I love the VT-WVU rivalry. I love its history, I love how personal it is, I love its nastiness, I love everything about it. Tech and WVU have a long history (some of it good, some of it bad, some of it despicable), and I'm excited to see some more pages being added to this book.
The WVU rivalry is the best rivalry. Beating UVA at football is great, but it's a bit like beating up a rich kid who wandered into the wrong part of town. It's fun and all, but it's mostly done to make sure they know their place. West Virginia? Boy, that's the kid you have to see everyday at school, in the lunchroom, on the bus. The kid that just rubbed you the wrong way. No one can remember why but he didn't like you, you didn't like him, and once a year you'd just square off and go at it to see what's what.
Beating UVA is just some good ole fun, like a holiday tradition. Beating WVU though... those victories always tasted sweeter, more personal.
This is my personal VT vs WVU moment. A blocked field goal returned for a TD right before half in Lane stadium with the crowd going crazy... Nothing feels more "Hokie Football" then this. Love it.
What about you? What's your favorite moment or story involving the Mountaineers?
Comments
I don't think this one is even a debate.
hahaha, I figured that one was a given
I loved the WVU player who kept repeating "Never give up!" Don't worry, we won't.
Those WVU players laying on the ground in disbelief is my favorite part.
This is mine too!
A close 2nd moment would be the 2004 revenge of our exit from the Big East with Bryan Randall leading the way.
i always think back to the 04 game. i was there with two close friends, one a hokie, one an eer. it was a six point game and it looked like we had wvu dead to rights as they had a 3rd and real long on what was clearly gonna be their last possession. my phone buzzed in my pocket and i didnt answer it. it was another friend watching from home who called before they converted the 3rd down.
the message went something like "YEEEAAAHHHH o wait he caught it he caught it lemme call you back." then the game was over and he left me another more exuberant message which consisted of a lot of "YEEAAAHHH" and "GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE" and what not. i let our eer buddy listen to it on the drive home, he wasnt amused.
I figure 1999 is going to be the big one, but I was in Michigan on a school trip (to study the architecture at Cranbrook), so I actually missed this game. I only saw the highlights of it after the fact at a local bar (where they advertised "Food & Drink").
For me, it was 1998:
It was our first home game since losing the Homecoming game to Temple. Yes...Temple. This was back when each student had an athletic card and you had to take it to Cassell to get it punched in order to get your ticket. Well, for reasons beyond my memory, I was not able to secure a ticket. Luckily, a friend had a relative with season tickets who could not attend - so we got them. To our surprise, the tickets were in the first row...right behind the WVU bench. We traded verbal blows with the WVU bench all game, particularly #18, who would turn and tell us to quiet down every time Amos Zereoue broke off another run.
The big moment came in the 3rd quarter when WVU had the ball on our 1 yd. line and we stuffed them on 4 straight downs. We erupted after the turnover on downs, yelling back at their bench, especially #18. We took over from there and coasted to an easy victory.
I still have that ticket-stub somewhere, I need to see if I can find it.
Edit: Found it!
that goal line stand was epic. besides vs cinci in the orange bowl i cant think of a bigger one in hokie history.
This is what I'm talking about, the WVU rivalry is my favorite!
2004 FG block is definitely my favorite. That's the only WVU game I have ever seen in person (parents left me at home for the 2002 game, and didn't bother going to the 2000 Thursday game), and I never pass up the opportunity to remind my mom that she missed it because she wanted to beat the halftime rush to the bathroom.
I was away on a cross country (running with really short shorts, not long distance traveling) trip and missed the 04 game so my only real memory would be the 05 game. Marcus doing Marcus things like lowing his shoulder into the WVU player as they went out of bounds was fun to watch.
Also that was their only loss that year, plus the fact it was considered the end of the series made it nice that we closed out with a W.
Eric Green block, Vinny Fully run, fist pump, touchdown.
After that, the skies cleared and WVU left as overrated as they came in.
As much as I hated Marcus Vick, getting together with a group of really good friends and watching the 2005 win in Morgantown at Kilroys was high up on the list. That was probably the high point for Marcus as a Hokie.
Also, I have a bunch of faded memories of the Hokies beating the living hell out of Marc Bulger. He did get a win as a starter, but I can remember the Hokies really getting some dynamic killshots on the kid during his tenure there.
And finally, Cornell Brown absolutely killed WVU in the 96 game. I can't remember how many sacks he had, but it was at least 3 and he was in the backfield all day.
In retrospect, I do appreciate the middle fingers Marcus gave, only because it was against WVU. Had it been against anyone else, I don't think I would look back on it fondly.
However, my favorite Hokie/WVU moment was the game in...what, 2005 or so? I think WVU ended the year 11-1 and won the Fiesta Bowl with their only loss to us. I think that it was the same year where we knocked out their QB and their RB and both got replaced in the game with...Pat White and Steve Slaton. They were two injuries away from being a newly dominant force and we did it for them. But we also did it to them. And won the game.
Those eers totally deserved that middle finger. But that should be the only time. Very distasteful otherwise. Damn funny though lol
Your comment has me torn. On one hand WVU does deserve the middle finger. On the other hand, giving WVU the finger shouldnt be limited to only one time.
Ultimately you get the turkey leg, but be careful with that whole "dont always give the eers the finger" nonsense.
Forgot the year but Davis scoring 3 TDs in 3 touches on back-to-back plays. Just killed their morale
That is my favorite. It involved this block.
Here's Andre Davis in all his glory of the 3rd quarter.
Yes, here it is. All three plays.
I like these, even better to know I saw it live :)
The Vick Flick?