Commonwealth Cup
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Commonwealth Cup
Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...

Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...

Originated 1895
Most recent 2011
Next match 2012
Continuity 41 years
Rivalry Series Virginia Tech leads, 51-37-5
Last Winner Virginia Tech (2011)


The Commonwealth Cup is an American college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 rivalry game played between the Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...

 team of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

 and the Virginia Tech Hokies football
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...

 team of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...

. Typically, this series is played on a Saturday close to Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...

. The trophy is an important component of the greater Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry
Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry
The Virginia–Virginia Tech rivalry is an American college rivalry that exists between the Virginia Cavaliers sports teams of the University of Virginia and the Virginia Tech Hokies sports teams of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Both universities are members of the...

. 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 2011 matchup by the score of 38-0. The Hokies have won eight 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.

Since the 1964 matchup, the game has always been played at either Lane Stadium
Lane Stadium
Lane Stadium/Worsham Field is a stadium located in Blacksburg, Virginia. It is the home field of the Virginia Tech Hokies. It was rated the number one home field advantage in all of college football in 2005 by Rivals.com...

 or Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium , located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the home of the Virginia Cavaliers football team. It sits on the University of Virginia's Grounds, east of Hereford College and first-year dorms on Alderman Road but west of Brown College and the Lawn...

 on the campuses of the two universities. But the series has at times been played in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

 (1903, 1904, and 1957); Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....

 (1940, 1941, and 1942); and Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...

 (in 17 of the 19 years between 1945 and 1963).

Virginia Tech leads the all-time series between the schools 51-37-5, and the Cup series 11-3. At 93 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
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...

 known as the South's Oldest Rivalry
South's Oldest Rivalry
The South's Oldest Rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia and the North Carolina Tar Heels football team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...

.

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
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...

 and cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....

 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
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...

 and Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...

 represented by stars on the map.

