The Virginia Tech Hokies and the West Virginia Mountaineers will open the 2017 football season at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, both schools officially announced today.
The game, which is set for Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, will be the 52nd overall meeting between the two schools. West Virginia currently leads the series 28-22-1, but the Hokies have won two straight and nine of the last twelve.
"It is an exciting matchup for both schools' fans to look forward to," said Whit Babcock, Virginia Tech Director of Athletics. "I appreciate the work of Coach Beamer and Associate AD John Ballein in arranging this extremely strong non-conference matchup. Not only will the game renew a passionate rivalry, it will also be played at a site that is centered in a major alumni base for both schools."
Virginia Tech and West Virginia are also scheduled to meet in a home-and-home series in 2021 in Morgantown and in 2022 in Blacksburg.
"West Virginia University had a great experience at FedExField in 2012, and we are looking forward to playing there again against Virginia Tech," said Oliver Luck, WVU Director of Athletics. "Not only do our players enjoy playing in NFL stadiums, West Virginia has a lot of alumni living in the Washington, D.C. metro area and playing at a great venue like FedExField gives our fans a road game that is in close proximity. West Virginia and Virginia Tech have had a great historical rivalry over the years, and it's great that the two schools can renew the series, starting in Washington, D.C. in 2017, and then two games in 2021 and 2022."
At least we dont have to go to Morgantown to play the cousins for this one. Hopefully our FedEx track record improves as well.
http://www.fbschedules.com/2014/07/virginia-tech-west-virginia-open-2017...
Comments
This might be the out of conference game I am least excited about. Wouldn't mind one bit if we let this "rivalry" go by the wayside. Looking forward to the Wisc, Mich, and Tenn games sooo much more.
/s?
Absolutely zero sarcasm. They have such a trashy fan base it makes the game much less enjoyable in person. Ohio State's worst fans would be the shining jewels of their base. If I didn't know about 50 people in DC I wouldn't even consider making the trip from Cincy for this game.
Anybody. Anywhere. Anytime. Period.
If we've got a chance to roll the cousins in DC, I'm all for it.
Did you have a bad experience with Ohio State fans? What makes you say that?
Ohio State's fanbase (at least the one they brought to Blacksburg) is about 99% "decent or better" and 1% the worst kind of humans you can imagine outside of WVU fans.
Most in Columbus were decent, some were assholes, some were welcoming. OSU has a large contingent of bandwagon losers who give the real alumni a bad rap, I was using them as a starting point to make the example of how bad the cousin's fanbase can be.
If we play wisconsin (ever) I highly reccomend everyone does mad town its a really really cool place
Oh joy
High profile non-conference game at FedEx to open the season? What could possibly go wrong?
...too soon?
I already want looking forward to this... This announcement doesn't help
Non-conference game...in FedEx field... oh god...flashbacks of Boise in 2010 and Cincy in 2012 are rushing back!
aaaand USC...
I'll take games like the USCw, game. VT plays the eventual NC to the wire and if two blown calls had gone the right way probably would have won.
Live in LA now. It's amazing how USCw fans remember that game much differently.
Yeah, I figured the Pete Carroll USC dynasty "fights on!" in the minds of many a Trojan. That team was undoubtedly the most talented team in the country, yet we took them to the wire (and could have won that game). I remember Mark May yapping about how Marcus Vick was suspended, wouldn't matter if we had MV7 we would still lose against that team. Well, Bryan Randall and 21 other starters showed the nation our heart that night.
Instead of paying a demo contractor, this must be how Snyder plans to burn down Fedex for relocation.
F'ing beautiful! Sofa Barn will be running specials in the DC area that week.
Don't forget Radio Shack and their 40 packs of AA batteries... Oh joy
Is radio shack still a thing?
There is still a few privately owned ones left. Just like there is still a few blockbusters left.
http://www.blockbuster.com/franchise.html
Is there a story behind their weirdly strong presence in El Paso, or is it just random and somewhat hilarious?
