Virginia Tech and East Carolina are two games into a nine-year series that has already produced plenty of drama.

In 2007, the Hokies beat the Pirates 17-7 in Blacksburg—Tech’s first game since the April 16 on-campus shootings that year. The emotional pregame ceremonies left few dry eyes in Lane Stadium that afternoon.

Last year, the teams played in a more sterile environment, on the Carolina Panthers’ home field in Charlotte, N.C. But the game featured one of the most stunning endings you’ll ever see, as the Pirates blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown with 1:52 left to win 27-22.

Can Tech and ECU top that this year? Even if they don’t, tomorrow night’s meeting in Greenville, N.C., will be notable for several reasons.

It is the Hokies’ first road game against a team from outside the six major conferences since 2002, when they won 30-0 at Western Michigan. That isn’t surprising, since major-conference teams don’t usually travel to play smaller-conference squads.

In fact, the Hokies have done it just 10 times since joining the Big East in 1991: East Carolina and Louisville in 1992, Southern Mississippi and East Carolina in 1994, Navy in 1995, Akron in 1996, Alabama-Birmingham in 1998, East Carolina and Central Florida in 2000 and Western Michigan in 2002.

Tomorrow also is the Hokies’ first November non-conference game against a team other than Virginia, their traditional rival, since 2000, when they played Central Florida on Nov. 11, the game before they faced the Cavaliers. The only other times they have played a non-league November game against someone besides Virginia: Akron and East Carolina in 1991, Southern Miss in 1992, East Carolina in 1996 and Alabama-Birmingtham in 1997.

It should be noted that the Hokies played just one Big East game in 1991 and five in 1992, so they had more opportunities for non-league games.

Even if tomorrow night doesn’t live up to the past two Hokies-Pirates meetings, the teams will have more chances, because they are scheduled to play every season from now until 2015.

Virginia Tech’s game at East Carolina tomorrow is its first road game against a team from outside the six major conferences since 2002.