Is WVU going to be back on VT’s schedule?
I was wondering how VT would change its schedule given the rating-based initiative.
Babcock said he is moving quickly to upgrade VT's schedule and mentioned that WVU is a good series.
I have mixed feelings about it.
Just my opinion, but to me, it’s like getting back with an ex who is great in bed but bad at everything else and has a very bad temper.
Oh well, if Babcock cannot find anyone better, maybe WVU is the one.
33 Replies
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gman86
1y
Looking at future schedules starting in 2026:
* VT plays ODU six years in a row (3 home & 3 away) thru 2031.
* VT plays Liberty four years in a row from 2027-2030 (3 home & 1 away)
* VT plays a home game with JMU and VMI in 2026.
It is probably to late to cancel JMU and VMI. If we can find an 2026 opponent, maybe kick VMI to 2029 to celebrate 125 years from first meeting? Otherwise, we would need to cancel the games with ODU and Liberty to make room for P4 opponents. I don't see why VT would cancel any existing P4 opponent on the schedule.
B1G:
* Maryland (4) - 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030
* Wisconsin (2) - 2031, 2032
SEC:
* Ole Miss (2) - 2032, 2037
* Alabama (2) - 2034, 2035
* South Carolina (2) - 2034, 2035
Big XII:
* Arizona (2) - 2029, 2030
* BYU (2) - 2030, 2033
Indy:
* Notre Dame (4) - 2027, 2028, 2033, 2036
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
It’s negotiation and vt wants to move with minimum payouts. Vt is cheap. Odu is the hardest thanks john bellein.
There is a lot behind the scenes get the right teams at the right time . Maintain at least 6 home games.
We also know sec is going to 9 games and they plan to open this up with cancelling power 4 series . Also on the burner is a 10 game big 10 vs sec also acc is rescheduling again to get more times the acc top brands to play each other!
A lot of stuff
I think big one if ala cancel wvu series and vt is perfect candidate but wvu needs a home game for 2026 and with vt has a weak home schedule and acc schedule we need the wv game at home too
(In response to this post by gman86)
1y
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
The cupcakes are gonna be out serious money
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
My question is: Why are we waiting for "rating-based initiatives" to
upgrade our schedule?
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
including on the road, because the program is in abject poverty, and they cannot afford to pay those or other programs to just play one-off away games in Lane Stadium.
As far as scheduling quality opponents OOC - I hate to break this to everyone, but VT is viewed by "quality" opponents in the same was as most folks here would view, for example, ECU. It makes no sense for VT to schedule a home-home with ECU, because if they beat ECU, *fart*, who cares, they should have beat ECU, and if they didn't win by 21+, it was basically a loss, and if they lose to ECU, VT is embarrassed on the national stage, because they lost to a lowly G5. VT is a G5 now in the eyes of any "quality" opponent, especially one from the SEC or Big 10.
Going forward, the only way you're going to see VT playing any big name OOC is if Disney dictates it for a one-off neutral site game in an NFL stadium to juice early season ratings, and you better believe said NFL stadium will be located convenient to the opponent, who will also get to control the logistics of the game as if they were playing at home.
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)
I think we should be trying to play our peers in home and home series.
I've always felt this way BTW. Has nothing to do with the new payout structure. Not a fan of cupcakes and not a fan of neutral site regular season games.
I think we should be playing our football public school peers: I will just throw some names out there. Some are P2 and others BigXII: Mizzou, Colorado, Arizona State, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Illinois, Arkansas, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Iowa State, WVU, Arizona, UCLA, South Carolina, and more.
Some of these might be slightly better than VT, others slightly worse. But none are over our heads, nor beneath us. We wouldn't hurt ourselves by playing any of these teams.
(In response to this post by Baltimore_Hokie)
V
VPI_1998
1y
any lame excuse - a "pandemic", Wisconsin and their antics, etc. After this Vanderbilt series and these conference schedules in the P2 going to 9+ games VT will never get another home + home with a P2, only thing they will get is a "neutral" site game with an SEC opponent in ATL. All those games shceduled for the 2030s are going away, never be played. You think an SEC team will even come to Charlotte for a game even though it is closer to many of those schools than ATL?
