You can read it here. EDIT: read it below, as I've copied the post here to make it more visible for both Buckeyes and visiting Hokies fans.The Hokies are better than you may realize. The Buckeyes are as good as you probably think.

One thing I've noticed with Virginia Tech football fans is the heightened pride they take in the many outstanding defensive backs that have played at Tech - to the point that they label their school "DBU". Their pride is well-founded, as since 1999, on 11 occasions a Hokie DB has been voted a first, second or third team All-American.  Four times in those 15 years a Hokie DB has been selected to be a first team All-American.  That's a remarkably impressive run by any standard!

But as you may know, a number of schools also make the case for being "the real" DBU - Ohio State among them. Just doing a quick mental scan of Ohio State defensive back history returns names of greats such as Jack Tatum, Neal Colzie, Antoine Winfield, Chris Gamble and Mike Doss. With that list as a start, my curiosity got the better of me, and so I had to dig a little deeper to see just how Ohio State stacks up to Virginia Tech's claim to the "DBU" title.

So here's what I found - beginning first with Ohio State DBs who were named to All-America teams in the same 1999-to-present span that covers the VT All-America run.

First Team All-Americans

Though a number of organizations select All-America teams, the NCAA currently recognizes just five for the purposes of determining "consensus" and "unanimous" designations: Walter Camp (WC), Sporting News (TSN), Associated Press (AP), Football Writers Association (FWAA) and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

From 1999 to present, five Buckeye DBs were voted first team All-America seven times by one or more of the above-listed organizations. That's nearly twice as many first team selections as Virginia Tech in that same time span.

As a footnote, in that same span four additional Buckeye DBs were named first team All-Americans by organizations not recognized by the NCAA - Pro Football Weekly and ESPN. As selected by those same organizations, Virginia Tech nabbed two additional first team slots.

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

Unanimous First Team All-Americans

A player is a "unanimous" All-American when all five recognized organizations - AFCA, AP, FWAA, TSN and WC - vote him to the first team.

From 1999 to present, Jimmy Williams (2005) was Tech's one unanimous All-American selection. In that span Mike Doss (2002) was Ohio State's one unanimous All-American selection.

DBU Advantage: Even

Consensus First Team All-Americans

A player is a "consensus" All-American when at least three organizations from among AFCA, AP, FWAA, TSN and WC vote him to the first team.

From 1999 to present, Virginia Tech produced one consensus DB All-American - Jimmy Williams (2005). In that span Ohio State tripled that number.

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

So in making the All-America comparisons between the two schools during the 1999-to-present span that covers the VT All-America run it's clear that Virginia Tech has had a rather remarkable run of defensive back excellence. But during that same span, Ohio State has produced DB excellence at a higher level - and in higher numbers.

DBU Advantage 1999-to-present: Ohio State

First Team All-Americans - The Bigger Picture

No doubt you're now curious to know what happened when I expanded the scope of analysis. Somewhat surprisingly, Virginia Tech's DB accolades dropped off markedly in the record books prior to 1999. Meanwhile, OSU's accolades exploded.

The only other DB All-America mention VT received is in 1966-67, when Frank Loria was twice named a first team All-American, including by consensus in 1967.

During VT's 32-year DB All-America drought, from Frank Loria in 1967 to Anthony Midget in 1999, OSU garnered 12 first team DB All-America nods.

Most remarkable in that stretch is the 1969-70 period, when each of OSU's four starting DBs earned All-America honors, led by the great Jack Tatum (1969-70). Ted Provost (1969), Tim Anderson (1970) and Mike Sensibaugh (1970) were also honorees.

In total, when adding in Ohio State's first DB All-American, Arnie Chonko (1964), Buckeyes have been honored 23 times as first team defensive back All-Americans*. The Virginia Tech all-time total*, including Frank Loria, tops out at 8 first team honors.

*All awarding organizations

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

Jim Thorpe Awards

Awarded since 1986, the Thorpe Award goes to the best defensive back in college football. No Hokie DB has won the award. Two Buckeyes - Antoine Winfield (1998) and Malcolm Jenkins (2008) - have claimed the award.

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

Total NFL picks

Beginning in 1968, 31 Hokie DBs have been taken in the NFL draft. Beginning in 1970, 49 Buckeye DBs have been drafted into the NFL.

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

NFL First Round Picks

Virginia Tech's first NFL first round DB pick came in 2004, when DeAngelo Hall was taken 8th overall. Tech's only other first round DB pick came in 2014 when Kyle Fuller was taken with the 14th pick.

Ohio State's first NFL first round DB picks occurred in 1971, with the selection of Jack Tatum and Tim Anderson.  In 2013, Bradley Roby became Ohio State's 13th and most recent NFL first round DB pick.

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

College Football Hall of Fame

Virginia Tech and Ohio State each have one DB enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.  Tech's Frank Loria was inducted in 1999, while Ohio State's Jack Tatum was inducted in 2004.

DBU Advantage: Even

Pro Football Hall of Fame

No Hokie DBs are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For the Buckeyes, it's one member, Dick LeBeau, was inducted  as a cornerback in 2010.

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

DBs in the NFL

To wrap up this look at how Virginia Tech and Ohio State compare in vying for the title of "DBU", I looked to current NFL rosters to tally up DBs currently in the NFL. At this time of year, as the NFL preseason winds down, the number is subject to change, and perhaps frequently. But as I write this, according to ESPN.com the Hokies have five DBs in the NFL: Antone Exum, Jr., Brandon Flowers, Kyle Fuller, DeAngelo Hall and Jayron Hosley.

EDIT: ESPN.com doesn't list VT's Cam Chancellor (currently a Seahawks' holdout), and Redskins rookie Kyshoen Jarrett. With their inclusion VT's total rises to seven.

ESPN.com lists nine Ohio State DBs in the NFL: Will Allen, Chimdi Chekwa, Kurt Coleman, Nate Ebner, Doran Grant, Travis Howard, Bradley Roby, Malcolm Jenkins, and Donte Whitner.

DBU Advantage: Ohio State

So what's the verdict? Which is the "the real" DBU - Virginia Tech or Ohio State?

Well, on the strength of its performance record at the position over the last decade and a half, Virginia Tech should be considered a destination school and NFL pipeline for high school DBs. VT is definitely a DB school. But by a wide array of measures that encompass the opinions and judgments of observers and experts who are paid to know these things, it's quite clear that Ohio State is "THE" DBU. The excellence of Ohio State's DBs, and the volume and consistency at which they're produced over many decades, establishes a simply overwhelming case.

As I researched the DBU topic I found some others on the internet that had weighed in with an answer to the question. SB Nation's Bolts from the Blue  raves about Virginia Tech DBs and unabashedly anoints them "DBU". 247 Sports lists the Buckeyes second in line for that title, behind U. of Miami, with the Hokies tied at 7th.

While these other takes are offered up, the overall verdict by the entire group of sites remains essentially the same as what I concluded: Ohio State is DBU. For instance, over at reddit r/CFB the Buckeyes are listed as having the strongest case, along with LSU, while Virginia Tech appears in the second tier of schools. Finally, the case for Ohio State as DBU is capped off by heavy hitters ESPN.com  and NFL.com - which both rank the Buckeyes as No.1 for claiming the DBU title.

If it's true that there can be only one holder of the title "DBU" - then Ohio State is it.