Article: Hokies Are on the Rise; After Topping Pesky Owls, Va. Tech Might Move to No. 2 in the Rankings; Virginia Tech 35, Temple 13

Two years ago, Temple spoiled Virginia Tech's homecoming, pulling off a stunning four-point upset that Hokies assistant head coach Billy Hite still referred to this week as "the most embarrassing of my coaching career." It was among the biggest upsets of the 1998 season.

Following that game, Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer instilled a new way of thinking in Blacksburg. In an effort to avoid another letdown, Beamer insisted that his coaching staff--and players--no longer refer to their upcoming opponent by name, but by number. The weekly signs posted around the team's practice facility changed accordingly. So did the coaches' speech patterns.

But for an instant today, before another sellout ...

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