Virginia Tech and Wisconsin were originally slated to play a home-and-home football series in 2008 and 2009. That matchup has yet to happen, as scheduling conflicts have pushed it back multiple times. The series is currently set for 2031 and 2032, but a new update arrived Wednesday.
The 2031 game, originally planned for Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, will instead be played on Aug. 30 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte as part of the Duke’s Mayo Classic. The change means Virginia Tech loses a true home game while still expected to travel to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison for the return matchup. Although the first game is still six years away and further adjustments are possible, if Wisconsin’s home game remains in Madison, Virginia Tech’s decision to give up its home-field advantage stands out as a puzzling one.
Virginia Tech forfeiting its 2031 home game against Wisconsin raises plenty of questions. Giving up what would have been a guaranteed sellout at Lane Stadium for a neutral-site matchup in Charlotte suggests there’s a significant financial incentive involved. Another possibility is that Wisconsin’s 2032 home game could be shifted from Camp Randall Stadium to a marquee venue like Lambeau Field in Green Bay. If that’s not the case, this decision is difficult to justify.
The timing only adds to the confusion. Virginia Tech just fired Brent Pry on Sunday and is in the midst of a coaching search, while its athletic department is reportedly facing potential changes of its own. With so much uncertainty about who will even be leading the program in six years, surrendering a valuable home game now feels like yet another puzzling move for a program struggling to gain stability or momentum.
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