- Commonwealth Cup
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This article is about the annual American football game between Virginia and Virginia Tech. For other trophies, see Commonwealth Cup (disambiguation).
Commonwealth Cup
Virginia Cavaliers Virginia Tech Hokies Originated 1895 Most recent 2010 Next match 2011 Continuity 40 years Rivalry Series Virginia Tech leads, 50-37-5 Last Winner Virginia Tech (2010) The Commonwealth Cup is an American college football rivalry game played between the Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia and the Virginia Tech Hokies football team of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Typically, this series is played on a Saturday close to Thanksgiving. The trophy is an important component of the greater Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry. Though the two schools first met in 1895 and have played annually since 1970, the Cup is a relatively new tradition, beginning in 1996. Currently, Virginia Tech holds the cup, having won the 2010 matchup by the score of 37-7. The Hokies have won seven consecutive games in the series. The Commonwealth Cup trophy itself is four feet high and contains the scores of all of the games in the Virginia-Virginia Tech series.[1]
Since the 1964 matchup, the game has always been played at Lane Stadium or Scott Stadium on the campuses of the two universities. But the series has at times been played in Richmond (1903, 1904, and 1957); Norfolk (1940, 1941, and 1942); and Roanoke (in 17 of the 19 years between 1945 and 1963).
Virginia Tech leads the all-time series between the schools 50-37-5,[2] and the Cup series 11-3. At 92 games it is the longest series for the Hokies and the second-longest for the Cavaliers, after the 116-game series between Virginia and North Carolina known as the South's Oldest Rivalry.
Contents
Trophy
The trophy awarded to the winner of the Commonwealth Cup game is also referred to as the Commonwealth Cup, and was created in 1996. Constructed of marble and cherry wood, the Cup stands four feet tall and is capped by a silver-plated cup. The cup is engraved with the names of the two schools and is mounted atop a trapezoidal base that makes up most of the trophy's length. The results of every Virginia-Virginia Tech football game are engraved on the sides of the base, and the front of the base features a stylized map of Virginia with Blacksburg and Charlottesville represented by stars on the map.[3]
All-Time Results
The Virginia Tech cheerleaders welcome the Virginia football team to Lane Stadium as the teams prepare for the 2004 battle for the Commonwealth Cup
The Virginia and Virginia Tech teams meet after the 2006 battle for the Commonwealth Cup.Virginia victories shaded in ██ navy blue. Virginia Tech victories are shaded ██ maroon. Ties are shaded ██ gray.
# Date Site Winning team Losing team 1 October 5, 1895 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 38 Virginia Tech 0 2 October 31, 1896 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 44 Virginia Tech 0 3 November 11, 1899 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 28 Virginia Tech 0 4 November 14, 1900 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 17 Virginia Tech 5 5 October 26, 1901 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 16 Virginia Tech 0 6 November 15, 1902 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 6 Virginia Tech 0 7 October 24, 1903 Richmond, VA Virginia 21 Virginia Tech 0 8 November 5, 1904 Richmond, VA Virginia 5 Virginia Tech 0 9 November 4, 1905 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 11 Virginia 0 10 November 17, 1923 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 3 11 November 15, 1924 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 6 Virginia Tech 0 12 November 14, 1925 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 10 Virginia Tech 0 13 October 23, 1926 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 14 October 22, 1927 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 7 Virginia Tech 0 15 November 10, 1928 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 0 16 November 9, 1929 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 32 Virginia 12 17 November 8, 1930 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 31 Virginia 13 18 November 14, 1931 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 0 Virginia Tech 0 19 November 12, 1932 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 13 Virginia 0 20 November 18, 1933 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 6 Virginia Tech 6 21 November 17, 1934 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 19 Virginia 6 22 November 16, 1935 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 0 Virginia Tech 0 23 November 14, 1936 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 7 Virginia 6 24 November 13, 1937 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 7 25 October 15, 1938 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 14 Virginia Tech 6 26 November 18, 1939 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 13 Virginia 0 27 November 2, 1940 Norfolk, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 28 November 1, 1941 Norfolk, VA Virginia 34 Virginia Tech 0 29 October 31, 1942 Norfolk, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 14 30 October 27, 1945 Roanoke, VA Virginia 31 Virginia Tech 13 31 October 5, 1946 Roanoke, VA Virginia 21 Virginia Tech 