Cavaliers Host Virginia Tech in Regular-Season Finale

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Game 12: Saturday, Nov. 24, Noon

Virginia Cavaliers (9-2, 6-1 ACC/No. 16 BCS, No. 16 Associated Press, No. 15 USA Today) vs. Virginia Tech Hokies (9-2, 6-1 ACC/No. 8 BCS, No. 8 Associated Press, No. 8 USA Today)

Carl Smith Center, Home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium (61,500), Charlottesville, Va.

Surface: Prescription Athletic Turf
Series vs. Virginia Tech: 37-46-5
Last Meeting: VT 17, UVa 0, 2006
Television: ESPN2
Radio: Virginia Sports Network
Satellite Radio: XM Radio Ch. 192
Live Statistics: virginiasports.com

Game Day Information

TV Coverage
This game is being televised nationally on ESPN2. Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst) and Erin Andrews (sidelines) call the action.

Radio Coverage
All Virginia games are broadcast on the Virginia Sports Network, originating at WINA/WWWV in Charlottesville. Mac McDonald calls the play-by-play. He is joined in the broadcast booth by former Cavalier great tailback Frank Quayle. Former UVa quarterback Tim Sherman reports from the sidelines.

Radio Note For Northern Virginia/Washington DC
Cavalier Fans in the Northern Virginia/Washington DC Area will be able to listen to Mac McDonald and Frank Quayle call Saturday’s game on WTEM Sportstalk 980 AM.

Five Things You Need To Know About Virginia Football
DE Chris Long is fifth in the country in sacks (1.09/g) and third in tackling by a defensive lineman with an average of 6.3 tpg
Virginia has set an NCAA FBS record with five victories by two points or fewer
The Cavaliers are the only ACC team that is undefeated at home this season
Virginia is one of eight schools nationally to improve by at least four wins over last season
Virginia is 9-2 following a bye week under head coach Al Groh, including 7-0 at home

Cavaliers, Hokies Clash for Coastal Division Crown
Virginia concludes the regular season with in-state rival Virginia Tech with the Coastal Division crown on the line. The winner faces Boston College, the Atlantic Division champion, in the ACC Championship game on Dec. 1. The Cavaliers are currently 9-2 this season and 6-1 in the ACC. This is the first time they have won nine regular season games since 1998. They look to defeat Virginia Tech for the first time in four years. The Hokies are also 9-2 overall this season and 6-1 in the ACC.

The Series vs. the Hokies
Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 46-37-5 in a rivalry that dates back two centuries and has won seven of the last eight meetings
The series began in 1895 with UVa gaining a 38-0 win in Charlottesville
Virginia’s most recent victory was a 35-21 win at home in 2003
The Cavaliers hold a slim 18-17-3 advantage on their home field in the series
Current UVa assistant head coach and defensive backs coach Steve Bernstein was the secondary coach at Virginia Tech from 1978-84

32 is Virginia’s Magic Number
Scoring a lot of points against the Hokies means good things to the Cavaliers
Virginia has scored at least 32 points in each of its last seven series wins dating back to 1989

Groh Faces Hokies as Player, Coach
Head coach Al Groh has a long history against Virginia Tech as both a player and coach
A Cavalier gridder during his undergraduate days in the 1960s, he was a member of the 1964 squad that posted UVa’s only win over Tech between 1957-1970. Virginia defeated the Hokies 20-17 at home that season
As the head coach at Wake Forest, he led his Demon Deacons to wins over Tech in 1982 (13-10 in Blacksburg) and 1983 (13-6 in Blacksburg)

Coming Out of a Bye Week
After playing for 11 consecutive weeks, the Cavaliers had their lone bye of the season last week
Under head coach Al Groh the Cavaliers have put the extra preparation time to good use, winning nine of 11 after a bye week under the seventh-year head coach
When playing at home following a bye week under Groh the Cavaliers are 7-0. The last time they lost at home after a bye occurred in 1999 (35-10 loss to Florida State)
Several of the post-bye week wins under Groh have been close featuring games won by two, three (2), and six points

Virginia in Season Enders
This game is the Cavaliers’ final game of the regular season
Regular season finales haven’t been very good for them throughout the years as shown by their 44-69-4 all-time record in regular season finales
This is the first time since 2003 the Cavaliers have ended the regular season at home. That season also marks the last time they defeated Virginia Tech
This is the 13th time in the last 17 seasons Virginia has closed vs. the Hokies

Commonwealth Cup Up for Grabs
The winner of this game claims the Commonwealth Cup for the next year
After holding the trophy following wins in 1997 and 1998, the Cavaliers have taken it just once since then (2003) as the Hokies have won seven of the last eight meetings
The award was started for the 1996 game between the two state foes, with the Hokies receiving the trophy for the first time with a 26-9 win

A Battle of Two Ranked Teams
This is the first time since 2004 that both teams come into this game ranked in the Associated Press poll
This is the eighth time in series history both teams have been ranked at game time
Virginia is 5-6 against the Hokies when ranked in the AP poll at game time
A look at the games when either team was ranked in the AP poll is below.

Senior Day at Scott Stadium
Nineteen fourth- and fifth-year players will be recognized prior to the game in a special pregame ceremony to mark “Senior Day”
Among those making their final appearance include captains DE Chris Long and TE Tom Santi, starters NT Allen Billyk, RG Ian-Yates Cunningham, OLB Jermaine Dias, PK/P Chris Gould, C Jordy Lipsey, S Nate Lyles, TE Jonathan Stupar, and P Ryan Weigand
Others who have seen action include: QB Scott Deke, WR Chris Gorham, S Jamaal Jackson, LB Bernie McKeever, DE John Roberts, G Gordie Sammis and FB/ST Josh Zidenberg, as well as DE Pete Bladel and TE Tony Konstant, who joined the team later in their careers

Winning the Close Ones
One characteristic of this year’s Cavalier squad is its ability to win the close games
Six of the Cavaliers’ nine wins have been by six points or fewer
UVa’s six wins by six points or fewer are nearly twice as many as any other team in the nation (Memphis and New Mexico are next with four wins in this category)
This is only the third time in ACC history a team has won as many as six games by six points or fewer during the regular season (North Carolina-1976 and Maryland-2006 each won six games in this fashion)

Cavaliers Set NCAA Record
By virtue of their one-point win over Wake Forest, their fifth victory of the season by two points or fewer, the Cavaliers are the first team in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision history to win five games by one or two points in a season
The 1971 Columbia team held the previous record with four wins by one or two points

Virginia Among Most Improved
Virginia is one of eight schools to improve by at least four wins over last year
This is the Cavaliers’ best improvement since 2002 when they won nine games, four more than the previous season

Cavaliers Win Nine Games
For the first time since 1998 the Cavaliers have won nine regular-season games
This is the fourth time Virginia has won at least eight games under Al Groh
The record for wins in a season is 10 in 1989 (10-3)