At least one of those is closed now, as I saw "going out of business sale" signs on it when I was there three weeks ago.
But it likely has something to do with the average income of families in that area. Can't afford to upgrade to DVD/BluRay players while the VCR still works.
FWIW, I'm told by someone who lives in El Paso that they have all closed recently.
Any remaining Radio Shack stores still operating in WV are likely due to word of their closing not having reached them yet. It takes a while when Pony Express is the primary means of communication.
There's one here in bumfuck Washington *shrug*
Right before my daughter was born there was a RadioShack going out of business here in Mooresville. I stocked up on 40 packs of batteries for dirt cheap in anticipation of battery powered toys. I've gone through a bunch in 7 months, but I still have a drawer full left.
I've seen this news reported in several outlets today... this game has been on the books for a couple years, why is it being "announced" again? Did a specific date finally get settled or something?
Even the article is dated 2014.
Yeah, not sure why this is considered new. These tickets have been available to season ticket holders at least a year now.
Its... off season.
via GIPHY
I'm kinda sad and let down. My first off season with TKP and I haven't had a chance to use almost any of my large store of these gifs.
Alright, look. I hate WVU. I can't stand them whatsoever. I have cousins (how ironic we call WVU the cousins) in WV who graduated there. Nonetheless, I cannot stand that school. Horrible fanbase.
BUT - this used to be a really, really great football rivalry. Not only a historical rival, but a geographic rival (hence the Black Diamond Trophy). Yes, we all know the horror stories of past experiences in Morgantown and elsewhere with WVU fans. I, personally, would rather us do the following if we really need a regular geographic OOC rival:
*****CALL VANDERBILT (holy crap, I would go to Nashville every other year in a heartbeat) (not great, but still $EC) (um, hello academic partner?? one of the best schools in the country)
Call UT
Call UK
Ok, so we're left with WVU. Yeah, I hate them. But let's renew what was once a very strong rivalry between two consistently top-25 teams. SUCKS it's in Landover, but hopefully this becomes a regular home-and-home again. I miss it...somewhat.
I agree.
If they're good, I don't mind playing WVU for the Black Diamond Trophy, particularly on neutral ground in a high profile setting. At some point, I'd like to see VT establish a winning tradition at FedEx.
My sentiments exactly. Our only other true rivals are UVA and Miami. UVA is only fun because its LOLUVA and it's an in-state rivalry; however it lacks the high-level of playing that other in-state rivalries around us have. The Black Diamond Trophy used to be hotly contested and would be the deciding factor of what bowl game we got. A factor of a great program is a great rivalry.
Vomit.
Least favorite team and least favorite stadium.
Heck of a game, looking forward to it!
Living in West Virginia, it seems as if their fans began hating us after the series was dropped. Every week during football season revolved around 2 games for me: the Tech game and the WVU game. Most glorious weekend of my life was when we beat Boston College to win the ACC Championship and WVU lost to Pitt to miss out on the National Championship. Every year when bowl season got close, I wondered in what scenario we could play WVU, so we could see who truly was the better team.
The rivalry has lost its intensity since both teams began struggling recently, but I fully expect the rivalry to be rekindled as soon as the summer before this game starts. Can't wait.
Began hating us After the series was dropped? Tell that to the guys who threatened me in the bathroom at WVU in 1999. I had the audacity to come to their stadium in VT gear.
They were just mad because they couldn't spell "VT".
Or "TV". or anything for that matter.
Well in 2005, I was in the second grade. I didn't begin getting a whole lot of crap until the third grade. But one of my dad's roommates from college had a license plate stolen up there one time. While I couldn't afford to go really anywhere but in-state, I said from the start I would not go to that university.
Holy crap I feel old.
I can still remember this "PI" call clearly................................................
God, that still makes me angry
http://www.thekeyplay.com/content/2014/july/15/hokies-vs-mountaineers-fe...
As a non VT grad but a VT fan can someone please tell me why WVU/VT is not like any other rivalry?
