For all of you football enthusiasts out there, start getting excited. The Virginia Athletics Department announced today that the Virginia football team will host the USC Trojans for the 2008 season opener. The game will mark the first time the Trojans have played in an ACC stadium. It seems coach Groh and co. listened to the critics that claimed the Wahoos' 2007 schedule was a bit soft. Could this become the biggest upset in Virginia football history? 

 Here is the Virginia Athletics official report...

Virginia to Open 2008 Football Season at Home vs. USC
Trojans Make Rare Appearance at ACC Stadium

Charlottesville, VA – The Virginia football team will open its 2008 season
at home against Southern California on Aug. 30 at Scott Stadium both schools
announced today. Virginia will play the second game in the series during the
2010 season at The Los Angeles Coliseum on September 11. The 2008 match-up
will be the first meeting between the Cavaliers and Trojans in football.

“The opportunity to open the 2008 season at home against a team of this
caliber is truly exciting,” said Executive Associate Director of Athletics
Jon Oliver. “Coach Groh has worked hard to create a great college football
atmosphere at Scott Stadium and our fans have been tremendous in supporting
this effort. They deserve to see this type of game. I can promise we will
introduce a couple of game day initiatives to support the excitement around
the game.”

The game marks a rare trek by USC to an Atlantic Coast Conference venue. The
only previous occurrence was in 1998 when USC played at Florida State and
lost 30-10 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Trojans have played at current ACC
member schools Miami (1966, L 10-7), Georgia Tech (1973, W 23-6) and Boston
College (1988, W 34-7), but none of those games took place while their
football programs were members of the ACC.

The last meeting between the Trojans and an ACC opponent came in 2004 when
USC defeated Virginia Tech 24-13 at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. at the
Black Coaches Association Kickoff Classic. USC owns an all-time record of
10-6 against the current lineup of ACC teams.

Virginia stands 0-1 against Pac-10 teams. The Cavaliers lost to Washington
38-17 in 1976.

"Virginia football likes the challenge of competition,” said Cavaliers coach
Al Groh. “Clearly, we will get all we want from one of the most storied
programs in the country. When you think about national championships,
Heisman Trophies, and All-Americans, the USC Trojans are at the top of the
list. I know Pete Carrol well and have great respect for what he and his
players have done."

During the last five seasons the Trojans have played in five consecutive
Bowl Championship Series (BCS) games, won the national title in 2003 and
2004 and played in the BCS Championship Game in 2005. USC has been ranked in
the top four of the final Associated Press poll in each of the last five
seasons while winning five consecutive Pac-10 titles. During that time, USC
has compiled a 59-6 record and been ranked in the top-10 of the AP poll for
its last 56 games.

Virginia will open its 2007 season Sept. 1 at Wyoming. The Cavaliers home
opener is against ACC rival Duke on Sept. 8.
 

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