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Florence & football: Hokies cancelled, UVA to host Ohio in Nashville

Posted at 11:13 PM, Sep 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-11 23:13:43-04

Khalil Ladler of the Virginia Tech Hokies. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

NORFOLK, Va. – Football in flux due to Florence.

Of the eight Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Series (FCS) games scheduled to be played in Virginia Saturday, as of this writing – only two are still on-schedule. The two: East Tennessee State at VMI, Saturday 1:30 p.m. and St. Francis at Richmond, Saturday 2:00 p.m.

Among the six games shifted due to Hurricane Florence, Virginia will host Ohio…in Nashville. A game originally set for Scott Stadium on UVA’s campus in Charlottesville has been relocated to Vanderbilt Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University.

Quarterback Bryce Perkins of the Virginia Cavaliers. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)

“Our top priority is the safety of everyone involved and I appreciate the understanding of our fans,” said Virginia athletics director Carla Williams.”We’re extremely grateful to Vanderbilt University and vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletics director David Williams for graciously supporting our efforts. We look forward to returning to Scott Stadium for the Louisville game on Sept. 22.”

While UVA hosts a “home” game in Tennessee, Virginia Tech won’t play a game at all.

The Hokies’ home contest vs. East Carolina, set for 12:20 p.m. Saturday, was cancelled when East Carolina, citing “significant imminent safety concerns”, decided it would not travel to Blacksburg for the game.

Deshawn McClease of the Virginia Tech Hokies. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Tech’s tone indicated a bit of displeasure with ECU’s choice.

“We will do what’s best for Virginia Tech moving forward as it relates to East Carolina and to the game,” Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. “We certainly understand the need for safety, of course, we just felt that tomorrow, making the decision then, would’ve been more responsible and accurate. We informed ECU of this multiple times.”

According to the athletic department, Virginia Tech officials had planned on waiting until Wednesday before making a determination on the status of Saturday’s game in hopes that the contest could still be safely played as scheduled once more definitive information on the storm’s projected track and anticipated impact on Southwest Virginia became available.

Bobby Wilder, ODU football

Elsewhere in college football, Old Dominion University’s game at Charlotte is still on-schedule for Saturday at 6:00 p.m. In fact, the Monarchs are already in North Carolina. Due, in part, to ODU’s campus being closed due to Florence, head coach Bobby Wilder decided to take his team to Charlotte Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in hopes of beating the storm.