Will homecoming haunt Virginia Tech again?

The No. 4 Hokies, one of college football's hot teams this season, try to avoid a third straight homecoming horror show Saturday when Syracuse (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) visits Blacksburg, Va.

	Shyrone Stith bowled over the competition for 1,119 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

This time, at least, Virginia Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big East) doesn't plan to overlook the Orangemen (5-1, 2-0) as the Hokies did Temple and Miami of Ohio.

Last season, the lowly Owls showed up and stunned the Hokies 28-24 in the biggest upset of 1998. Two years ago, the RedHawks of the Mid-American Conference pulled off the surprise with a 24-17 win. Both times, Virginia Tech entered the game undefeated.

The Hokies may be dwelling on a perfect season and national title again, but coach Frank Beamer is trying to keep his players focused on Syracuse.

"This is a real challenge for our team, making sure our minds are right this week," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. "We're real excited about all the things that are going on around Tech football right now. But if you start thinking about all the things that are going on, you're not thinking about making a great preparation."

Quarterback Michael Vick is the biggest reason the Hokies are generating so much interest after years of being known as a solid Big East team that blocks lots of kicks.

Vick, a 6-foot-1, 211-pound redshirt freshman, put on a superb show last week in a 58-20 rout of Rutgers. He was 11-of-12 for 248 yards and four TDs and ran for 68 yards and another TD - in one half.

"He's good enough right now to be in the Heisman Trophy race," Hokies defensive end Corey Moore said. "In my opinion, he'll be a Heisman Trophy winner in the next year or two."

Syracuse, led by the quarterback duo of Troy Nunes and Madei Williams, hasn't fared well in Blacksburg. In losing the last three times they've visited, the Orangemen were outscored 107-34, including 31-3 in '97.

In addition, Virginia Tech is out to avenge last year's last-play 28-26 loss at the Carrier Dome. Donovan McNabb's 13-yard TD pass to Stephen Brominski as time ran out sent thousands of fans onto the field to celebrate the dramatic win.

ESPN College GameDay will set up shop in Blacksburg this week, the first time the road show has visited a Big East league game.