Celebrating 25 years of 'Enter Sandman'

When the first note of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' plays at Lane Stadium, there truly isn't a better moment in all sports.  

66,000 fans jumping in unison. Players bursting out of the tunnel. Fireworks and pyrotechnics igniting, electrifying the crowd and sending waves of exhilaration and goosebumps through every person in the stadium.  

'Enter Sandman', named one of the 2025 best college sports traditions by USA Today, has defined Hokie football and more broadly, Hokie pride, for over 25 years, creating a gameday atmosphere unlike any other. Virginia Tech football matchup vs. Cal on Friday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET marks a celebration of the hype-filled walkout's 25-year legacy.  

Have a favorite ‘Enter Sandman’ memory? We want to hear it! Share your gameday story here for a chance to be featured as part of the celebration. 

As we honor this milestone, we’re looking back at some of the most unforgettable moments in the ‘Enter Sandman’ tradition, from its electrifying origins to the long-awaited Metallica concert decades in the making: 

How the Sandman awoke in Lane Stadium 

Every great tradition has an origin story – and Virginia Tech’s iconic ‘Enter Sandman’ entrance is no exception. The year was 2000, and Lane Stadium had just unveiled a brand-new video scoreboard. With fresh technology came a question that would shape Hokie history: what song could electrify 60,000 fans and fire up the team like never before? 

After testing a few contenders—like Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ and The Alan Parsons Project’s ‘Sirius’—the Hokies landed on Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman.’ The heavy riff hit, the crowd roared, and a tradition was born. 

Of course, the debut came with a twist worthy of its thunderous soundtrack. The first time ‘Enter Sandman’ blasted through the speakers, a lightning storm rolled through Blacksburg, forcing a cancelation of the game. ESPN’s Lee Corso even had his rental car struck by lightning. Talk about electrifying beginnings. 

Enter Sandman gets its jump start 

It took about a year for the final piece of magic to fall into place. During a chilly night in 2001, a member of The Marching Virginians started hopping up and down to stay warm. Soon, the whole band was bouncing, then the entire student section.  

And just like that, Hokie Nation’s signature jump was born. 

When Lane Stadium first shook the earth (and caught Metallica’s attention) 

By 2011, ‘Enter Sandman’ wasn’t just a pregame song – it was a force of nature. When the Hokies hosted rival Miami that fall, the crowd’s synchronized jumping registered as seismic activity. Seismographs near Lane Stadium picked up measurable tremors right as the team stormed the field to Metallica’s thunderous riff. Hokie Nation truly made the ground move. 

The world watches Hokie Nation jump 

After a year without full crowds due to the COVID pandemic, Lane Stadium roared back to life on September 3, 2021, and ‘Enter Sandman’ was louder than ever. Virginia Tech was set to open the season under the lights against No. 10 North Carolina, and the anticipation was electric. As those familiar opening guitar notes hit, 66,000 Hokies rose to their feet, united in one pulsing rhythm.  

The cameras shook. The crowd jumped. And the internet lost its mind. 

Videos of that entrance spread like wildfire across social media, racking up millions of views within hours. ESPN called it “one of the most electric entrances in college football,” and Metallica frontman James Hetfield himself took notice, praising the moment as “spectacular” and that the sight gave him goosebumps. 

The Hokies went on to upset the Tar Heels 17–10, fueled by the kind of energy that can only come from 60,000 voices screaming in unison.  

VIRGINIA TECH.
ENTER SANDMAN.

ABSOLUTE CHILLS. @HokiesFB pic.twitter.com/jRnd97Xs1R

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 3, 2021

When the Sandman finally came home 

For 25 years, Hokie Nation has jumped, screamed, and shaken Lane Stadium to the sound of Metallica’s 'Enter Sandman'. On May 7, 2025, the band finally returned the favor. 

Under the lights of Blacksburg, Metallica brought their M72 World Tour, alongside Suicidal Tendencies and Pantera, to a packed Lane Stadium. The setup started days in advance, the buzz building with each passing hour. By showtime, more than 66,000 fans filled the stands, ready for a moment decades in the making. 

When those unmistakable opening notes of 'Enter Sandman' ripped through the night, the dream became real. The crowd erupted, jumping in unison for the band itself, live on the very turf that made the song a Hokie legend. Seismographs in the area registered the movement once again.  

And May 7 went down in the Hokie history books as a moment that no one in attendance will ever forget. 

On Friday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 pm ET, make sure you're there when Lane shakes again. Lock in your tickets now and prepare to celebrate 25 years of college football's best tradition when Virginia Tech takes on Cal.