It's not just the level of talent VT assembled. Everything went right for us from a scheduling and results perspective. As great a season and a team as we had in 99, we still needed a lot of the big boys ahead of us to lose and open the door to the #2 ranking.

Look at this list of every program that has played for a national championship since our 99 season.

Alabama
Auburn
Clemson
Florida State
Georgia
LSU
Miami
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Oregon
Texas
USC

Other than Oregon, which is as well funded as anyone (and like VT, only made it once), all of these teams are the same old 'traditional powers' that have dominated college football seemingly forever. You just don't see teams like VT on this list, which makes our achievement in 99 all that more remarkable. This is why I ponied up and spent more to make that bowl trip then I ever spent before, or probably ever will again. Because it probably won't happen again unless every possible star aligns. That says nothing negative about VT, it's just the reality of the way the sport is structured.