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The state of Virginia will have plenty of in-state football to enjoy over the next decade and a half. Thanks to our friends at fbschedules.com, we now know that in addition to the Commonwealth Cub battles between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Virginia Tech Hokies, the Old Dominion Monarchs and Liberty Flames will be battling not only each other, but also UVA and VPI for state supremacy.
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First, the old news. The Hoos already had games lined up against both ODU and LU. UVA is scheduled to host the Monarchs in 2019, and 2022, with a return trip to Norfolk in 2020. They also have a standalone home game with the Flames in 2019.
In addition to that, Liberty had already announced that they would open the 2018 season, their first in FBS, at home against Old Dominion. There was to be no return game as they paid ODU for this. Now, it has been announced that the two will play a separate home and home series, with a game in Lynchburg in 2021 and in Norfolk in 2022.
In addition, announcements were made that both teams will be facing the Hokies. Liberty will play VPI in Blacksburg in 2027, 2028, and 2029. Liberty will host Virginia Tech in 2022 and 2030.
Old Dominion already had seven games lined up, but the two have added six more. They will play in Blacksburg in 2017, 2019, 2023, 2025, 2026, 2028, and 2030. The Hokies will travel to Norfolk in 2018, 2022, 2024, 2027, 2029, and 2031. Quite an impressive lineup.
All in all, Old Dominion now has 19 upcoming games against in-state FBS teams, with eight of those at home. Liberty has nine such games lined up with four being home games. Of note, UVA will make just one trip to an in-state G5 stadium, but Virginia Tech will make eight such trips. Kudos to the Hokies, and it should make for some exciting football in the state of Virginia in the years to come.