Michigan and OSU are bitter rivals that play every year
Rivalry exhibit 1 - OSU National Championship Trophy
TUN - Team Up North (Michigan)
Tennessee and Alabama
Bama fan trashing Tennessee
I know there are more but can someone please tell me why WVU is not like any other rivalry?
Those other rivalries are respectful hate. Yes, they hate each other, but for the most part at the end of the day the worst it will be is shit talking back and forth.
WVU fans are violent. Period. Do not wear VT gear around their campus or around them on game day or you will get shit thrown at you. The last time we played in Morgantown our team and Hokie Club buses were egged and stoned. There are stories of metal trash cans and plastic bags filled with batteries being thrown at the VT section in their stadium from above. Remember when Marcus flicked of their student body in 2005? Yeah that's because he dealt with them calling him a n***** all day long from the moment he stepped onto the field.
You don't see that shit with those other rivalries. That is why we ended it, that is why it should stay buried and it's why I'm struggling hard to get excited to see it back.
Good point.
I don't mind VT playing them, but if their fans can't handle competition and it's at the point where it's dangerous for other fans, then I'm OK with letting it go.
What gets me is that it hasn't improved. You still hear that Big 12 fans hate going there because of their fans and instead of trying to curtail it, WVU has actually kind of embraced the reputation.
It might go well in Landover but it's only a matter of time before the scene gets ugly again, especially if we have to make the trip to Morgantown.
I guess they feel like it's what they've got. Hateful fans.
FWIW (and literally it's worth nothing) but a few years back I ran into this girl at a bar in NYC she was a WVU grad. She was few years younger and she was my brother's friend.and he told me to mention to this girl that I went to Tech. So I do and she replies she went to WVU and I of course roll my eyes and groan. She asks why I did that. I look at her a bit befuddled. I say "because I went to Tech. You know the rivalry? The Black Diamond Trophy... "
She goes "oh yeah, when ever I run into you people you all do that. I don't get it. Quite honestly I didn't even know you guys existed much less that we had a rivalry. We don't care about you guys."
Well my blood started boiling. I reminded myself that I was at the time dating a respectable Hokie and that I was so glad not to have to worry about dealing with morons.
I wish I had a cooler ending to that story.
Either way, I know that is by no means representative of the WVU fan base as a whole but I wonder if feelings have changed at all since the "cool off period". I still just think it's because she's was a moron.
It's definitely different for the generation of kids that go to WVU now. I have a friend that went to WVU a couple years ago and he didn't even know he was supposed to hate us.
I guess it makes sense though. Most WVU students didn't grow up WVU fans. They grew up in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, etc. with bad grades and they wanted to go to a 4-year college out of high school. And there's only one school to try when you have a 2.3 high school GPA and just want to get out of your parents' house and party
This, so this. My cousin ended up at WVU, "because of their journalism department." Smoked so much weed in HS I'm not sure he could spell journalism by the time he graduated. 6 years later, he has a degree from a 4 year institution.
Unfortunately their older alumni and especially non alumni remember. Won't take long for the current generation to be indoctrinated once it starts back up.
Like the guy I encountered in a Princeton Wendy's when I was on my way to go skiing at Winterplace while at Tech. This guy had his grandson with him and his three teeth, probably drunk, saw me in my Tech hoodie and commenced to storm around the Wendy's screaming F*** Virginia Tech repeatedly. I'm sure he wasn't alum (but hell, he could have been the WVU president for all I know), but that memory made the day we beat them in 2004 feel so much better. I hope we inexplicably beat them 77-0 forever and ever.
During my Tech years I had three roomies (among many) from Princeton so that's a little surprising. And back in those days, fans from the state used to pour across the state line heading to Blacksburg on game days. Perhaps, as out-of-state tuition has risen and that southern portion of the state has been hit with a long drain on its economy ties to Virginia Tech have slipped. It could also be this toothless gramps lost so much money to all the Tech fans in his area, he just couldn't take it anymore and finally exploded at your expense while showing his grandson what fine dining and fan revelry is all about.