Game results

Virginia victories shaded in ██ navy blue. Virginia Tech victories are shaded ██ maroon. Ties are shaded ██ gray.
# Date Site Winning team Losing team Series
1 October 5, 1895 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 38 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 1-0
2 October 31, 1896 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 44 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 2-0
3 November 11, 1899 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 28 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 3-0
4 November 14, 1900 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 17 Virginia Tech 5 UVA 4-0
5 October 26, 1901 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 16 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 5-0
6 November 15, 1902 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 6 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 6-0
7 October 24, 1903 Richmond, VA Virginia 21 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 7-0
8 November 5, 1904 Richmond, VA Virginia 5 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 8-0
9 November 4, 1905 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 11 Virginia 0 UVA 8-1
10 November 17, 1923 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 3 UVA 8-2
11 November 15, 1924 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 6 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 9-2
12 November 14, 1925 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 10 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 10-2
13 October 23, 1926 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 UVA 10-3
14 October 22, 1927 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 7 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 11-3
15 November 10, 1928 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 0 UVA 11-4
16 November 9, 1929 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 32 Virginia 12 UVA 11-5
17 November 8, 1930 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 31 Virginia 13 UVA 11-6
18 November 14, 1931 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 0 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 11-6-1
19 November 12, 1932 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 13 Virginia 0 UVA 11-7-1
20 November 18, 1933 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 6 Virginia Tech 6 UVA 11-7-2
21 November 17, 1934 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 19 Virginia 6 UVA 11-8-2
22 November 16, 1935 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 0 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 11-8-3
23 November 14, 1936 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 7 Virginia 6 UVA 11-9-3
24 November 13, 1937 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 7 UVA 11-10-3
25 October 15, 1938 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 14 Virginia Tech 6 UVA 12-10-3
26 November 18, 1939 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 13 Virginia 0 UVA 12-11-3
27 November 2, 1940 Norfolk, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 Tied 12-12-3
28 November 1, 1941 Norfolk, VA Virginia 34 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 13-12-3
29 October 31, 1942 Norfolk, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 14 Tied 13-13-3
30 October 27, 1945 Roanoke, VA Virginia 31 Virginia Tech 13 UVA 14-13-3
31 October 5, 1946 Roanoke, VA Virginia 21 Virginia Tech 21 UVA 14-13-4
32 October 4, 1947 Roanoke, VA Virginia 41 Virginia Tech 7 UVA 15-13-4
33 October 2, 1948 Roanoke, VA Virginia 28 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 16-13-4
34 October 8, 1949 Roanoke, VA Virginia 26 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 17-13-4
35 October 7, 1950 Roanoke, VA Virginia 45 Virginia Tech 6 UVA 18-13-4
36 October 6, 1951 Roanoke, VA Virginia 33 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 19-13-4
37 October 4, 1952 Roanoke, VA Virginia 42 Virginia Tech 0 UVA 20-13-4
38 September 26, 1953 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 6 UVA 20-14-4
39 October 23, 1954 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 UVA 20-15-4
40 October 22, 1955 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 17 Virginia 13 UVA 20-16-4
41 October 27, 1956 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 7 UVA 20-17-4
42 October 19, 1957 Richmond, VA Virginia 38 Virginia Tech 7 UVA 21-17-4
43 October 11, 1958 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 22 Virginia 13 UVA 21-18-4
44 October 17, 1959 Richmond, VA Virginia Tech 40 Virginia 14 UVA 21-19-4
45 October 22, 1960 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 40 Virginia 6 UVA 21-20-4
46 October 21, 1961 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 0 Tied 21-21-4
47 October 6, 1962 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 15 VT 22-21-4
48 October 5, 1963 Roanoke, VA Virginia Tech 10 Virginia 0 VT 23-21-4
49 October 3, 1964 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 20 Virginia Tech 17 VT 23-22-4
50 October 23, 1965 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 22 Virginia 14 VT 24-22-4
51 October 22, 1966 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 24 Virginia 7 VT 25-22-4
52 September 12, 1970 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 7 Virginia Tech 0 VT 25-23-4
53 November 6, 1971 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 6 Virginia 0 VT 26-23-4
54 September 16, 1972 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 24 Virginia Tech 20 VT 26-24-4
55 October 20, 1973 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 27 Virginia 15 VT 27-24-4
56 October 19, 1974 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 28 Virginia Tech 27 VT 27-25-4
57 October 18, 1975 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 24 Virginia 17 VT 28-25-4
58 October 16, 1976 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 10 VT 29-25-4
59 October 15, 1977 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 14 Virginia 14 VT 29-25-5
60 October 21, 1978 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 17 Virginia Tech 7 VT 29-26-5
61 November 10, 1979 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 20 Virginia Tech 18 VT 29-27-5
62 October 18, 1980 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 30 Virginia 0 VT 30-27-5
63 November 28, 1981 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 3 VT 31-27-5
64 November 25, 1982 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 21 Virginia 14 VT 32-27-5
65 November 19, 1983 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 48 Virginia 0 VT 33-27-5
66 September 29, 1984 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 26 Virginia Tech 23 VT 33-28-5
67 October 19, 1985 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 28 Virginia 10 VT 34-28-5
68 October 25, 1986 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 42 Virginia 10 VT 35-28-5
69 September 19, 1987 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 14 Virginia Tech 13 VT 35-29-5
70 October 29, 1988 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 16 Virginia Tech 10 VT 35-30-5
71 November 11, 1989 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 32 Virginia Tech 25 VT 35-31-5
72 November 24, 1990 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 38 Virginia 13 VT 36-31-5
73 November 23, 1991 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 38 Virginia Tech 0 VT 36-32-5
74 November 21, 1992 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 41 Virginia Tech 38 VT 36-33-5
75 November 20, 1993 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 17 VT 37-33-5
76 November 19, 1994 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 42 Virginia Tech 23 VT 37-34-5
77 November 18, 1995 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 36 Virginia 29 VT 38-34-5
78 November 29, 1996 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 26 Virginia 9 VT 39-34-5
79 November 29, 1997 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 34 Virginia Tech 20 VT 39-35-5
80 November 28, 1998 Blacksburg, VA Virginia 36 Virginia Tech 32 VT 39-36-5
81 October 2, 1999 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 31 Virginia 7 VT 40-36-5
82 November 25, 2000 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 42 Virginia 21 VT 41-36-5
83 November 17, 2001 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 31 Virginia 17 VT 42-36-5
84 November 30, 2002 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 21 Virginia 9 VT 43-36-5
85 November 29, 2003 Charlottesville, VA Virginia 35 Virginia Tech 21 VT 43-37-5
86 November 27, 2004 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 24 Virginia 10 VT 44-37-5
87 November 19, 2005 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 52 Virginia 14 VT 45-37-5
88 November 25, 2006 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 17 Virginia 0 VT 46-37-5
89 November 24, 2007 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 33 Virginia 21 VT 47-37-5
90 November 29, 2008 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 17 Virginia 14 VT 48-37-5
91 November 28, 2009 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 42 Virginia 13 VT 49-37-5
92 November 27, 2010 Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech 37 Virginia 7 VT 50-37-5
93 November 26, 2011 Charlottesville, VA Virginia Tech 38 Virginia 0 VT 51-37-5

