For years, the Black Diamond Trophy was awarded to the winner of Virginia Tech and West Virginia, border rivals and bitter conference rivals during their days in the Big East. The two squads haven't played since 2005, and an offseason full of smack talk has added to the hype for this Sunday night showdown at FedEx Field in Landover, Md..
Both teams enter 2017 with new starting quarterbacks -- redshirt freshman Josh Jackson for Tech, former Florida quarterback Will Grier for the Mountaineers -- and VT comes into it after winning 10 games and finishing in the top 25 a year ago, starting this season in the preseason poll. Dana Holgorsen and Justin Fuente both ascended the coaching ranks as well-respected offensive coordinators, and this game is expected to be very informative in terms of how each team has handled the turnover and whether either squad is primed to make a run at the favorites in their respective conferences.
Viewing information
Date: Sunday, Sept. 3 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: FedEx Field -- Landover, Maryland
TV: ABC | Live stream: WatchESPN
Storylines
Virginia Tech: Hokie fans seemed to know the names of all the offensive staff members prior to Justin Fuente's arrival -- and not for good reasons. The slide from winning ACC Coastal Division and conference titles to fighting for bowl eligibility was defined by an offense that could never get on the same page and produce consistently across an entire season. Logan Thomas and Michael Brewer each had games -- and moments in games -- where everything was clicking. Bud Foster's Lunch Pail Defense was complemented by an offense that could go toe-to-toe with anyone in the country. But there were also moments, like this one against Wake Forest in 2014, that haunt Virginia Tech fans to this day.
Fuente brought a strong offensive reputation with him and quickly put his system in with a first-year starter in Jerod Evans, who meshed well with some proven pieces already on the roster (Isaiah Ford, Bucky Hodges to name a few) and went on to break or tie 10 offensive school records on the way to a Coastal Division title and the program's first 10-win season since 2011. The defense still looks loaded, so the main intrigue is whether Fuente's instant offensive impact has another act with a new cast in 2017.
Who are the pros picking? Visit SportsLine to see which college football teams Vegas pros are hammering on opening weekend through Monday night.
West Virginia: Are the Mountaineers a legit top-25 team? Holgorsen has expressed a lot of confidence in Grier, who did go 6-0 as Florida's starter before his PED suspension, but WVU a handful of key contributors on both lines and two of its top receiving targets. The running back position is loaded, and Tony Gibson has done a great job with the defense in recent years, but like Virginia Tech, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered early to back up hype that seems to be more residual from last year's 10-win season (the program's best finish since joining the Big 12) than a projection of performance in 2017.
The good news for West Virginia is that this is nothing new. Entering his seventh season, Holgorsen has moved from being a hot name to temporarily flirting with the hot seat and now seems firmly entrenched with his system and people in place. This is a program where a postseason appearance is the floor and every few years they'll creep up and challenge for the Big 12 title. These transition years after the peak seasons are always going to be interesting to track because West Virginia could very well be a top-25 team, but in a tough Big 12, that can only be determined by they how they perform against comparable foes from other power conferences, like Virginia Tech.
Prediction
FedEx Field has been a house of horrors for Virginia Tech, but I think they'll exorcise some demons in a game that should be much lower scoring than you'd think based on the offensive reputation of both coaches. Bud Foster has been scouting the one-back attack of WVU all summer and while I'm sure Holgo will have some wrinkles that can catch the Lunch Pail D off guard I favor the Hokies in that matchup against a first-time starter under center. It's going to be a rock fight that probably ends on a field goal, so I'm taking the underdog but think Virginia Tech ultimately wins straight up. Pick: West Virginia +4.5