They may not be an academic rival, but it is still a university. I never really thought it was the students or alumni that were the piss and battery hurling idiots. Its all the scum of the earth that never got out of high school, but root for WVU because they live in the state, that have never met enough people from outside of West Virginia to know how to act in public.
VT players would keep their helmets on while on the sideline because they were pelted with so much stuff (batteries were a popular projectile) coming from the stands.
I remember when the tour bus tires were slashed at Morgantown. Never want to go back.
The 2 rivalries you mention involve schools who share a conference, for starters.
As you could tell from the replies, it boils down to a legit threat to your existence as a fan in their stadium. C and D cell batteries, beer bottles, un-opened cans of beer, flashlights, keys...you name something small enough to fit in your hand, and their "fans" throw it at your players and probably you too in Morgantown. Watch the last Black-Diamond trophy game (Marcus "shit-for-brains" Vick and all the rest of the players, hell even the coaches wanted to wade into the fans and beat the shit outta them. The Michael Vick beat WVU game was just as bad. I don't mind the rivalry, but there better be jail-time, arrests and fines for every mother fucker throwing shit. Else-wise, fuck-em.
I wonder if they will sell beer at the game or if the fans can handle it.
Be prepared for a lot of fights and issues. A LOT of alumni from both schools in the DMV. This game will be a sellout, there will be a lot of tailgating, and a lot of alcohol. I foresee a lot of problems
I wonder how many trailers full of old couches will be set on fire after the game in the parking lot? Their shitty fanbase aside it will be nice to be playing a decent DIV-I team again, now we just need to get ECU, ODU and div II schools off the books. C'mon Whit, you can do it!
No school plays no G5 opponents in a year. Doesn't happen and will never happen as long as TV broadcasts those games and they count towards bowl eligibility.
He didn't say we needed to drop UVA.
"now we just need to get ECU, ODU and div II schools off the books"
There are no Div. II schools on our schedule.
UVA plays like one, so we got that going for us.
div 1a, fcs, div II, whatever they are called now. Same, we should not be playing such lower tier schools because it is loose-loose for us. We win then we should have so no big deal, we loose and we hear JMU jokes until the end of time...
Within the NCAA, Division I football is split into two levels: FBS and FCS (formerly Division I-A and Division I-AA, respectively). Division II and Division III which are completely separate divisions.
Nearly every Power 5 teams plays a FCS team each year. Some teams play two FCS teams in a year (like NC State did last year), but in that case, only one win counts towards bowl eligibility. Occasionally, a FBS team will play a Division II team, but it's not common.
There is a balance here and it's a little too simplistic to call it a lose-lose proposition.
First of all, playing a FCS team is a guaranteed home game every year without a return trip. There is a guarantee the FBS team pays the FCS team in order to get this benefit, but the athletic department brings in far more revenue than that expense. One home game in Lane nets about $3.25M in ticket sales + parking + concessions. Not to mention the millions of dollars in additional revenue for local businesses (hotels, restaurants, bars, stores, etc.). From a pure financial standpoint it's a huge win for everyone. It's paying for jobs in all kinds of businesses and reducing the amount of money that the athletic department needs to bring in through donations to cover operations, capital expenditures, etc.
From a team success standpoint, you're right that you don't gain anything from beating a FCS team and take a lot of flack if you lose. The alternative though is playing a mid-major team for that game, which doesn't resolve that problem- you get little to no credit if you beat Marshall, ECU, etc., but take a lot of flack if you lose. The big difference is, you are much more likely to lose to a mid-major than a FCS team AND you give up the revenue benefit previously mentioned since you won't get a mid-major to play in your stadium without a return trip.
In building a football schedule, there are a lot of nuances to consider-- revenue, fan interest, win/loss probability, bowl eligibility, SOS, etc., etc., but the reasons outlined above are the drivers as to why virtually every Power 5 team plays a FCS team every year.
Just saying, check Andy Bitter's inteview with Whit Babcock (TKP post on it), NET revenue is about 2.5 Mil, not 3.25, that might be gross.
