Reports surfaced Tuesday afternoon that Florida State and West Virginia are close to reaching a deal that would have the teams square off in 2020, possibly in Atlanta.
There are questions as to what that would mean for FSU’s scheduled trip to Boise to take on Boise State in 2020, but those questions will probably be answered on a different day and at a different time. As for Florida State and West Virginia, a 2020 showdown would be the first meeting between the teams in more than a decade.
The teams have met just three times and the Seminoles have won each of the three contests. All have taken place in bowl games. Here are four reasons the Mountaineers and Seminoles should kick off the 2020 season against one another:
Retribution on West Virginia’s Part
Most Florida State fans remember quite well that the Seminoles and Mountaineers were scheduled to play a home and home, beginning in Tallahassee in 2012. Upon joining the Big 12 and moving to a 9-game conference schedule, West Virginia paid FSU $500,000 to avoid the contests. Both Florida State and West Virginia began the 2012 season ranked in the top 15 nationally and the game was set to be a marquee Week 2 match-up. Instead, the Seminoles had to schedule Savannah State whom they defeated 55-0 in a game that was called by weather early in the third quarter. This could be seen by some FSU fans as paid retribution on West Virginia’s part.
It’s a Quality Non-Conference Game
Adding a quality non-conference game would be a big deal for both schools. Florida State is constantly chided (mostly by SEC fans) for playing in a weak Atlantic Coast Conference while the Big 12 gets flack for its non-conference scheduling. Being that the Mountaineers have had back-to-back winning seasons under Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia seems to be ascending as a program while FSU has been one of the nation’s elite teams over the last four years. Both schools would have something to gain by this contest.
Ties
Though the teams have only met three times on the football field, there are some significant ties involved. West Virginia was where legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden roamed the sidelines before coming to Tallahassee in 1976 and also the team he defeated in his final game before retirement. Current FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher and offensive line coach Rick Trickett both have ties to the state of West Virginia as well. Fisher is a native of Clarksburg and was recently honored by the community that helped raise him. Trickett was offensive line coach for the Mountaineers before coming to Tallahassee and is a native of Masontown. Trickett played his college ball at Glenville, which is also in the state of West Virginia.
Revenue
It’s no secret that revenue is a big driver of these neutral site, non-conference games and having this one in Atlanta would be no different. With neutral site games, Florida State doesn’t have to adhere to the ACC’s profit-sharing model and can collect a big payday. The Seminoles have such contests scheduled with Ole Miss in Orlando this upcoming season and against Alabama in Atlanta in 2017. FSU played Oklahoma State in Dallas to kick off the 2014 season. West Virginia opened the 2014 season in Atlanta against Alabama and has neutral site games set for each of the next three seasons. The Mountaineers will play BYU (2016) and Virginia Tech (2017) in Landover before facing Tennessee in Charlotte to open 2018.
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