senior O.M Stull won the contest with his “Old Hoki” cheer, which is still used today. Stull later admitted the term “Hoki” had no specific meaning, but was just a nonsense word that he had made up to grab some attention for his cheer.

The tactic worked, as the letter “e” was eventually added and the “Hokie yell” personified the school’s spirit until the late 1970s, when “Hokie” became the official nickname for Tech’s teams. Today, the term “Hokie” simply describes a loyal Virginia Tech fan.

Virginia Tech first grabbed national attention in 1905, when the “Gobblers” (its former nickname) went 9-1 behind future College Football Hall of Fame halfback Hunter Carpenter. Carpenter scored 82 of the team’s 305 points that season, as the Gobblers earned victories over the Army, North Carolina and South Carolina.

In 1921, Virginia Tech became a charter member of the newly formed Southern Intercollegiate Conference (later known simply as the Southern Conference). The conference’s membership shifted many times, but it boasted such powerhouses as Alabama, Auburn and Georgia, making it one of the toughest college football conferences in the first half of the century. Tech remained in the conference until 1965, when it withdrew to become an independent.

In 1932, the Gobblers went 8-1, with their only loss coming on the road to Alabama in a game that determined the Southern Conference champion. Virginia Tech posted its first undefeated season in 1954, but narrowly missed out on the Southern Conference championship, finishing second behind the West Virginia Mountaineers.

The elusive title finally reached Blacksburg, Va., in 1963. Under the tutelage of head coach Jerry Claiborne, the Gobblers rode a dominating running game to victories over Florida State and archrival VMI to finish 8-2 and win the team’s only outright Southern Conference title.

The Gobblers made their first Bowl Game in 1947, when they traveled to El Paso, Texas, to take on Cincinnati in the Sun Bowl. The Gobblers didn’t return to postseason play until 1966, and they didn’t get their first Bowl victory until 1986, when they defeated N.C. State 25-24 in the Peach Bowl. But postseason play is currently routine for the Hokies, as they have reached bowl games in nine out of the last 10 seasons, including two Sugar Bowls and an Orange Bowl.

In 1987, Frank Beamer became the first Virginia Tech alum to coach his alma mater. It didn’t take long for “Beamer Ball” to be synonymous with outstanding special teams play, a healthy ground game and championship football. In his 16 years at Tech, Beamer has earned a school-record 115 victories, won three Big East championships (1995, 1996 and 1999) and led the Hokies to eight top 25 finishes.

Virginia Tech’s finest team in school history took the field in 1999. Led by freshman standout Michael Vick at quarterback and All-America defensive end Corey Moore, the Hokies plowed through Syracuse, won at Virginia and earned their fifth straight victory against Miami to finish 11-0. The record earned the Hokies the No. 2 ranking in the country and a chance to play for the national championship.

Virginia Tech met old nemesis Florida State in the 2000 Nokia Sugar Bowl. The heavily favored Seminoles jumped out to a 28-7 lead in front of 79,280 Superdome spectators. But Vick led the offense to 22 unanswered points to grab a 29-28 third quarter lead.

Florida State’s big play defense would prove to be too much for the Hokies in the end, and the Seminoles scored 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to cap a 46-29 victory and their second national championship. The Seminoles won the game, but Virginia Tech was the biggest surprise in college football, finishing second in the overall rankings.

The Hokies will attempt to repeat their 1999 feat when they meet Pitt for the ninth time on Saturday. Virginia Tech holds a 7-2 advantage in the series, and the Panthers have never won in Blacksburg. Last year, the Panthers defeated a then 12th ranked Virginia Tech team 38-7 at Heinz Field to keep their hopes for a winning season alive. This year’s game has loftier consequences, as both teams are undefeated in the Big East.