Black Diamond Trophy

The Black Diamond Trophy was a college football trophy that annually went to the winner of the West Virginia University and Virginia Tech football game. The trophy 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 holds a 28-22-1 overall record over Virginia Tech. The final game of the series was played on 1 October 2005, in Morgantown, WV. Virginia Tech won the game 34-17.

As of the 2006 season, neither school has the other listed on their schedule and the future of the Black Diamond Trophy is uncertain since Virginia Tech's move from the Big East to the ACC in 2005.

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 '73 to '05. 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 34-23 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 yards 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 longest win streak in the series, five games by the Mountaineers, ended in 1986. The last win in that streak, 1985, 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 lef 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 beat West Virginia in the form of a comeback. 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. Forty one 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 beating 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, defeated the Mountaineers 34–17.

Black Diamond Trophy Winner by year

"Virginia Tech victories shaded ██. West Virginia victories are shaded ██."