Virginia Tech Football: The 5 Best and Worst Openers of the Frank Beamer Era

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With the opener of the 2011 Virginia Tech Hokies football season just a week away, my thoughts dwelled on openers of years past.

While some of them have been great (like the 2005 game against North Carolina State), some of them have been heartbreaking, and have ended the Hokies' BCS Championship hopes all too early.

With that in mind, here are the five best and the five worst openers for the Virginia Tech football program since Frank Beamer took over in 1987.

5. 1989 vs. the Akron Zips

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After two rough seasons as the Virginia Tech Hokies head football coach, Frank Beamer jump-started his first winning season with a nice victory of the Akron Zips in the opener.

Quarterback Will Furrer threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns, and the Hokie defense held Akron to just 139 yards of offense on the day.

While the opponent was certainly not stellar, it was a solid win and a momentum-builder for Beamer's Hokies, who would go on to beat the No. 9 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers and finish the season with a respectable 6-4-1 record.

4. 1997 vs. the Rutgers Scarlet Knights

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After several years of starting with the likes of James Madison and Bowling Green, the Virginia Tech Hokies opened the 1997 season with a Big East Conference opponent.

Rutgers never stood a chance. Quarterback Al Clark both threw and ran for over 100 yards, and two Hokie defensive players (Pierson Prioleau and Carl Bradley) had fumble returns for touchdowns.

Virginia Tech blasted the Scarlet Knights, 59-21. Perhaps most importantly, the Hokies would use the momentum from this game to destroy the Syracuse Orangemen 31-3 in the next game.

3. 2005 vs. the North Carolina State Wolfpack

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Just as Michael Vick's starting debut was memorable, so was that of his little brother Marcus.

The Virginia Tech Hokies opened the 2005 season with a trip to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the one ACC team that had bested them in their inaugural (and championship) season in 2004.

While the younger Vick didn't finish the game with stellar statistics (10-21 passing and just 31 yards on the ground), he kept his composure, avoided enormous pressure with his feet, and hit David Clowney for the game winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

It was a solid win and nice re-entry for Marcus Vick into the college football world.

2. Michael Vick's Debut: 1999 vs. the James Madison University Dukes

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Michael Vick began his career with the Virginia Tech Hokies in spectacular fashion.

In less than a half of play, Vick had 64 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, and 110 passing yards from only four completions.

While this game will always bring fond memories for every Tech fan, at the time it provided a scare when Vick flipped over a defender and was forced to leave the game with a leg injury.

Luckily, Vick recovered nicely and went on to lead the Hokies to the BCS National Championship Game. So now we can look back at plays like his 54-yard run and his bomb to Andre Davis (the first of many) with pure, unadulterated joy. 

1. 2002 vs. the Louisiana State University Tigers

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This one is a cheat because it technically wasn't the opener (Virginia Tech played Arkansas State a week before). Still, the game was played on September 1, which is early enough that I'm going to let it slide. Also, I like to remind people that Frank Beamer can win big games.

Virginia Tech started the 2002 season with an early matchup with the LSU Tigers. The Tigers came into the game ranked No. 14, with the Hokies not far behind at No. 16.

Unlike their rematch in 2009, Frank Beamer would get the better of Nick Saban this time around. The Hokies dynamic running back duo of Lee Suggs and Kevin Jones combined for 165 rushing yards and three touchdowns as Virginia Tech cruised to a 26-8 victory.

5. 1995 vs. the Boston College Eagles

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Now, time for the bad ones. The Virginia Tech Hokies entered the 1995 college football season ranked No. 20. With the likes of quarterback Jim Druckenmiller and wide receiver Bryan Still, expectations were high.

The Boston College Eagles jumped on the Hokies quickly that Saturday, scoring on their opening possession and taking a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

Virginia Tech running back Brian Edmonds cut the lead to six with an early fourth quarter touchdown run, and the two teams traded possessions until the Hokies got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining.

Druckenmiller lead his team down to the Eagles' 19-yard line, but four straight incomplete passes ended the Hokies' chances. Much like the 2010 season, the hangover from this loss would cost the Hokies a second one. But also like 2010, the 1995 season would end with a conference championship.

4. 1988 vs. the Clemson Tigers

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The Virginia Tech Hokies had opened the year before against a ranked Clemson Tigers team, and (in Frank Beamer's debut) had lost respectably, 22-10.

This game did not go so well. Coming off a rough 2-9 first season as head coach, Beamer's squad took a beating in the opener.

The No. 4 Clemson Tigers showed no mercy, jumping out to a 31-7 halftime lead and coasting to a 40-7 victory.

3. 2008 vs. the East Carolina Pirates

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Just as they would do in 2009 and 2010, the Virginia Tech Hokies started the 2008 season by blowing a fourth quarter lead in the opener.

Despite leading by nine with just four minutes remaining, the Hokies gave up a quick touchdown and then got a punt blocked, which was subsequently returned for the winning touchdown.

The day was especially rough on quarterback Sean Glennon, who threw two interceptions and would soon lose his starting job to Tyrod Taylor.

2. 2009 vs. the Alabama Crimson Tide

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So many close losses in so many big games over the years. The 2009 matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide was no different.

On this night, the Virginia Tech Hokies were victimized by a Ryan Williams fumbled punt, Davon Morgan fumbled kickoff and a poor game by the offensive line and a besieged Tyrod Taylor.

Bolstered by two big Dyrell Roberts kick returns and phenomenal red zone defense, the Hokies actually took a 17-16 lead into the fourth quarter of this game.

But the defense finally wore out, and the Morgan fumbled kickoff put the game out of reach. Ryan Williams gave the Hokies one last spark with a long touchdown run, then the Crimson Tide responded with the clinching touchdown.

1. 2010 vs. the Boise State Broncos

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I can't speak for all Virginia Tech Hokies fans, but this game cost me a lot of sleep on last September 6.

Bouncing back from a 17-0 deficit, the Hokies rallied to take the lead and pretty much gain control over the game. As we all remember, Beamer opted to throw on that fateful third down, and Kellen Moore got the ball back one last time. It was all he needed.

The thing that makes this game so painful is the fact that it was so close to being the best opener in Virginia Tech history.