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)
1y
are some of our rivals and this would be a way to get back to what our schedules use to look like. Of course, if some of the recent talk about the brand teams of the conference playing each other more often my suggestion could be a moot point.
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)
I'd rather schedule true OOC teams rather than ACC teams as OOC games.
I also think we are scheduled to play Miami every year anyway. I also doubt FSU and Clemson will want to play us "OOC"
(In response to this post by IB4TECH)
1y
could be easier. And more convenient as in our case we could play all of Carolina teams plus Virginia every two or three years.
This is with an 8 game conference schedule as RAG has pointed out.
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)
1y
If that was the case, then at least I understand the attempt (even if I don't agree with it).
But if VT loaded up on ODU, JMU, Wofford, VMI for some financial or fan interest reasons, then they grossly miscalculated. The sport has shifted and it is interesting matchups and tv ratings that rule now. And even when VT is going into the P2, we are getting Vanderbilt and Maryland and Rutgers low level teams. Only South Carolina this year is a solid mid level brand program.
We control our out of conference schedule. And the next four years of OOC games are very lacking during a time when good ratings and building brand value is critical.
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)
1y
A lot of series with acc and big 12 schools subject to be cancelled
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
hope VT never plays them again.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
(In response to this post by ancient alien 2018)
T
Truthahn
1y
Hopefully we can get that back. Hate is the best thing to build a rivalry upon.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
Yes we absolutely need WVU and other schedule upgrades. Our schedules suck
Playing smaller in state or close by schools made sense 20 years ago when it was big for recruiting. But now it is just bad for ratings. We NEED interesting peer matchups with schools like WVU.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
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Truthahn
1y
VMI, Old Dominion, James Madison
Virginia, Georgia Tech, NC State, Pitt
Maybe we are trying to maximize for home wins, GT aside?
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
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Stech
1y
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
1y
I would love WVU annually along with 1 SEC team and a few more FSU games. We only need 1 "buy" game a year, not 3.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
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Stech
1y
Like Willie Sutton said on why he robbed the banks, “it’s where the money is!”
We are not Southwest Virginia Tech, we are Virginia Tech. It’s time we acted like it so people and organizations stop looking at us that way!!!!
PS I love Southwest Virginia, but that’s not the point!!
** Edited by Stech at 5/20/2025, 1:10:08 PM
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
“That’s why Alford was adamant during this week’s ACC spring meetings that the ACC should schedule more games of significance between conference members. He wants to play Clemson and Miami and Virginia Tech and North Carolina every year.
He wants them to play each other, too.”
So maybe VT will play FSU, Miami, and WVU every year. As I said before, playing UNC will be good for us too.
Link:
FSU
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
We are perceived as one of the brands miami vt fsu snd clemson all want vt on the schedule.
Now umc is the out with them - so unc will try everything to sully vt rep. They are not a football schooöl
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
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Stech
1y
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
UF and I believe Miami. Still gotta be top 4-5, if I had to guess.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
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gman86
1y
You're correct - before joining the ACC, VT was #3 on FSU's list.
FSU Top 5: Miami, Florida, NC State, Wake Forest, VT. (Those Atlantic Division rivalries with NCSU and Wake made a difference).
FSU is #11 on VT's most-played list. Here is VT's Top 15:
1. Virginia (104 games)
2. VMI (79) - quite the rivalry back in the day... last played in 1984
3. William & Mary (64)
4. West Virginia (54)
5. NC State (52)
Richmond (52)
7. Washington & Lee (48) - last played in 1953... wow!
8. North Carolina (45)
9. Miami (41)
10. Wake Forest (40)
11. Florida State (38)
12. Clemson (37)
13. Boston College (33) - ugh, this game was first played in 1993 when the Big East started.
14. Maryland (32)
15. Duke (31)
Other Stuff:
* VT is #2 on Virginia's list (UNC, VT, VMI, Maryland, Duke)
* VT is #4 on WVU's list (Pitt, Syracuse, Penn State, VT, Maryland)
* VT is #4 on Miami's list (FSU, Florida, Pitt, VT, BC)
(In response to this post by reestuart)
1y
(In response to this post by reestuart)