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
Ahmad Hawkins
Ahmad Hawkins is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent of the Arena Football League. He has also played for the Alabama Vipers. He was signed by the Colorado Crush as a street free agent in 2003...

. 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
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...

. 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
2007 ACC Championship Game
The 2007 Dr. Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game featured the Boston College Eagles and the Virginia Tech Hokies in a regular-season college football game that determined the conference's champion for the 2007 season. Virginia Tech defeated Boston College 30–16 to win the ACC...

.

Similar to 2007, the 2011 game was also the de facto Coastal Division title game. Both teams once again came in ranked nationally, Virginia Tech at #6 and Virginia at #24. A strong second half rushing performance by Virginia Tech halfback David Wilson
David Wilson (American football)
David Emmanuel Wilson is an American football running back for the Virginia Tech Hokies.-Early years:Wilson attended George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia. As a senior he set a school record with 2,291 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns...

 guided the Hokies to a 38 point shutout of their arch rivals and a spot in the 2011 ACC Championship Game
2011 ACC Championship Game
The 2011 ACC Championship Game will be the seventh football championship game for the Atlantic Coast Conference. It will feature the winners of the ACCs two divisions, the Atlantic Division and the Coastal Division. Clemson will represent the Atlantic while the Coastal division will be represented...

 against the Clemson Tigers
2011 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2011 Clemson Tigers football team represents Clemson University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers will be led by head coach Dabo Swinney in his third full year and fourth overall since taking over midway through 2008 season. They will play their home games at Memorial...

.

See also

  • Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry
    Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry
    The Virginia–Virginia Tech rivalry is an American college rivalry that exists between the Virginia Cavaliers sports teams of the University of Virginia and the Virginia Tech Hokies sports teams of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Both universities are members of the...

    , the all-sports rivalry between the Cavaliers and Hokies.
  • South's Oldest Rivalry
    South's Oldest Rivalry
    The South's Oldest Rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia and the North Carolina Tar Heels football team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...

    , the longest-standing football rivalry in the ACC, between the Cavaliers and North Carolina
    North Carolina Tar Heels football
    The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...

    .
  • Maryland-Virginia rivalry, the official "permanent rivalry" in football between the Cavaliers and Maryland
    Maryland Terrapins football
    The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...

    .
  • Black Diamond Trophy
    Black Diamond Trophy
    The Black Diamond Trophy was a college football trophy that annually went to the winner of the West Virginia University and Virginia Tech football game...

    , the discontinued football rivalry trophy between the Hokies and West Virginia
    West Virginia Mountaineers football
    The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...

    .
  • List of NCAA college football rivalry games

External links

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