BY NATHAN WARTERS

(434) 385-5540

Since joining the ACC in 2004, Virginia Tech’s football team has made a habit of peaking at the end of the regular season.

Judging by the Hokies’ 2010 schedule, which was released Thursday afternoon, if they can continue that trend this coming season, they should be in for another successful year.

Tech, which ended 2008 on a four-game win streak and last season on a five-game surge, closes out the 2010 regular season with five straight ACC Coastal Division games, including a Nov. 4 Thursday night contest against chief divisional rival Georgia Tech in Blacksburg.

The Hokies, who have won the Coastal three times since the two-division format was introduced in 2005, will have 12 days to prepare for the Yellow Jackets and their potent option offense.

Tech has nine days after facing the defending ACC champions to get ready for a final three-game stretch that includes contests at North Carolina (Nov. 13), at Miami (Nov. 13) and at home against in-state rival Virginia (Nov. 20).

The Georgia Tech game is the only Thursday night game on the schedule. The last time the Hokies didn’t play two Thursday night games was 2003, when they played games on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Tech has a rare Monday night game on this season’s schedule. In one of the most highly anticipated non-conference games all season, the Hokies will take on defending Fiesta Bowl champion Boise State on Sept. 6 at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

Tech and BSU will both likely be ranked in the top 10 when they enter their Labor Day clash, which is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. and will be televised nationally by ESPN.

The rest of the Hokies’ non-conference schedule looks like this: They follow the Boise State game with a quick turnaround against JMU at home on Sept. 11, host defending Conference USA champion East Carolina on Sept. 18 and host defending MAC champion Central Michigan on Oct. 9.

Tech will take on both Boise State and Central Michigan for the first time in school history. It is 6-0 all-time against JMU.

The Hokies have only four true road games next season. They visit Boston College (Sept. 25) and N.C. State (Oct. 2) in back-to-back weeks at the front end of the schedule and then travel to UNC and Miami in consecutive weeks towards the end.

The champions from the Coastal and Atlantic divisions will face off in the ACC championship game on Dec. 4 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

Mon., Sept. 6 - Boise State (FedEx Field, Landover, Md.), 8 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 11 - JMU
Sat., Sept. 18 - East Carolina
Sat., Sept. 25 - at Boston College
Sat., Oct. 2 - at NC State
Sat., Oct. 9 - Central Michigan
Sat., Oct. 16 - Wake Forest
Sat., Oct. 23 - Duke
Thurs., Nov. 4 - Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 13 - at North Carolina
Sat., Nov. 20 - at Miami
Sat., Nov. 27 - Virginia