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Ohio State announced Thursday that next year's game against perennial Atlantic Coast Conference contenders, Virginia Tech, in Ohio Stadium will take place September 6th, 2014, instead of September 20th, as had been originally planned. According to an OSU football spokesperson, ESPN approached both schools about the change as well as the possibility of either a full national broadcast for the game at 3:30 p.m. or a primetime telecast. Both teams should be amongst the favorites to win their respective leagues next season.
The Buckeyes had been set to have a bye week the weekend of September 6th but will instead have a bye week the 20th instead. Ohio State opens against Navy in the Baltimore Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium before playing host to Virginia Tech and Kent State in successive weekends. After their Week 4 bye week, the Buckeyes will welcome in the Bearcats of Cincinnati.
Previously, Ohio State and Virginia Tech had rescheduled their 2015 game for Labor Day of that year. That contest will take place on a Monday night on national television which could give the two schools consecutive prime time, high profile matchups. Virginia Tech will lose quarterback Logan Thomas and should still be in the process of ushering in a new quarterback next season.
The Hokies are presently 6-1, 3-0 in the ACC, after starting the season flat offensively (and on special teams for that matter) against number one Alabama. During that streak, however, Virginia Tech's toughest opponent was likely either 4-3 Georgia Tech or 4-2 Pitt.
Here's Ohio State's 2014 football schedule in its entirety as it's now set:
Aug. 30 - vs. Navy (at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium)
Sept. 6 - Virginia Tech
Sept. 13 - Kent State
Sept. 20 - Off
Sept. 27 - Cincinnati
Oct. 4 - at Maryland
Oct. 11 - Off
Oct. 18 - Rutgers
Oct. 25 - at Penn State
Nov. 1 - Illinois
Nov. 8 - at Michigan State
Nov. 15 - at Minnesota
Nov. 22 - Indiana
Nov. 29 - Michigan
Dec. 6 - Big Ten Championship Game