Arguably the first game on the 2010 Virginia Tech football schedule is the first. The Hokies will play Boise State at what is supposed to be a neutral field in Landover, MD, outside of Washington DC. However, considering FedEx’s proximity to Virginia Tech and a large VT alumni base, and distance from Boise, it’s closer to a home game for the Hokies (those Boise State’s fan base Bronco tends to travel well). Virginia Tech Boise State tickets will be in high demand and will be one of the hardest Virginia Tech tickets to come by in 2010.

This game will feature 2 college football teams ranked likely in the top 5 in 2010 and will appeal not only to their fan bases, but to college football fans in general. By putting the game in prime time on September 6 (Labor Day), ESPN has made it a made-for-television event. It’s also given both programs a lot of anticipation in the offseason, and Frank Beamer, the head coach at Virginia Tech, has often said that this type of game adds a lot of focus to offseason preparation.

This game has broader implications for college football, beyond the fate of Virginia Tech and Boise State football. Boise State is a loaded team and despite being in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and heading to the Mountain West Conference next year, they are highly ranked and considered national championship contenders. This is due to the fact that the team was undefeated in 2009, including wins over Oregon from the PAC10 and a previously undefeated TCU team.

Boise State also returns with 21 of 22 starters from last year, an almost impossible thing to do, and thus many hope they have a good chance to top the table again in 2010. If they beat Virginia Tech in September and remain undefeated, there is a great possibility that they could be playing for the BCS National Championship.

BCS scenarios are impossible to predict, and an undefeated mid-major team has been left out plenty of times, but Boise has a real edge in 2010. That would be their initial ranking in the top 5 in the polls earlier in the year, plus the credibility that it gained in 2009. Again, it’s impossible to predict all scenarios, and certainly some undefeated teams in the major conferences would lock Boise out of the BCS title game. But an undefeated Bronco team is luckier than ever to play for the title in 2010.

For VT football, this game is also a subplot in their season. The Hokies generally have a yearly goal of winning the ACC, and this game has nothing to do with that. However, this is believed to be a very promising year for the Hokies, who played but never won a college football championship. This is one of those swing years in which Virginia Tech could make a run at a BCS championship, and it won’t happen unless they beat Boise State in the opener.

This is going to be a great matchup and will have the full attention of the college football world. Much will be determined about both teams after the VT vs Boise game ends on September 6!