>> He's ducking VT and uni as they can be used to justify why he's sliding backwards

That's the key. Brands isn't ducking VT because of petty grievances from a decade ago, and he certainly isn't doing so as part of some "principled" protest. He's ducking VT because his ass is in the hot seat and the upside (for Iowa) of beating VT head-to-head doesn't come close to matching the downside (for Brands) of losing to VT. The grievances are just a handy excuse.

It's the same crap that VT, Boise State and other similarly-situated programs faced as they rose to prominence in NCAA football. The blue-bloods don't want to do anything to hasten the ascension of the up-and-comers.