Don’t be fooled.

Since Virginia Tech’s surprise at-large bid to the Allstate Sugar Bowl was announced, those within the program have strongly defended their right to be there. Virginia Tech is one of the most consistent programs in the country. The No. 11 Hokies are ranked higher than No. 13 Michigan in the final BCS standings. They have owned the ACC since joining the league. The list of accomplishments goes on and on under coach Frank Beamer.

The truth is, though, that even the players and coaches will be the first to admit that they need to start winning big games and BCS games in order to make the leap from good to great. Virginia Tech enters the Sugar Bowl with a 1-4 record in BCS bowls.

“We have come up short,” said running back David Wilson. “We even make jokes in the locker room, like, ‘They’re never going to give us a big game again.’ Every time we get there we lose. I feel like this is a game we have to win.”

It is if the national perception is going to start to change.

There is no denying Virginia Tech’s consistency. In fact, no program in the country has won more games (168) than Virginia Tech since the start of the 1995 season. Beamer is making his sixth BCS bowl appearance, tied with Bobby Bowden for the fourth-most by a coach. With 11 wins this season, this is Virginia Tech’s eighth consecutive season with at least 10 wins, the longest active streak in FBS and tied for the third-longest streak in the modern era.

And yet the Hokies still find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to classifying the elite teams of college football. Much of that has to do with Virginia Tech’s lack of success in the BCS bowls.

Beamer points out, though, that it’s not like his program hasn’t won some big games before.

“I think we have beaten the Texas’ and Texas A&M and LSUs and Tennessees over the years, so I think that’s part of it,” Beamer said. “What I say to you is, we’re close. We’re up there in the hunt. And if you’re close you can get there, but there’s no question we need to consistently beat those people you’re thinking about. I guess when you’ve won that many, there’s a lot of big ball games in there.”

Including four Sugar Bowls and four Orange Bowls in the past 16 seasons under Beamer. Most recently in the Sugar Bowl, the Hokies suffered a 46-29 loss to Florida State in 2000, and a 16-13 loss to Auburn in 2005. It was hard to forget last year’s 40-12 drubbing by No. 5-ranked Stanford in the Orange Bowl, and those kinds of performances tend to overshadow games like the 2009 wins over No. 19 Nebraska and No. 9 Miami.

“People say you’re not winning the big ball game,” Beamer said. “But there’s a lot of big ball games involved in there when you’ve gone to the BCS four out of the last five years and you’re the only team that’s won 10 games over the last eight years. There’s a lot of big games in there, somewhere.”

None is bigger, though, than the next, as Virginia Tech has earned the ACC’s first-ever at-large BCS bid. A win over Michigan would be the best argument the Hokies could make for their selection, but they’ll have to beat one of the examples of the kind of storied programs they’re trying to become.

“Michigan football, I mean, who doesn’t know that?” said receiver Danny Coale. “That’s where Virginia Tech wants to be some day.”

Beamer agreed.

“I was saying I hope Virginia Tech is in the conversation of being one of the better teams in the country, but over the history of college football, Michigan is in the conversation,” Beamer said. “In the history of college football, name me the five most prominent programs. Most people would put Michigan in there.”

Including Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas, who said the Hokies need to win the big games to be considered elite.

“We don’t get the respect now for making it into pretty much a BCS bowl game every year,” Thomas said. “I think we’ve got to win these things to get to the next level.”

Considering just how far the program has already come under Beamer, it's not a far climb to the top.