Michigan, Virginia Tech schedule home-and-home series
The recent addition of a ninth Big Ten game to the football schedule isn't stopping the Wolverines from scheduling big-name opponents.
Thursday afternoon, the Michigan athletic department announced that the Wolverines will play Virginia Tech in 2020 and 2021.
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The Hokies will travel to Ann Arbor on Sept. 29, 2020, and they will host Michigan a year later, Sept. 11, 2021.
The two programs have never met in the regular season, but Michigan fans fondly remember the last - and only - time the Wolverines played the Hokies.
After a stellar 10-2 season in Michigan coach Brady Hoke's first season, the Wolverines were invited to the 2012 Sugar Bowl, where they toppled ACC-runner up Virginia Tech, 23-20, in a thrilling overtime game.
According to The Washington Post, Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon and Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver "developed a relationship" at the Sugar Bowl that season. The two have been in negotiations "since at least last fall, but talks were tabled when the Big Ten expanded and threw Michigan's future schedules into flux," according to The Post.
"I am pleased that Dave Brandon and I have been able to work out this agreement," Weaver said in a statement released by the Virginia Tech athletic department. "Michigan is the winningest college football program in the country, and it will be exciting to have the Wolverines come to Lane Stadium."
Of course, the Hokies aren't the lone high-profile program Michigan has made a deal with for future scheduling.
Cincinnati will play at Michigan Sept. 19, 2017. The Wolverines have also schedule a home-and-home series with the SEC's Arkansas - the new home of former Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema - for 2018 (at Michigan) and 2019 (at Arkansas).
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