On September 12th 1999, the streak began for Virginia Tech. I'm talking about Virginia Tech being ranked in the Top 10 in one of the two major college football polls. The days of "others receiving votes" are a distant memory.

On that eventful date, the ESPN/USA Today Top 10 was as follows (the AP poll had the same schools, but in different order, and Tech was # 10 there as well):

1. Florida State
2. Tennessee
3. Penn State
4. Florida
5. Michigan
6. Nebraska
7. Texas A&M
8. Wisconsin
9. Miami
10. Virginia Tech

Currently, the Hokies are sitting at over 30 consecutive weeks in the Top 10! Not bad for that little college in Blacksburg.

Tech is not a stranger to the Top 10. According to the 2001 VT Maroon Book, Tech was voted in the Top 10 twice in 1994 (10th), once in 1995 (9th and 10th in the final polls), three times in 1996 (9th), and once in 1998 (10th). By my count, that's 7 weeks in 4 years.

Thinking about past Hokie football history, from the Jimmy Sharpe wishbone days to the Bill Dooley "let's win the Big 5" days, the incredible part of this streak is the following: What schools can match Tech's current streak of being ranked in the Top 10 since 9/12/99? Since the North Carolina Tarheels crushed the Florida State Seminoles two weeks ago, knocking FSU out of the Top 10, there are now only 2 other teams that can beat Tech's streak - Florida and Nebraska. Incredible! That's some pretty good company!

There is also another incredible streak: Clemson, UVa, Rutgers, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Miami, Temple, Boston College, Florida State, Akron, East Carolina, Rutgers, Boston College, Temple, West Virginia, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Miami, Central Florida, Virginia, Clemson, Connecticut, Western Michigan, Rutgers, and Central Florida. That's 26 straight televised football games, with no end in sight (well, maybe the 2001 Temple game)!

Are the Hokies the "Energizer Hokie Bird" - he keeps going, and going, and going? One day the streak will stop. But, no fear Hokie fans, the Hokies will still have a continuing streak. You see, on September 13th 1998, Virginia Tech entered the Coaches Poll at number 21. That streak of being ranked is nearing 50 straight weeks! What a time to be a HOKIE!