NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Atlantic Coast Conference finally released its 2020 football schedule on Thursday, with big changes for most schools.
In our area, Old Dominion loses its game against the University of Virginia, and instead of hosting Wake Forest, the Monarchs will travel to Winston-Salem on Oct. 10.
The most interesting switch has Virginia traveling to Blacksburg for their big rivalry game against Virginia Tech the second week of the season on September 19.
The highly anticipated matchup between both teams became even more important after Virginia won the Commonwealth Cup with a 39-30 win over the Hokies in Charlottesville last Thanksgiving weekend. Virginia will use its one non-conference game week one on Friday, September 11 against VMI as a warm-up to the Tech game.
Virginia has thus canceled its game at Old Dominion, but ODU Athletic Director Dr. Wood Selig is probably relieved. Because of possible restrictions due to COVID-19, there is no guarantee of how many fans will be allowed in S.B. Ballard Stadium. An ODU/UVA game would be the biggest game in Norfolk since the Monarchs upset Virginia Tech two years ago.
Selig told the Sportswrap that Conference USA athletic directors will meet again Thursday to discuss how the conference will finalize their schedule. There does not seem to be a shortage of schools that are looking for games, so Old Dominion should not have any problems filling their holes. As of now the Monarchs have lost previously scheduled games against Virginia, the University of Connecticut and Hampton University.
As for UVA, the Cavaliers lose their big-money game on national TV in Atlanta against Georgia, which was scheduled to open the college football season. Trading Georgia for VMI is a bit of a letdown. There are two bye weeks included in the schedule, which allows flexibility in case UVA or one of its opponents suffer problems associated with COVID-19.
Virginia football schedule:
- Sept. 11: VMI
- Sept. 19: at Virginia Tech
- Sept. 26: Bye
- Oct. 3: at Clemson
- Oct. 10: N.C. State
- Oct. 17: at Wake Forest
- Oct. 24: at Miami
- Oct. 31: North Carolina
- Nov. 7: Louisville
- Nov. 14: Duke
- Nov. 21: Bye
- Nov. 28: at Florida State
- Dec. 5: Boston College
The ACC championship game will include the two teams in the conference with the best conference winning percentage. It is scheduled to be played in Charlotte on either Dec. 12 or 19.
Tech’s ACC home opponents include Boston College, Clemson, Miami, N.C. State and Virginia. The Hokies will open the 2020 campaign at home against N.C. State on September 12. It will mark the Wolfpack’s first visit to Lane Stadium since the Hokies registered a 28-13 win in 2015.
In regards to fans attending games in Blacksburg, that is being discussed by most colleges right now. Decisions may come in the next week or ten days but some schools may wait longer depending on their state restrictions.
Virginia Tech football schedule:
- September 12 NC STATE
- September 19 VIRGINIA
- September 26 Open
- October 3 at Duke
- October 10 at North Carolina
- October 17 BOSTON COLLEGE
- October 24 at Wake Forest
- October 31 at Louisville
- November 7 LIBERTY
- November 14 MIAMI
- November 21 at Pitt
- November 28 Open
- December 5 CLEMSON
New Old Dominion coach Ricky Rahne is expected to hold his first summer practice session on Thursday, and we will hear from coach Rahne tonight on the Sportswrap.