Commonwealth Cup

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Commonwealth Cup
Virginia Cavaliers	Virginia Tech Hokies
Originated	1895
Most recent	2009
Next match	2010
Continuity	40 years
Rivalry Series	Virginia Tech leads, 49-37-5
Last Winner	Virginia Tech (2009)
Virginia (37) 1895 1896 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1924 1925 1927 1938 1941 1945 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1957 1964 1970 1972 1974 1978 1979 1984 1987 1988 1989 1991 1992 1994 1997 1998 2003	Virginia Tech (48) 1905 1923 1926 1928 1929 1930 1932 1934 1936 1937 1939 1940 1942 1953 1954 1955 1956 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1965 1966 1971 1973 1975 1976 1980 1981 1982 1983 1985 1986 1990 1993 1995 1996 1999 2000 2001 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Ties (5) 1931 1933 1935 1946 1977

The Commonwealth Cup is an American football rivalry game played between the University of Virginia Cavaliers and the Virginia Tech Hokies. 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 2009 matchup by the score of 42-13. The Hokies have won 6 in a row 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 (in 1903, 1904, and 1957); Norfolk (in 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 49-37-5^[2], and the Cup series 11-3. At 91 games it is the longest series for the Hokies and the second-longest for the Cavaliers, after the 114-game series between Virginia and North Carolina known as the South's Oldest Rivalry.

[edit] 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]

[edit] 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 ██ grey.

[edit] 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.

The 2007 showdown between the two teams in Charlottesville decided who would represent the Coastal Division in the ACC Championship Game, both 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.

[edit] 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

[edit] References

1. ^ hokiesports.com
2. ^ "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. 
3. ^ Hokiesports.com Commonwealth Cup Trophy Accessed October 12, 2007.

[edit] External links

• Official VT Athletics Site
• Official UVA Athletics Site