21 32 October 4, 1947 Roanoke, VA Virginia 41 Virginia Tech 7 33 October 2, 1948 Roanoke, VA Virginia 28 Virginia Tech 0 34 October 8, 1949 Roanoke, VA Virginia 26 Virginia Tech 0 35 October 7, 1950 Roanoke, VA Virginia 45 Virginia Tech 6 36 October 6, 1951 Roanoke, VA Virginia 33 Virginia Tech 0 37 October 4, 1952 Roanoke, VA Virginia 42 Virginia Tech 0 38 September 26, 1953 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 6 39 October 23, 1954 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 40 October 22, 1955 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 17 Virginia 13 41 October 27, 1956 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 7 42 October 19, 1957 Richmond, VA Virginia 38 Virginia Tech 7 43 October 11, 1958 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 22 Virginia 13 44 October 17, 1959 Richmond, VA Virginia Tech 40 Virginia 14 45 October 22, 1960 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 40 Virginia 6 46 October 21, 1961 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 0 47 October 6, 1962 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 15 48 October 5, 1963 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 10 Virginia 0 49 October 3, 1964 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 20 Virginia Tech 17 50 October 23, 1965 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 22 Virginia 14 51 October 22, 1966 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 24 Virginia 7 52 September 12, 1970 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 7 Virginia Tech 0 53 November 6, 1971 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 54 September 16, 1972 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 24 Virginia Tech 20 55 October 20, 1973 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 27 Virginia 15 56 October 19, 1974 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 28 Virginia Tech 27 57 October 18, 1975 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 24 Virginia 17 58 October 16, 1976 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 10 59 October 15, 1977 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 14 60 October 21, 1978 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 17 Virginia Tech 7 61 November 10, 1979 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 20 Virginia Tech 18 62 October 18, 1980 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 30 Virginia 0 63 November 28, 1981 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 3 64 November 25, 1982 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 21 Virginia 14 65 November 19, 1983 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 48 Virginia 0 66 September 29, 1984 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 26 Virginia Tech 23 67 October 19, 1985 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 28 Virginia 10 68 October 25, 1986 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 42 Virginia 10 69 September 19, 1987 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 14 Virginia Tech 13 70 October 29, 1988 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 16 Virginia Tech 10 71 November 11, 1989 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 32 Virginia Tech 25 72 November 24, 1990 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 38 Virginia 13 73 November 23, 1991 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 38 Virginia Tech 0 74 November 21, 1992 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 41 Virginia Tech 38 75 November 20, 1993 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 17 76 November 19, 1994 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 42 Virginia Tech 23 77 November 18, 1995 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 36 Virginia 29 78 November 29, 1996 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 26 Virginia 9 79 November 29, 1997 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 34 Virginia Tech 20 80 November 28, 1998 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 36 Virginia Tech 32 81 October 2, 1999 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 31 Virginia 7 82 November 25, 2000 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 42 Virginia 21 83 November 17, 2001 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 31 Virginia 17 84 November 30, 2002 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 21 Virginia 9 85 November 29, 2003 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 35 Virginia Tech 21 86 November 27, 2004 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 24 Virginia 10 87 November 19, 2005 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 52 Virginia 14 88 November 25, 2006 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 17 Virginia 0 89 November 24, 2007 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 33 Virginia 21 90 November 29, 2008 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 17 Virginia 14 91 November 28, 2009 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 42 Virginia 13 92 November 27, 2010 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 37 Virginia 7 Significant games
The 1998 game between the Cavaliers of Virginia and the Hokies of Virginia Tech was one of the biggest games in the series. UVa was down 29-7 and came back to win the game 36 to 32 by a touchdown pass from Aaron Brooks to Ahmad Hawkins. It is still the biggest comeback in UVa history.
