Virginia Tech and Old Dominion mutually announced changes to their football series on Thursday morning.
Seven games remained on the schedule between the Hokies and Monarchs through 2031, but four of those — contests in Norfolk in 2027, 2029 and 2031 and the 2028 one in Blacksburg — have been canceled. They'll still meet in Lane Stadium three times in 2025, 2026 and 2030.
"As we continue to evaluate and align our future non-conference schedules with the evolving landscape of college football, we've made a strategic decision — mutually agreed upon by both programs — to alter the number of games in the series," Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said in a release. "We're grateful for the competitive games we've shared and we appreciate the flexibility and partnership from Old Dominion as we work to adapt in this new environment."
"We are incredibly thankful to Virginia Tech for the original commitment of a 13-game series, which was executed in 2012," Old Dominion athletic director Wood Selig said in a release. "Such a competitive partnership is rare these days and speaks to the first-class Virginia Tech administration and coaching staffs. Our relationship with Virginia Tech has always been cordial and based on mutual respect, and this collaborative scheduling initiative reflects our joint commitment to positioning each of our institutions in the best possible fashion."
As part of the agreement, Virginia Tech will host Old Dominion men's basketball in Cassell Coliseum no later than the 2027-28 season. Former Hokies associate head coach Mike Jones enters his second season at the helm of the Monarchs, and Ryan Nadeau, previously Tech's director of player personnel, is also an assistant on Jones' staff.
"This is an instance where ODU football gets an assist by helping our men's basketball program play a guarantee game in Blacksburg that will benefit ODU men's basketball similarly to the guaranteed games in football," Selig said. "Such an opportunity may not have been possible without the football contract restructuring."
David Teel of the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press reported the Hokies will pay ODU approximately $2.7M for three football games and one men's basketball contest in Blacksburg. Here's a breakdown of the contract:• 2025: $400,000
• 2026: $1,100,000
• 2027: $1,275,000
• MBB: $95,000
• Total: $2,870,000
The Tech-ODU football series was signed originally as a two-for-one by then-Hokies AD Jim Weaver in December 2012 — games that took place from 2017-19. The schools also added four games to the series from 2022-25 in 2013. Then in 2017 with Babcock as Tech's AD, the partnership was extended by six more games from 2026-2031 — in all, a 13-game series.
With the ACC's new revenue distribution model impacted by viewership numbers, all schools are revisiting non-conference scheduling and looking for marquee games, such as Tech's Aflac Kickoff game in Atlanta vs. South Carolina on Aug. 31. Both Babcock and Hokies football head coach Brent Pry said there has been preliminary re-engagement with West Virginia in hopes of reviving the rivalry, and Pry mentioned there have been conversations about potentially playing the Mountaineers in Charlotte.
The Hokies hold a 4-2 record against the Monarchs — 3-0 in Blacksburg and 1-2 in Norfolk — and have an opportunity to win their third straight in the series when ODU ventures to Lane Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13 (7 p.m. ET, ACCN).
For more details on Virginia Tech football's future schedules, click here.