BRISTOL, Tenn. — Depending on exactly where you stand in the twin city of Bristol, you might be in Tennessee or Virginia.

About 110 miles to the West is Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. About 125 miles to the East is Blacksburg and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, better known as Virginia Tech.

The Volunteers initially started playing football in 1891. The Hokies took to the gridiron just one year later. However, despite their pigskin history and shared border, the schools have only played each other eight times — first in 1896, last in 2009 at the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Vols lead the all-time series 5-3.

However, the ninth installment could be what transforms Tennessee-Virginia Tech into a legitimate rivalry.

After each program opens the 2016 regular season with the proverbial cupcake — Appalachian State for the Volunteers, Liberty for the Hokies — they will match up Sept. 10 in the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol.

Bristol Motor Speedway, a half-mile racetrack and the self-proclaimed “last great colosseum” on the NASCAR cicruit, will transform into a monster football stadium. With a capacity of about 150,000 and even more auxiliary seating in the works, the crowd is expected to be in the neighborhood of 160,000 for the game.

That would shatter the record of 115,109 set Sept. 7, 2013, when Michigan hosted Notre Dame in Ann Arbor.

“The Pilot Flying J Battle of Bristol has been many, many years in the making,” Tennessee coach Butch Jones told Saturday Down South. “I remember doing the first press conference, and now we are just months away from it actually happening.”

Said Hokies coach Justin Fuente: “I know Virginia Tech fans and Tennessee fans have wanted this game in this venue for a long time. We’ll keep our team focused on the game itself, but playing on the national stage in front of the biggest crowd ever is something we’ll embrace. Guys come to Virginia Tech to play in big games, and the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol will be big on a number of different levels.”

The game was originally the brainchild of Bruton Smith, the billionaire CEO of Speedway Motorsports. Bristol is one of eight NASCAR tracks he owns. It took about two decades for his vision to become reality.

“Our players, staff and fans are extremely excited to be a part of this unique event,” Jones said. “The opportunity for us to showcase our football program in front of 150,000-plus fans is going to be special. It’s the first of its kind, and we can’t wait to get there.”

Pilot Flying J was a natural fit as the title sponsor. Its CEO, Jimmy Haslam, has football in his blood. Not only is he currently the majority owner of the Cleveland Browns, but his father, Pilot founder Jim, was a team captain at Tennessee. He was part of a Volunteers squad that won the national title in 1951.

Back when Smith concocted his plan, Tennessee and Virginia Tech were among the country’s powerhouses.

The Volunteers upset Florida State in the inaugural BCS Championship Game in 1998. The following year, the Hokies led FSU in the title game — Michael Vick was electrifying — before fading in the fourth quarter.