The scramble to schedule a non-conference opponent for 2013 has begun. It's a side effect of the ACC announcing it will keep an 8-game conference schedule yesterday. Tech is scheduled ti play non-conference games against Alabama, Marshall and Western Carolina in 2013, finding a fourth opponent on short notice can be challenging. FSU ended up playing two I-AA teams after WVU backed out of their series, with the Noles, late.
Weaver not opposed to playing somebody within the ACC as a non-conference opponent to make scheduling easier.— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) October 4, 2012
Weaver also said he has a call into ECU AD Terry Holland about potentially facing Pirates next year.— Hokies Journal (@HokiesJournal) October 4, 2012
According to ECU's website, there might be a slot open: http://www.ecupirates.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/m-footbl-future-sched....
Virginia Tech AD Jim Weaver says Hokies will play Notre Dame once in either 2014, '15, or '16. #Hokies #ACC— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) October 4, 2012
What are you thoughts? Would you be OK with paying a MAC team to travel to Lane? Would you want to play another ACC team in a "non-conference" game. Would you be opposed or in favor of another marquee opponent to go along with Alabama at a neutral site?
Comments
UVA
Let's play UVA twice. Those games are always fun.
See, this is just what I was afraid of.
The more in-conference games we have, the less chance Weaver has of scheduling someone that is uninteresting. Bama, Western Carolina...those are givens. One good team and one bad team every year. Now....we have two holes, not one to fill! First real idea: Marshall ANDDDDD East Carolina! Of course!
All I want is interesting games. I don't care if we lose them, if they are on the road, if they are played in Dublin Ireland or Dublin Virginia. Just don't schedule CUSA teams...or MAC teams....or Sunbelt teams.
I have half-a-mind of supporting an annual WVU series just so we don't get ECU twice.
You want to make me happy? Schedule a SEC/ACC matchup every year. That will take care of that Clem/USC, UF/FSU, GT/UGA conflict. Just rotate us between the other 11 teams.
seems like it would be simple to keep pitt as the non-conference game, they were already on the schedule as such.
i wouldn't want to drop a trip to tallahassee.
I don't think that's an option because Pitt's in the Coastal with Tech. They have to play.
Scheduling an additional ACC team wouldn't be a bad option although I think there are better teams to schedule.
I'm really excited about Tech playing Ohio St and Wisconsin coming up in a few years, I would love to see them play West VA every year, I think West VA is a better rival than UVA, because you want your rival to be a badass, no one thinks UVA is a badass, West VA gets a lot of attention especially now in the Big 12 and with players like Pat White and Geno Smith. The other series that should start up is VT vs. Tennessee. Anyone who has been in Blacksburg has noticed all the Vol fans in the surrounding area. Finally if VT needs to schedule a cupcake they should call up VMI, wonder when the last time they played.
WVU
I would LOVE to see VT play WVU again. Some of the greatest games in VT history were played against WVU!
The Black Diamond Trophy needs to be a thing again. It would get a lot of press and the fans on both sides would be into this game 100% percent. My WVU friends (I know... I associate with WVU peeps...) and I miss being able to have that rivalry. In my opinion, WVU is the ideal non-conference opponent that Weaver should want to schedule. It will help with SOS and national recognition (like you said, Big 12 y'all). It just makes sense.
Difficulty with scheduling
Its basically too late to get a quality opponent on the schedule. Teams schedule their non-conference games so far in advance, its hard to find somebody with an open weekend.
This is basically the same situation we ran into last year. ECU backed out of our 2012 game to play South Carolina and we ended up with Austin Peay.
The only teams with obvious open spots are other ACC teams, since we're all scrambling. They'd have to be in the Atlantic Division, since we play all of the Coastal (Read: No Pitt). We're going to have to lose either the FSU or UMD game next year.
I wouldn't be surprised to see us set up a home and home with either NCSU or Wake. Weaver loves to keep traveling costs low.
We actually backed out of ECU
To make room for Bama next year.
Black Diamond and Lower tier options
I would love for us to reignite the Mountaineer rivalry with the Black Diamond trophy. I think with the progress that program has made recently that we would at least be adding annual quality to our schedule....the real question is whether WVU would want us on their schedule, especially after the ACC refused them admittance based on academics. Another option I would enjoy would be to see us get the Richmond Spiders on the schedule. They have shown great progress over the last decade and it would be a change from JMU. If we are looking to add just a blowout game, as a former member of the Corps of Cadets, it would make my day to see us put VMI on the schedule. As far as other options go, bringing in a school from a key recruiting area to maybe get us visibility with some recruits that normally might not see Virginia Tech games. Some of the smaller California schools or Texas would be a good add, even if we agreed to a home and home series. Just my thoughts
Rob
Richmond
I must unfortunately disagree about Richmond. I would really prefer not to choose between the Hokies and my alma mater... My freshman year, the basketball teams played in Cassell and I refused to even look at the score online after the game.
And I really don't think Richmond would even consider playing VT. They are perfectly content to be the UVA home opener each year. Quite frankly, that's the only shot Richmond has at beating a FCS team. So they'll keep playing UVA. It's an easy, low cost trip for the Spiders and a lot of alumni go to the 'ville for that one. It's also easy to ship the students to. And the academic rivalry and preppy-wine-and-cheese similarities are there too. So I really don't see UR ever agreeing to play VT, when they have UVA.
Also, right now, I wouldn't expect Richmond's AD to be making any significant changes regarding the football schedule as he has a lot of other problems to deal with... He and the school administration just cut men's soccer and the track and field team in favor of men's lacrosse... woo hoo! Except not. But that's a whole other issue.
But it was an interesting thought. I had never even considered it until you mentioned UR. And I agree with everything else you said. As I said before, WVU is the top non conference game on my wish list. But I also agree about VMI. I think they be a great add as far as bringing tradition back. I'd much rather see a blowout game with someone we have a historical rivalry with (as opposed to Austin Peay... because who cares about AP?).
Look at Miami this year
Their OOC schedule includes top 25 teams. Unless we get out of the FCS games and move up the competition we will get no respect.
ACC-B1G Football Challenge
The Big Ten tried to make it happen with the Pac-12, and I'm hoping B1G looks at the ACC to salvage what is a very good idea. The SEC and Big 12 are partnered up with the champions bowl, and my guess is their schools will start signing more home-and-homes. The Big Ten and ACC are both rooted in academics, and while the ACC hasn't been as nationally successful (recently), it's a pretty even matchup from the top down.
I think the ACC has established a good eastern and southern footprint and exposure in the middle of America would only benefit the league.