This was the day that we beat Boston College to win the ACC Championship in what was called "the revenge game" (fuck you, Matt Ryan). I've lived in Mountaineer country my whole life, and this was when my hatred for WVU was at all-time high. They were ranked #2 in the BCS with one game to go against Pitt, and if I saw them go to a National Championship (one that they probably would have won against Ohio State), I may have not gone to school for a week.
After watching us beat BC on tv, my dad, sister, and I went to watch the basketball team play UNC-Asheville. When the basketball team ran out of the tunnel, they threw oranges into the stands. The football team arrived either during halftime or right after the game, and everyone in Cassell went crazy. It was a great time except I couldn't get it out of my head that WVU was probably going to the National Championship. Pitt was 4-7 and 4-touchdown underdogs, so I really saw no possibility of WVU blowing it.
As my dad and I are leaving Cassell, I overhear someone telling their friend that WVU was down in the second half. I told my dad because he hated WVU as much as I did, but we didn't turn on the radio during the ride home to listen to the game in case WVU came back and won. My dad might have driven off the road had that happened and we had to hear it.
We stopped at a gas station in Monroe County, WV. My dad called his friend who we had spent the day with in Blacksburg to ask what the final score was. When we found out, I think we smiled and laughed for the next week.
The cashier at the gas station wasn't as amused. We walked in dressed in Hokie gear, and he was pacing around cussing and throwing a tantrum. At this point, the VT-WVU rivalry was still pretty fresh in many Mountaineer fans' minds. He looked at my dad and me and said, "We'll see y'all in the Orange Bowl." My dad said back, "Bring it." I think we left without buying anything. Of course, it's probably a good thing we didn't play them in the Orange Bowl after what we did against Kansas and what they did against Oklahoma.
Here's an article looking back at that game, mainly through the eyes of Owen Schmitt who was WVU's fullback at the time. There's a video at the end that talks about all the #2 ranked teams going down that season (warning: they do talk about the Thursday night Boston College game). Link
Anyway, with this matchup against WVU on September 3rd getting closer, I thought it was appropriate to look back at the happiest I had ever been as a Mountaineer hater. Hopefully September 3rd will bring this same happiness.
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Just makes me of how much I want a win for VT on September 3.
Edit: Also, I'm sort of sick of hearing about what a superstar Will Grier is going to be. I'm hoping the Hokies will be able to put some pressure on him.
From: https://westvirginia.rivals.com/news/crawford-grier-can-get-the-ball-any...
An inexperienced WVU offensive line and one of our best defenses in recent memory? We'll put some pressure on him.
You seem to have forgetten about Will Grier. According to the media, he's the best thing since sliced bread, and is accurate enough to hit a receiver anywhere on the field. The VT defense will have to get to him awfully quickly, while also stopping the run game and keeping his receivers blanketed.
One of these two teams is going to come out of this game with some hype.
Yeah, the guy wasn't exactly tearing up the SEC before he combusted at UF. I figure with respect to WVU, ESPN has nothing else new to note, so as usual, they drive a meaningless point into the ground, kinda like how we'll hopefully be driving Grier's head into the FedEx Field turf. Vinny, you need to be on a mission to make Grier's head a hood ornament on your beat up Honda....haha.
WVU also lost their top 2 receivers from last season and 4 offensive lineman. I honestly think WVU might get a Sean Glennon season from Grier. When Glennon had time to throw and experienced receivers, he was pretty solid (the second half of 2007 for example). That was also with Stinespring at offensive coordinator. When he had a bad offensive line or inexperienced receivers, he struggled a lot (the 2006 pass blocking was terrible, and the 2008 receivers were basically all freshmen). Grier does have the advantage of great offensive minds calling the plays with Holgersen and Spavital in charge of that duty. I'll take Bud Foster against anyone, though, especially when he has all offseason to prepare.
How long has Spav been at Wvu now?
Since the end of bowl season I believe. So roughly half a year.
I'm not going to Vegas to bet on Grier but this is a nice article where he details his experience at Florida.
That was seriously one of the best days ever. Won the ACC and then watched WVU crap itself as a 24.5 point favorite.
And the game itself was glorious. The refs were completely in bed with WVU that night and it was obvious the Big East was trying to send them to the title game. Didn't matter. The look on the faces of the crowd throughout the 4th quarter is something that still brings me joy to this day.
They called two holds on the same player (he was a wide receiver). One brought back a touchdown that would have put Pitt up by two scores, and the other cost them a third down conversion. What made it obvious that the refs were trying so hard to give WVU the game was that after that 3rd down conversion got called back, the same receiver that gotten called for holding was held on the next play right in front of the referee, but no call was made.
It goes down as one of those "always remember" moments in my life. It's one of two reasons I don't absolutely hate Pitt, James Connor being the other
makes sure that Narduzzi isn't on the list of reasons you don't hate Pitt
I was at Ragtime (WVU bar) in Arlington hootin' and hollerin' at the upset in the making rocking my 99 Vick jersey. Needless to say, I got kicked out. BTW, that game was TOTALLY rigged. The refs tried everything they could to give WVU that game and they still failed. Lol. Loved watching the WVU hype train get destroyed like that.
via GIPHY
Can't thank them for much, but thank God for Pitt back then.
I recall being happy to hear the cousins lost to Pitt.
FACT: It is important to know that the last time the good guys played the cousins, that win solidified not only our superiority and black diamond trophy but gave RichRod his final VT loss before he bolted to Michigan. LOL!
That was a really good article.
I enjoyed the hell outta Pitt beating WVU. Honestly, I think I will be rooting for Pitt against WVU if and when they ever play again. I don't like Pitt, but I f*cking hate WVU.
Then there's this gem:
THIS IS WHY I WAS NEVER DISAPPOINTED IN CONSIDERING RICHROD. I hate the guy but he's a helluva coach.
*waits*
*still waiting*
I'll root for Pitt when they play WVU, mostly because we can still remind Pitt of their place on an annual basis.
My lone memory of this game was Lesean McCoy absolutely dropping a dude on a TD that got called back. Man was he fun to watch in college
Crazy that as recently as 10 years ago, we were unable to check scores on our cell phones, much less watch the game live.
...and it had been 4 years since UVA had beat us in football. Little did all the Hoos in Hooville know that there would be 9 more years (and counting) of never knowing what that feels like.
I love it. Wahoos have never been able to check a winning score over VT football on their iPhones...
Obligatory.
This picture is from 2014, so add in a bunch of other stuff as well...