page_title: VMI–Virginia Tech football rivalry
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: VMI–Virginia Tech football rivalry / History
caption_attribution_description: English: A VMI Keydets v. Virginia Tech Hokies football game.
context_page_description: The VMI–Virginia Tech football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Keydets of Virginia Military Institute and the Hokies of Virginia Tech. Due mainly to changes in classification, the teams last played in 1984, and are not scheduled to play again until 2026 - a 42-year gap. The two teams are only about 80 miles apart in western Virginia and were in the same conference from 1924 to 1964.
context_section_description: The two schools first met in 1894 and played annually from 1913 to 1971, usually in Roanoke on Thanksgiving Day. Like the current rivalry between VMI and The Citadel, the match-up was referred to as the Military Classic of the South, due to the military heritage of both schools. Starting again in 1973, the teams would continue to play on a yearly basis, making multiple appearances together in the Tobacco Bowl (1974, 1976) and Oyster Bowl (1980, 1982, 1984). The 1984 Oyster Bowl is the last time both teams played each other.
  After the 1984 Oyster bowl, Virginia Tech led the series 49–25–5, At 79 games, it is the second-longest series for the Hokies and fourth-longest for the Keydets. Due to the long pause of the VMI-VPI series, the Virginia–Virginia Tech rivalry has emerged as the dominant one in the state.
  Due to an agreement in 2017, Virginia Tech and VMI approved of a renewed one-time rivalry matchup on September 5, 2026 at Lane Stadium.
caption: The first VMI-VPI game
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