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College Football: Top 15 rivalry games we’d like to see return in 2020

By David Glancy

COLLEGE STATION, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Jeff Fuller #8 of the Texas A&M Aggies attempts to catch a pass against Carrington Byndom #23 of the Texas Longhorns in the first half of a game at Kyle Field on November 24, 2011 in College Station, Texas. The pass was incomplete. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)
COLLEGE STATION, TX - NOVEMBER 24: Jeff Fuller #8 of the Texas A&M Aggies attempts to catch a pass against Carrington Byndom #23 of the Texas Longhorns in the first half of a game at Kyle Field on November 24, 2011 in College Station, Texas. The pass was incomplete. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images) /
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West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech
West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

15. Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia

Games played: 52
Series record: West Virginia leads 28-23-1
Last played: 2017
Trophy: Black Diamond Trophy
Next meeting: 2021

West Virginia and Virginia Tech met annually from 1973-2005, two seasons after Virginia Tech left the former Big East for the ACC. The two met annually as part of the Big East but played each other prior to the conference formation in 1991. The Mountaineers owned the rivalry early, until Frank Beamer took over Virginia Tech in 1987. Virginia Tech, a perennial top-10 team in the 1990s and early-2000s were 10-5 from the 1990 until the series ended in 2005.

The 1990s and 2000s were the most competitive era of the rivalry with each program putting together strong seasons with big upsets. In 1997, both programs met in the top 25 with No. 19 Virginia Tech ending their three game winning streak at the hands of a No. 21 Mountaineer team.

The two programs met ranked again in 1998 where the Hokies won, starting a four game win streak which would be carried by a Michael Vick led team with a Tech program consistently finishing in the top 10.

Following the Michael Vick years, the Mountaineers would go on to upset a No. 3 Virginia Tech team at home, 28-7 during the Hokies last season in the Big East. West Virginia would finish the season as co-champions but miss out of the BCS to a No. 5 Miami. Virginia Tech would then go on to win the final two match-ups of the original series in 2004 and 2005, including their own upset of a No. 6 West Virginia team in 2004.

The Hokies and Mountaineers have since played once since the series ended in 2005, when the two programs met at FedEx Field in Landover to start the 2017 season. In what was a back and forth game, No. 21 Virginia Teach held on to a 31-24 victory of No. 22 West Virginia. The 2017 neutral site game was the first in a three-game series renewal continuing 2021 in Morgantown and closing 2022 in Blacksburg.

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