No Virginia Tech on Schedule Anytime Soon

[Sly Fox]

For those who might have missed it, VaTech is scheduling 3 I-AAs in the next few years and we are not one of them unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective):

Virginia Tech Releases Future Non-Conference Football Schedules
Opponents, dates & locations through 2011 announced

June 23, 2005

BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech Athletics Department released Thursday its non-conference football schedules through 2011, highlighted by the announcement of an eight-game series with East Carolina University.


In each of the six years, four non-conference games will be played. Besides East Carolina every season, the following teams will be on Tech's schedule: Appalachian State (2011, Blacksburg), Bowling Green (2008, Blacksburg), Central Michigan (2010, Blacksburg), Cincinnati (2006, Blacksburg; 2009, Cincinnati, Ohio), Furman (2008, Blacksburg), Kent State (2006, Blacksburg), LSU (2007, Baton Rouge, La.), Marshall (2009, Blacksburg; 2011, Huntington, W.Va.), Ohio University (2006, Athens, Ohio; 2007, Blacksburg), Syracuse (2010, Syracuse, N.Y.; 2011, Blacksburg), Western Michigan (2010, Blacksburg), William & Mary (2007, Blacksburg) and Wisconsin (2008, Madison, Wis.; 2009, Blacksburg).


The Hokies and Pirates will play each year from 2006-2013, including four games at Blacksburg, three at ECU and a neutral contest at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., in 2007. The Pirates and Hokies will renew a regional rivalry which peaked with seven meetings during a nine-year span from 1990 to 1998. Virginia Tech leads the overall series, 8-4, last playing in 2000, a 45-28 win for the Hokies at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.


Last November, Virginia Tech, in conjunction with the Atlantic Coast Conference office, released its conference opponents and sites through 2015. Exact dates on those games will be available at future dates.

2006

Sept. 2 Kent State Blacksburg
Sept. 9 at Ohio Athens, Ohio
Sept. 16 East Carolina Blacksburg
Sept. 23 Cincinnati Blacksburg

2007

Sept. 1 vs East Carolina Charlotte, N.C.
Sept. 8 at LSU Baton Rouge, La.
Sept. 15 Ohio Blacksburg
Sept. 22 William & Mary Blacksburg


2008

Aug. 30 Bowling Green Blacksburg
Sept. 6 Furman Blacksburg
Sept. 13 East Carolina Blacksburg
Sept. 20 at Wisconsin Madison, Wis.

2009

Sept. 5 at Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio
Sept. 12 Marshall Blacksburg
Sept. 19 Wisconsin Blacksburg
Sept. 26 at East Carolina Greenville, N.C.


2010

Sept. 4 Central Michigan Blacksburg
Sept. 11 Western Michigan Blacksburg
Sept. 18 East Carolina Blacksburg
Sept. 25 at Syracuse Syracuse, N.Y.

2011

Sept. 3 Appalachian St Blacksburg
Sept. 10 at East Carolina Greenville, N.C.
Sept. 17 Syracuse Blacksburg
Sept. 24 at Marshall Huntington, W.Va.

[Stevev]

It is a shame to not play Tech. I think that it would give us a great deal of credibility since W & M and JMU have played them a few times already and I am sure it has helped them and will in the future. Even though I know what the outcome would be I think at least putting them on our schedule would give us some local press and would certainly show some ambition on our part. Besides Tech is only about a one hour drive from Lynchburg.

[Sly Fox]

The JMU folks are pretty disappointed to not be on the longterm schedule as well. It would be outstanding to get dates with Va Tech or UVa. But its not easy to swing them. Wake is a great start in that direction.

[Stevev]

I agree. Any game vs an ACC opponent is a plus at this point in time. Hopefully there will be more to come,

[PAmedic]

still like (make that LOVE) to see JMU a permanent part of the schedule. Like the old days

[HarrisburgFlame]

Medic I totally agree. With the number of I-AA teams and the quality, these schools could create significant interest and rivalries by playing yearly. Plus travel costs would be minimal and the "road draw" would be pretty good locking up near sellouts. In Virginia alone I-AA you have:

Hampton
JMU
UofR
W&M
VMI
Liberty

At a minimum I would like to see LU play UofR, W&M, and JMU (VMI is already locked up in the BSC). 3 quality teams for OOC all in-state. W&M, UR, and JMU have a robust conference schedule (limiting the number of OOC games) but I would love to see these teams play a yearly round robin (much like the Philadelphia Big 5).

[Sly Fox]

Hey, we do have W&M as well as Norfolk St. on the schedule this fall in addition to Big South brother VMI. The problem is that with the A-10/CAA league being so large, schools like JMU and William & Mary have few non-conference games on their schedule. And those two are attractive I-AA options for I-As filling out their schedules. I have already enjoyed the first half of this William & Mary home & home. Hopefully we can build on that relationship int he future. And obviously we will want to buddy up with ODU & GMU once they get up & rolling.