Why does Virginia Tech play Enter Sandman at football games?

“Enter Sandman” has become synonymous with the Virginia Tech football program.

Without question, one of the best traditions in college football today is when the Virginia Tech football team enters Lane Stadium to “Enter Sandman”.

The tradition of entering raucous Lane Stadium to Metallica’s 1991 masterpiece began back in 2000. This was when a new video scoreboard was being installed at Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech wanted to play a song that got the entire fanbase cranked up. While they debated using Guns ‘N Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sirius” by The Alans Parson Project, “Enter Sandman” won.

In the first game “Enter Sandman” was played at Lane Stadium on Aug. 27, 2000, a lightning bolt in Blacksburg struck Lee Corso’s rental car. That is stranger than fiction and you cannot make this up.

Virginia Tech football: Why do Hokies enter Lane Stadium to “Enter Sandman”?

While there is no connection to Virginia Tech and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame quartet, it has been a great college football marriage for 20-plus years. “Enter Sandman” was also the music unanimous National Baseball Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera would enter the ninth inning at New York Yankees home games. The slow build to the explosive eruption makes this song perfect.

The part of the tradition is the Virginia Tech football players will walk from the team’s practice facility and through a narrow tunnel into Lane Stadium. Before running onto the field, each player will touch the Hokie Stone, a piece of exposed limestone with the message inscribed around it of “For those who have passed, for those to come … reach for excellence.” What a great tradition.

There is nothing quite like “Enter Sandman” blasting at night before a Virginia Tech football game.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.