Virginia Tech rolled into its first match-up against Clemson with a 4-0 record, although the Hokies hadn't played anyone too tough in the first month.
Safety Eddie Whitley said playing Appalachian State, East Carolina, Arkansas State and Marshall was like four exhibition games.
"The first four games wasn't as - I don't know - as powerful, dominant as we would like," he said. "Going into the Clemson game everybody was on a high horse. It was a wake-up call. After that game we were like, this is ACC play.... I guess we got caught off-guard for a little bit."
The Tigers handled the Hokies 23-3 on Oct. 1 in Blacksburg, but it jump-started Virginia Tech's season.
Since then, the No. 5 Hokies have won seven in a row, jumping to fifth in the Bowl Championship Series rankings and entering a rematch with the Tigers in Saturday's ACC title game as favorites.
Still, that one game sticks in Virginia Tech's craw.
"Nobody was really thinking (about) it, but everybody wants it," quarterback Logan Thomas said of the rematch. "We didn't play our best ball that day, and hopefully we can get them this time."
Virginia Tech has won two ACC championships by avenging losses earlier in the season, doing so against Boston College in the 2007 and '08 title games.
Coach Frank Beamer tries not to draw too much from those previous experiences but added that getting this team motivated shouldn't be hard.
"I think our players understand," he said. "They've seen firsthand the players at Clemson.... You understand you'd better get ready to play your very best if you're going to beat them."
Right tackle Blake DeChristopher, defensive end James Gayle and wide receiver-punter Danny Coale were recognized by the ACC as players of the week for their performances in the Hokies' 38-0 win against Virginia on Saturday.
DeChristopher, a senior, was Offensive Lineman of the Week after registering 15 knockdowns. It's the third time he has won the award this year.
Gayle, a sophomore, earned defensive lineman honors after finishing with five solo tackles, three of which were for a loss. He had two sacks and three quarterback hurries.
Coale, a senior, was the Co-Specialist of the Week. He stepped in as punter and had four punts with a 47.5-yard average. Two went 52 yards.
Beamer has long been a proponent of the bowl system, but he has come around on the idea of a plus-one model that would allow four teams to play for the national championship.
The Hokies' match-up against Auburn in the Sugar Bowl after the 2004 season altered his stance. The undefeated Tigers were snubbed from the BCS title game for Southern California and Oklahoma, who were also unbeaten.
"They were good enough to do it," Beamer said. "They were a really good football team."
Beamer thinks allowing four teams to play for the championship would lead to less controversy.
"I don't think the fifth team is probably as controversial as the third team," he said. "And maybe some years it might. But generally speaking, there's about four teams that have a legitimate shot."
The Hokies are fifth in the most recent BCS rankings. Beamer made his comments before the rankings came out Sunday.
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