BLACKSBURG -- The role of college football prognosticator is an unforgiving one.

Less than two months ago, Blacksburg's most famous forecaster was basking in media attention, much like the Virginia Tech football team. ESPN, The New York Times, USA Today. They all wanted to know what made this bovine bard so accurate with her predictions.

But like the football team, Shanna the Hokie Holstein found out that every dog -- or cow -- has his -- or her -- day.

Since she predicted a 34-17 Tech victory over the University of Miami on Nov. 5, Shanna has been a virtual recluse, rarely leaving her barn and only socializing with her handful of barn mates. And she's put on more than 100 pounds.

It seems that Shanna has turned to eating her troubles away after missing by some 37 points in her biggest prediction of the year.

But Shane Brannock, Tech's dairy complex director and Shanna's spokesman, insists she's doing fine.

"She's really glad that the season's over," he said. "Less stress for her."

Talk about a public relations spin.

The Hokies play Louisville in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2, but Shanna's season is over. She only predicts home games. She rebounded from her Miami prediction by calling for a 43-13 Tech victory over North Carolina in the home finale. The actual score was 30-3.

"She beat the spread," Brannock said.

Shanna's predictions were within four points of the actual point spread in four of six home games this season. Not perfect, but the .666 winning percentage suggests her gift could be profitable should she choose to place some wagers.

But Shanna's not a betting cow.

"I've had people ask me if she's traveling to Vegas," Brannock said. "It's just for fun."

Brannock, a 51-year-old native of Waynesboro, is a former Tech graduate student who returned to Blacksburg this past summer. Shanna was born Aug. 31, about two months after his arrival. He met the calf 30 minutes after she was born.

The first noise she made sounded like "Papa." That's what Brannock's daughter, who Shanna is named after, calls him.

Brannock said he developed a kind of cow mental-telepathy with Shanna. He doesn't have the power with any other cows.

"Being a cow whisperer and all sometimes I point my finger at her, and sometimes she'll stare at me and cock her head to the side," he said.

Most of the discussions between Brannock and Shanna are about their families. But, naturally, some of their conversations drifted to Hokie football. Before the team's first home game against Ohio University, Shanna said Tech would win 47-3.

Brannock decided he would make sure he heard her right. So the next day he extended his right hand to represent Virginia Tech. Shanna licked it 47 times. He then put out his left hand for Ohio University. It received three licks. The actual final score was 45-0 Hokies.

While that system worked for Boston College and Marshall, it opened Brannock up to some ribbing after Tech's first loss.

"I had people ask me to hold up my left hand and my right hand after the Miami game to see if I got my hands switched up," he said. "I do know my right from my left."

Brannock expects Shanna to become pregnant next fall through artificial insemination and have a calf of her own the following autumn.

After that, she'll be used for research on metabolic tendencies of cows. Researchers will record how different diets affect her weight and the amount of phosphorous in her waste.

Predicting games is just a hobby.

But Brannock sees no reason why Shanna won't continue predicting, even while juggling the responsibilities of being a single mother with a job.

After all, her job won't be very demanding. It will basically require her to eat, digest and excrete.

"She'll be here a long time," Brannock said, explaining that Shanna's life expectancy is about 10 years. "She'll be back predicting next year. She's already asked when the season starts."