In 2004, the battle for the Commonwealth Cup took on a new significance as the two teams were now both members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Not only did the game count for bragging rights within the state, but it also would have an effect on the ACC title. Both teams entered the 2004 match-up able to clinch a share of the ACC championship with a win. Ultimately, Virginia Tech would prevail and go on to win the ACC outright in their first year in the conference.
In 2007 the game took place Charlottesville and became the de facto Coastal Division championship game, the winner would then go and play in the ACC Championship Game. Both teams came in ranked nationally, Virginia Tech at #8 and Virginia at #16. Ultimately, Virginia Tech prevailed 33-21 and would go on to beat Boston College, ACC Atlantic Division Champions, for the ACC Championship.
See also
- Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry, the all-sports rivalry between the Cavaliers and Hokies.
- South's Oldest Rivalry, the longest-standing football rivalry in the ACC, between the Cavaliers and North Carolina.
- Maryland-Virginia rivalry, the official "permanent rivalry" in football between the Cavaliers and Maryland.
- Black Diamond Trophy, the discontinued football rivalry trophy between the Hokies and West Virginia.
- List of NCAA college football rivalry games
References
- ^ hokiesports.com
- ^ "Virginia Tech vs Virginia". College Football Data Warehouse. http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/acc/virginia_tech/opponents_records.php?teamid=3385. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
- ^ Hokiesports.com Commonwealth Cup Trophy. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
External links
Rivalries of the Atlantic Coast Conference Conference O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy (Boston College–Clemson) • Boston College–Virginia Tech • Clemson–Florida State • Clemson–Georgia Tech • Textile Bowl (NC State-Clemson) • North Carolina-Duke • Duke–Maryland • Duke–NC State • Duke–Wake Forest • Florida State–Miami • Jefferson–Eppes Trophy (Florida State–Virginia) • Battle of the Techs (Georgia Tech–Virginia Tech) • Maryland–Virginia • Miami–Virginia Tech • South's Oldest Rivalry (North Carolina–Virginia) • North Carolina-NC State • Virginia–Virginia TechNon-conference Green Line Rivalry (Boston College–Boston U) • Boston College–Holy Cross • Boston College-Notre Dame • Commonwealth Classic (Boston College–UMass) • Clemson–South Carolina • Clemson–Georgia • Florida State–Florida • Georgia Tech–Auburn • Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate (Georgia Tech–Georgia) • Georgia Tech–Notre Dame • Maryland–Johns Hopkins • Crab Bowl Classic (Maryland–Navy) • Maryland–Penn State • Maryland–West Virginia • War Canoe Trophy (Miami–Florida) • Miami–Notre Dame • North Carolina–South Carolina • NC State–East Carolina • Virginia Tech–VMI • Black Diamond Trophy (Virginia Tech–West Virginia)Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Academics College of Agriculture and Life Sciences · Virginia Tech College of Architecture and Urban Studies · Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine · Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs · Center for Public Administration and Policy · Virginia Tech Foundation · Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine · HEVT · The Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech
Research Athletics Fighting Gobblers · HokieBird · Old Hokie · Tech Triumph · UVA–VT rivalry · BC–VT rivalry · Football · Commonwealth Cup · Black Diamond Trophy · Men's soccer · Women's soccer · Basketball · Virginia Tech Radio Network · Lane Stadium · Cassell Coliseum · English Field · Virginia Tech Lacrosse and Soccer Stadium · Frank Beamer · Seth Greenberg · Jim Weaver
Campus Virginia Tech campus · Hokie Stone · Hillcrest Honors Community · History · Virginia Tech massacre · Virginia Tech Police Department
Life People Categories:- Atlantic Coast Conference
- College football rivalry trophies in the United States
- Virginia Cavaliers football
- Virginia Tech Hokies football
- College sports in Virginia
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