I hate WVU, not because of the rivalry, but because of the WVU fans. I'm sure Whit already knows about all that trash but scheduled this anyway. I don't want to have anything to do with this game and I think the rivalry should go the way of the dinosaur.
The way of the dinosaur, so burned as fuel? There's a burning couch joke in here somewhere.
I shall start the burning.
This is sofa king great
Horse needs a little meditation.
Crappy venue and not the most attractive match up that I would want to see. Maybe with D Snyder charging $100 to park your car nost WVU fans won't show up. I brought my coach there to the BSU and I swore I would never drive it back to FedEx field again. The amount of glass bottles that were tossed in the parking lot was ridculous. Most of the fans that participated in that foolishness were not wearing blue and red.
Who is blue and red?
Boise maybe?
I guess it's kind of red....
Kansas?
I know I'm in a WVU thread, because I misread that as you brought your couch.
Maybe Danny can charge double for the tow truck bringing their cars in...
"$100 to park your car nost WVU fans won't show up"
Hmmm...Carpooling
Problem solved. Get ready DC.
...and now I can only picture Dan Snyder as Mr. Drysdale.
What shocks me are all these Hokies/TKPers that claim to have WVU "friends".
You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but don't pick your friend's nose.
I grew up in the heart of WV and have dozens of WVU fan and alumni friends. Oddly, when talking about this game those people have largely demonstrated more respect towards VT than most VT fans can muster for them.
Granted, they have a reputation that causes that reaction, but we should all be very aware that each fan base has a bad bunch mixed in. The problem at WVU is that theirs is far worse than most. That doesn't, however, mean that they have no fans deserving of our hospitality or respect.
I've lived in Greenbrier County my whole life and can honestly say that the things they say about Pitt is way worse than the things they say about us.
Anybody else think that might be the first game for a new West Virginia Head Coach?
The Return of RichRod?
Darn! To late! Fireman has this on speed dial. I will certainly drink to this!
I think WVU fans still want to lynch him for how he left. Not sure he would be welcomed back.
isn't that what they said about Petrino and Lebron?
I put this in the calendar. I'll play again, spend a nice chunk of change at FedEx, and hope to win. I will be missing battle at bristol due to pregger delivery timing, so hopefully I'll be able to take my boys to this one.
Maybe FedEx will hold it at the warehouse and you can go to both?
I enjoyed this rivalry. It always felt more real to me than UVA or Miami. I know some of the fan base is crazy and borderline dangerous, but I will accept that if we could somehow rebuild the rivalry to how it used to be.
Have any of you attended VT games at FedEx before?
What's it like?
Usually ends with Hokie tears....
The traffic into and out of that stadium is the worst I have ever seen. That was my big complaint about Fed ex.
You need to go the back way. Take 50E, get off at the Columbia Park Road exit towards Cheverly, at the intersection with 704, continue onto Belle Haven Drive (there is a subway and liquor store around that intersection if you need snacks and what not), take a left onto Sheriff Road. You will See William Paca Elementary on the right after going through the Village Green Intersection. I have actually parked at this school, multiple times for football and other events and never been towed. There is a line of trees at that school, walk through and head towards the fed ex parking gates. Walk in, enjoy game.
You can continue down Sheriff Road and go to Redskins Road, or you could take that right on village green and head in through Hill Oaks.
Everytime I have gone this route and parked at the elementary school, or even into the fed ex parking lot, I have not run into traffic in or out. Literally, it's quick and easy in and out. I used to have season tickets, and have been to a lot of other events there. I live in NE DC, so it's my sneak attack route.
That's excellent info, thanks.
Fuck the entire state of West Virginia...and Matt Ryan.
But especially Matt Ryan
... and especially West Virginia.
And the Dutch
The Dutch are responsible for Orange carrots, so....
I hate games where you have everything to loose and absolutely nothing to gain. If we win, no one will care or notice, but OMG if we loose we'll never hear the end of it.
That's true of pretty much any non conference game unless we are a heavy underdog.
