Sep 13, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images David Leong-Imagn Images

Wisconsin Badgers series with Virginia Tech moved for 5th time

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Kedrick Stumbris | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 7:47 PM ET

In the summer of 2006, the Wisconsin Badgers made a fairly standard, yet exciting, announcement. It was a seemingly straightforward notice that in two years' time, UW and the Virginia Tech Hokies would begin a home-and-home non-conference football series.

Nearly two decades have come and gone since that announcement, and yet, Wisconsin and Virginia Tech have still never played each other in football.

With the game already having been pushed back four times, when Wisconsin issued a release that began with the subject, "Wisconsin football's 2031 meeting with Virginia Tech moved," the natural instinct was to assume another delay. This announcement, however, was different in flavor.

Wisconsin football moves 2031 game with Virginia Tech to neutral-site

No longer a true home-and-home series, Wisconsin and Virginia Tech will play on August 30, 2031, in the Duke's Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium, the home of the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game was most recently scheduled to be played in Blacksburg, Virginia, on September 12, 2031.

Wisconsin and Virginia Tech are still scheduled to meet again in Madison inside Camp Randall Stadium in 2032.

Perhaps corporate sponsorship makes it more likely this fraught non-conference matchup will be played as it is currently scheduled. The two sides were originally set to meet beginning in 2008, then 2016, then 2024.

This continues another trend of two-game non-conference matchups recently scheduled by UW. The Wisconsin Badgers host the Pitt Panthers in Madison next season on September 19, 2026. Pitt, however, will not host Wisconsin. Instead, the two sides will meet in Dublin Ireland for the 2027 Aer Lingus College Football Classic on August 28th.