Virginia Tech – West Virginia football rivalry The Virginia Tech – West Virginia football rivalry was an American college football rivalry between the Virginia Tech Hokies football team of Virginia Tech and West Virginia Mountaineers football team of West Virginia University . The Black Diamond Trophy was the trophy that annually went to the winner of the game . It was introduced in 1997 and was meant to symbolize the Appalachian region ’ s rich coal heritage ( the phrase " black diamond " is often used as a term for coal . ) Virginia Tech held the trophy in 6 of the 9 years in which it was contested , but West Virginia University leads the series 28 - 22 - 1 over Virginia Tech . The last game was played on October 1 , 2005 , in Morgantown , West Virginia . Virginia Tech won 34 – 17 . Since the 2006 season , neither school has the other listed on their schedule . The future of the Black Diamond Trophy is uncertain following both schools ' move from the Big East . History . Early games . The first West Virginia - Virginia Tech football game dates back to 1912 , but they started playing consecutively in 1973 . The series lasted 51 games , from 1973 to 2005 . When head coach Frank Beamer began leading the Hokies to success in the 1990s , the rivalry soon elevated . As of the 2005 game in Morgantown , West Virginia leads the series 28 - 22 - 1 . The first big game of the rivalry came in 1974 . Both teams were wrapping up losing seasons in Blacksburg , but neither thought the game would be so hard fought . Former West Virginia head coach Bobby Bowden even received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against him for arguing a personal foul that cost the Mountaineers 30 yards . The game featured a 99 - yard interception return and an 85 - yard touchdown run for Artie Owens and the Mountaineers . The Hokies had two chances to hit a game - winning field goal , after a penalty on West Virginia , but missed both and lost 22 - 21 . Only a year later , West Virginia picked up a hard - fought 10 - 7 win which ended with a Mountaineer game - winning field goal . In 1979 , West Virginia capped one of the greatest comebacks in the rivalry ' s history . Down 23 - 6 at halftime , the Mountaineers rallied behind quarterback Oliver Luck and his four second - half touchdowns to pull out a 34 - 23 come - from - behind victory . 1980s . After West Virginia pulled off the great comeback in 1979 , the Hokies up - ended new head coach Don Nehlen at West Virginia . The Hokies , who eventually made it to the Peach Bowl , thrashed the legendary coach ' s team 34 - 11 . Virginia Tech runningback Cyrus Lawrence ran for 173 yards , the most ever by a Virginia Tech back in the series . A defensive struggle in 1984 also highlighted the early 80s contests . The game was won by the Mountaineers 14 - 7 , despite being outgained 339 - 240 by Virginia Tech . The ' 84 contest marked the first time that both teams made a bowl as well : West Virginia the Bluebonnet Bowl and Virginia Tech the Independence Bowl . The second longest win streak in the series by the Mountaineers ( WVU won seven in a row against VPI from 1951 to 1958 and won five in a row from 1981 to 1985 ) , ended in 1986 . The last win in that streak , was a 24 - 9 win by the Mountaineers . In 1988 , en route to the first undefeated season in school history , West Virginia won against the Hokies 22 - 10 . In the hardest game for the Mountaineers on that season , West Virginia battled six turnovers and 13 penalties to win . Former head coach Don Nehlen remarked about playing in Blacksburg , “ Playing here is like airplane landings – any one you can walk away from is a good one . ” The following year , 1989 , West Virginia lost a dramatic game to the Hokies , 12 - 10 . The win was the first for Virginia Tech in Morgantown since 1967 and the first time that the Hokies defeated a ranked Mountaineer team who was coming off of the undefeated ' 88 season . 1990s . In 1991 , Virginia Tech overcame the odds to beat West Virginia 20 - 14 . Heavy rain , a 50 - minute lightning delay , and a late offensive surge by the Mountaineers threatened Virginia Tech ' s win . But when the Mountaineers fumbled on a one - yard line handoff with 16 seconds left in the game , the Hokies came away with the win . West Virginia handed the Hokies payback for the ' 91 contest in 1993 , when they again ended the season undefeated . The Mountaineers pulled out a 14 - 13 win , despite five turnovers and a late Virginia Tech field goal attempt ( which sailed wide right ) . Head coach Frank Beamer , on the hot seat , saved his job by leading the Hokies to the Independence Bowl . The 1994 game was the first to be televised by ESPN . The game was a 34 - 6 win for the # 14 - ranked Hokies and began a winning span of three years by a combined score of 92 - 20 . In 1997 , West Virginia ended Virginia Tech ' s three - year winning streak in front of 64 , 000 fans and a CBS television audience ( the first of the series ) . The Mountaineers won 30 - 17 behind Amos Zereoue ' s 153 rushing yards and Marc Bulger ' s passing and rushing touchdowns . One of the greatest wins in the series by the Hokies came in 1999 . With Marc Bulger out for the Mountaineers , and freshman sensation Michael Vick at quarterback for the Hokies , Virginia Tech won 22 - 20 in dramatic fashion . West Virginia scored the go - ahead touchdown to put them up 20 - 19 with 1 : 15 left to play . However , Vick led the Hokies on a dramatic drive , highlighted by a key 26 - yard scramble down the sideline when it appeared Vick would be tackled . Shayne Graham then hit the game - winning 44 - yard field goal to preserve Virginia Tech ' s undefeated season . 2000s . The following season after Michael Vick ' s dramatic comeback for the Hokies , Virginia Tech again came back to beat West Virginia . After leading 14 – 7 in the third quarter , the Mountaineers collapsed . Andre Davis , Tech ' s speedy receiver , scored on a 30 - yard reverse , a 64 - yard pass and a 76 - yard punt return in the span of six minutes to lead the Hokies to a 48 – 20 victory . 41 of Tech ' s 48 points came in the second half , which was a school record . In 2003 , West Virginia recorded one of the greatest upsets in school history against the Hokies . The # 3 Virginia Tech Hokies came into Morgantown and were upset by the double - digit underdog Mountaineers 28 – 7 . The Hokies had beaten Syracuse 51 – 7 previously , while West Virginia was only 2 – 4 . The game featured a 93 - yard pass by Rasheed Marshall to give the Mountaineers a 21 – 7 lead . Marshall also scored the last touchdown on a four - yard run . Head coach of the Mountaineers , Rich Rodriguez , said , “ That may have been the most electric crowd that I ’ ve seen since I ’ ve been back here . My wife said everybody stood up and yelled from the start until the finish of that game . ” In 2004 , the Hokies got revenge on the Mountaineers for their upset the season before . The # 6 - ranked Mountaineers lost 19 – 13 in Blacksburg to a key field goal block that was taken back 74 yards to give the Hokies a 13 – 0 lead . The last game of the rivalry came in 2005 , when Virginia Tech , led by Marcus Vick , dominated the Mountaineers 34 – 17 and became the only team to top West Virginia in the 2005 season . Leading up to their 2012 game against James Madison at FedEx Field WVU AD Oliver Luck indicated a similar neutral site meeting be possible between West Virginia and Virginia Tech , " In my discussions with ( Athletic Director ) Jim Weaver , our only opportunity to play a Virginia Tech might be this kind of game ( referring to their game against James Madison ) because they are not really interested in a home - and - home , " Luck said . " It ' s less of a commitment . " http : / / dailymail . com / Sports / WVUSports / 201209140071 Game results . " Virginia Tech victories shaded maroon . West Virginia University victories are shaded blue .