Uh, if we lose no one will really care either. Unless you mean from WVU fans?
Mostly looking forward to this game because of a house-divided rivalry with the in-laws. Otherwise... meh
Wait, you married into a WVU family?
The family tree has a branch!!! The cycle has been broken!
Someone has to make the sacrifice for the betterment of everyone.
Wait-you WHAT!?
I can't believe some of the WVU fan stories y'all are relating.
Certainly dampens the fun when you've got unsportsmanlike people
on the other side.
Can't believe us? Cool. Go to the game, we need all the fans in stands we can get, but don't say we didn't warn you...
Only fan base I know that shat in the other teams bands drinks.
Anyone else just get an email from FEDEX FIELD announcing that tickets are AVAILABLE TODAY for this game!?? I checked Ticketmaster and they are available!
I put a ticket deposit down through VT a while back, but I haven't heard anything from them and I'm guessing they won't announce for a while. But, I don't want to pass up the opportunity to buy tickets today on the open market, but I also can't afford to buy two sets of tickets "just in case." Anyone have any insight here?
WVU working on firing up the fans with their take on the Dancin Hokies....
Dancin Hokies
Does this writer know his audience?
Some of y'all need to stop wearing a skirt and pony up. WVU and their fans do suck, but that's half the fun and make a W even sweeter. I'm tiring of beating UVA into the fucking earth so much that they'd rather drink zima than watch the game. There's no fun in that. It's a soulless rivalry. It's not even a rivalry at this point. ECU has been more competitive. This is our chance to add some fire back to the program.
There is always fun in beating UVA.
And may it ever be so.
Dominating UVA is fun.
Sometimes beating them has been more like dodging a bullet, so there is still room for improvement.
So much fun... /s
If not enjoying things being thrown at me means I miss half the fun and wear a skirt then so be it. At least I'll have a breeze to enjoy while I'm not busy dodging batteries and bags of piss.
They usually skip the bags and use the big soda cups so they get maximum dispersion upon release.
Someone asking for dispersion?
via GIPHY
Ahhhh that makes sense. I'm used to World of Warships where dispersion is bad. WVU fans clearly OP, plz nerf
We should have a rotating out of conference geographic rivalry every year.
West Virginia
Tennessee
Vandy
Kentucky
UMD
ECU (LOL JK)
I would love to see Penn State in that rotation.
Penn State
Michigan
Ohio State
Wisconsin
etc.
In all honesty, they've done a decent job with scheduling these. There has been a lot of improvement in scheduling.
Now just need to put a W up for at least half of the games we play against top tier teams. Splitting the OSU games was decent although most people forget we were leading at halftime and once Brewer got hurt you could see the air leave the stadium. Score doesn't tell that. When we play Michigan and especially Penn State since they seem to be contending for a lot of the same recruits we need to win.
South Carolina please
I realllly hate this game. Not just because I never need to see us play WVU (except maybe in a bowl game), but the DC-Maryland metro is the closest thing they have to a local recruiting hotbed, and we are helping them play a high profile game against a nationally recognized team there? I hate it!
Have tickets been mailed yet?
Thinking about wearing a Marshall hat to go with my 34 Tech jersey. Also thinking about trying to get back to my hotel room without a beer bottle broken over my head. We shall see.
Be really daring and wear some Pitt shit. They'll love that.
Typically, Pitt consumes their shit so it will be hard to find.
After last year, I think I hate Pitt as much as they do.
I don't necessarily hate Pitt but I hat Narduzzi.
Fuck Pat Narduzzi.
Oh yeah, completely hate the Dooz.
But, I've said it before and will say it again - the one thing I will agree with the Mountaineers on is EAT SH!T PITT!!!
Growing up in a "border town" with plenty of WVU fans, this game has always been meaningful to me. The problem is that I am in the minority. The game certainly means more to WVU than to Tech, and it will be hard to match their intensity on a year-to-year basis. WVU fans detest Tech, and it goes waay beyond the bounds of a friendly rivalry. I was shocked when VT decided to start it back up.