UVa & Virginia Tech Clash for the Commonwealth Cup on Saturday

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Nov. 25, 2013

Virginia and Virginia Tech Clash for the Commonwealth Cup Saturday
•Virginia concludes its 2013 season at Scott Stadium with intrastate rival, Virginia Tech, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on ESPNU.

Virginia-Virginia Tech Rivalry
• Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 52-37-5 and has won 13 of the last 14 meetings, including nine straight. Tech has also taken 16 of the teams’ last 20 meetings.
• The series began in 1895 with UVa gaining a 38-0 win in Charlottesville.
• UVa’s most recent victory in the series was a 35-21 win at home in 2003.
• The Hokies (94 games) are UVa’s second-most frequent opponent – UVa has played North Carolina 118 times.

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) with the Hokies winning 13 of the last 14 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.
• The Cup is made of marble and cherry wood, stands four feet high and weighs more than 100 pounds.
• The scores of all 94 games in the rivalry are engraved on the sides of the trophy.

Coaches Familiar with Rivalry
• Four UVa coaches are veterans of the Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry.
• Jon Tenuta and Anthony Poindexter are Virginia alums.
• Tenuta was part of three Commonwealth clashes (1978-80). UVa won the 1978 (17-7) and the 1979 (20-18) meetings at Scott Stadium, but lost the 1980 (30-0) meeting in Blacksburg. Tenuta had three tackles and broke up two passes on the 1980 game.
• Poindexter was 2-2 during his tenure at defensive back from 1995-98, with wins over Tech in 1997 and 1998, although he was injured for the 36-32 victory in 1998 in Blacksburg.
• Head coach Mike London was a UVa assistant coach during the 2001-04 and 2006-07 seasons, with the Cavaliers going 1-5 during that span, including a victory in 2003. He is 0-3 as a head coach against Virginia Tech.
• In addition, wide receivers coach Marques Hagans played for the Commonwealth Cup as Cavalier player. UVa graduate assistant Jonathan Lewis played in the rivalry on the other side of the ball, for Virginia Tech. Lewis, a defensive tackle, played in four Commonwealth Cup games for the Hokies (2002-05).
• Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer was a varsity defensive back for the Hokies from1966-68. He made his first start in Tech’s 1966 game against Virginia, a 24-7 Hokies’ victory.

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

Virginia in Season-Enders
• This game is the Cavaliers’ final contest of the 2013 season.
• UVa is 44-75-4 all-time in regular-season finales and has lost its last nine.
• This is the eighth straight year and the 19th time in the last 23 seasons Virginia has closed the regular season against the Hokies.

Last Meeting: 2012 (@VT 17 – UVa 14)
• Cody Journell kicked a 29-yard field goal with four seconds to play to lift Virginia Tech over UVa for the ninth straight season.
• Antone Exum set up the winning drive when he intercepted Michael Rocco at the Cavaliers’ 36-yard line with 3:21 remaining.
• Virginia led 14-7 after Brent Urban scored on a 16-yard fumble return early in the third quarter.
• Tim Smith tied the game earlier for the Cavaliers at 7-7 when he scored on a 42-yard scoring strike from Rocco.
• Steve Greer finished his college career with 19 tackles and fellow linebacker La’Roy Reynolds made 15 stops in his final college game.

Keeon Johnson is a Special True Freshman for UVa
• UVa true freshman Keeon Johnson made his collegiate debut in the Cavaliers’ fifth game of the season after originally being slated to redshirt.
• In his seven games this season, Johnson has accumulated one of the better true freshman receiving seasons in recent memory.
• Johnson has 19 catches for 226 yards (14.6 yards per catch) and one touchdown.
• Johnson is closing in on current UVa wide receiver Darius Jennings’ 2011 totals over 13 games (20 catches, 238 yards, one TD and 11.9 yards per catch).
• Johnson and Jennings (2011) have the best true freshman receiving numbers since TB Alvin Pearman caught 25 passes for 283 yards and three TDs over 12 games.
• Johnson is poised to have the best true freshman receiving season for a UVa wide receiver since Billy McMullen had 28 catches for 483 yards (17.2 yards per catch) and six touchdowns in 1999.
• Since McMullen’s 1999 freshman season, some other notable UVa true freshmen have been: Dontrelle Inman with 17 catches in 2007 and Tim Smith with 204 receiving yards, 13.6 yards per catch and two TDs.

Keeon Johnson Over the Last Three Games
• Keeon Johnson has 12 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown over the past three games.
• During the span Johnson is averaging four catches for 62.3 yards per game. He is averaging 15.6 yards per catch.