The Final Countdown

This upcoming Saturday (November 16) is my very last home football game as a student.  It will be the last time to jump to Enter Sandman as the team rushes the field and the last time to wave a turkey leg instead of my keys on third down as a student.  It makes me sad that my last football season is coming to an end, but as I reflect on my times at football games, I can't help but get a big grin all the way across my face.
My very first game; however, is the startling exception.  I don't know if you all remember this, but in 2010, Virginia Tech played JMU at home.  It was my first home football game as a student.  Even though it was raining and I didn't win the student lottery, I managed to get a ticket from a friend's friend.  I sat there in the rain with a stranger and his family and watched such a disappointing game.  I have no idea what the final score was, but it was a loss and it was such a hard loss to take.  I also remember the time Virginia Tech played Boise St. back when they were good.  I can't remember if this game was before of after JMU, but what I do remember is being cramped in a small dorm room in Lee Hall with twenty other people cheering on the Hokies.  We got off to a horrendous start, but Tyrod brought the team back within striking distance.  Despite the game being practically in our backyard (Landover, MD) as compared to Boise St., we still lost.  My Freshman year we ended up going to the Orange Bowl to play Stanford.  At the time, Stanford had Andrew Luck who is now a starting NFL quarterback, so the season finale wasn't too pleasant for the Hokies, but spirits were high going into the 2011 season with Logan Thomas as the new quarterback.
The 2011 Virginia Tech football season was Logan Thomas's first year as starting quarterback.  The guy is huge, but often inconsistent in decision making.  Anyway, we only lost once in the regular season and that was against Clemson.  We got to the ACC Championship Game ranked in the top 5, but lo and behold, Clemson beat us again to claim the ACC title.  We faced Michigan in the Sugar Bowl and in one of the worst calls in NCAA bowl history, we lost the game (link posted below).
Last year was a complete disaster.  Even though I went to most of the games, we struggled through the year losing to opponents we should have blown out.  The only highlight for me was hearing Darius Rucker sing the National Anthem against FSU on a Thursday night game in Lane Stadium.  We did however make it to the Russell Athletics Bowl, or something like that, and beat Rutgers which was the first bowl victory for VT while I was a student.
This year was the first year I purchased season tickets and it has been wonderful.  I have great seats with great people which makes the games so much more enjoyable.  Tech has lost to Bama, Duke, and BC so far and if we win out, we may get to face FSU in the ACC Championship.  If this is the case, I'm buying tickets and going to game.  Hope you all take advantage of your time here at VT as it has flown by for me.