Florida State helped pioneer college ur otball on Labor Day in the mid-2000s, and the Seminoles returned to the Monday-night stage years later when it played memorable games against Pittsburgh and Mississippi. But for the first time since 2009 – and only the third time this century – Doak Campbell Stadium will have the undivided attention of the college football world when the Seminoles and Virginia Tech Hokies put an exclamation point on the first week of the regular season.

While FSU and Virginia Tech have a surprisingly lengthy history – they’ve met 36 times since 1955, and the Seminoles claimed their 1999 national title with a win over the Hokies – this will be the first contest between the two programs since a 28-22 FSU victory in Blacksburg, Va., in 2012. Florida State hasn’t hosted Virginia Tech since 2008 and, before that, 1990.

FSU’s most memorable meetings with Virginia Tech, of course, featured matchups between coaching legends Bobby Bowden and Frank Beamer. But this year’s contest should shine a spotlight on two programs with an eye on the future. The Hokies are entering Year 3 under coach Justin Fuente, while FSU is set to usher in a new era with Taggart. Virginia tech is 19-8 in Fuente’s first two years at the helm.

FSU is 4-2 all-time on Labor Day, and 9-3 when opening its season with a conference game.