HAMPTON, Virginia - It was a natural, born of geography and the area's obsession with football. An ambitious start-up and an established college program separated by just 13 miles. It made too much sense for Hampton and Old Dominion not to play each other.
But as HU and the Monarchs prepare for their third meeting, 6 p.m. Saturday at Armstrong Stadium, the landscape has changed.
ODU is in its final year in the Football Championship Subdivision, on its way to Conference USA and the Bowl Subdivision. Meanwhile, HU remains firmly entrenched as a signature program in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference.
"I like the game," ODU coach Bobby Wilder said. "I think it's a good football game. I've said from the first day I was hired, playing Hampton, playing Norfolk State, that's exciting to me. It's changed a little bit now that we're making the transition to the FBS, because I don't see how we'll be able to play on a regular basis.
"I'm hoping we can still at some point be able to schedule these games and play these games. I think it's good for the area. I think there's some excitement to it. I know we're excited to play Hampton and I get the impression they're excited to play us."
Hampton-ODU has become a quasi-rivalry, fueled by familiarity and location. Both rosters are heavy with local players. Recruiting sometimes overlaps.
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