Boise State to play Virginia Tech on Labor Day

By: Darryl Slater | Times-Dispatch
Published: February 03, 2010

BLACKSBURG - For the second consecutive year, Virginia Tech's football season opener almost certainly will be a highly anticipated matchup of top-10 teams.

The Hokies' game against Boise State has been moved from Oct. 2 to Sept. 6 (Labor Day), Boise State and the Washington Redskins announced yesterday. The game will still be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. and is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. on ESPN, according to Boise State.

"We've never had the opportunity [to play on Labor Day], and it's one of the, if not the, largest-watched collegiate games nationally in any given year," said Tech Athletics Director Jim Weaver. "We're pleased to be asked [by ESPN] to do that this year."

Boise State was reluctant to play the game on Sept. 6 because it was scheduled to face Toledo at home on Sept. 11. The Broncos will now host Toledo on Oct. 9. Boise State's schedule on its Web site does not have a game listed on Sept. 11.

Tech will host James Madison on Sept. 11. The Hokies were originally scheduled to host Central Michigan on Sept. 4. Weaver said ESPN and the ACC worked together to move that game to Oct. 9 to accommodate the Labor Day meeting with Boise State. The Hokies' other nonconference opponent next season is East Carolina, which they will host on Sept. 18.

Opening with Boise State is a dicey proposition for the Hokies. The Broncos return 21 of 22 starters from a team that went 14-0, beat undefeated Texas Christian in the Fiesta Bowl and finished ranked fourth nationally. The returning players include rising junior quarterback Kellen Moore, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate.

Considering the Broncos, of the Western Athletic Conference, probably will start the season ranked in the top five, the game against Tech figures to be the biggest obstacle between them and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game, which a team from outside the six major conferences has never played in since the BCS system debuted for the 1998 season.

The Hokies, meanwhile, must replace nine starters - their left guard, left tackle and a tight end on offense; and their free safety, field cornerback, whip linebacker, tackle and both ends on defense.

Tech opened last season with another made-for-television game, a 34-24 loss to eventual BCS national champion Alabama in Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

Contact Darryl Slater at (804) 649-6026 or dslater@timesdispatch.com.