Hokie ClubHeading into their highly-anticipated annual meeting, the Hokies and Cavaliers each look for the right to control the Commonwealth Cup when they meet inside Scott Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the game set to air on ACC Network.
Pure Domination
Rivalry week is one of the most meaningful weekends in all of college football. For Tech and UVA, that's certainly no exception.
Meeting for the 104th time on Saturday afternoon, both the Hokies and Cavaliers have had their moments in the series' long-winded history. For Tech, there's been a whole lot more winning than the alternative as of late.
Dating back to 1999, the Hokies have won 21 of the last 23 meetings between the two sides, including a stretch of 15 in a row and a 10-2 record in Charlottesville in that span of time.
On top of that, 15 of those 21 victories were decided by more than one possession, signifying the true dominance that Tech has displayed over the past two decades when suiting up against its in-state foe.
Feeling The Love
Possibly one of the more overlooked storylines this season has been the continued success of placekicker John Love.
Still dialing it up week in and week out, the redshirt freshman has booted through 18 field goals on 20 attempts, including a five-for-five performance in the win over Syracuse and a career-long 46-yard make in the victory over Boston College.
That's not all. The Spartanburg, South Carolina native has knocked in his last 11 tries dating back to a first quarter miss against Wake Forest and has been automatic since a mid-October thumping of the Demon Deacons.
UVA has played in seven one-possession games so far this year, and Love's leg very well may come into play on Saturday afternoon. With the way he's been kicking it as of late, that should be a good thing for Tech fans, all things considered.
Air Assault
With the seventh-best unit in the country when it comes to passing yards allowed, the Hokies have been stifling in the secondary on the defensive side of the ball.
Giving up just over 166 yards a game in the air, Tech has found its nucleus on the defensive end. This weekend, though, it should be a tough test.
The Cavaliers rank fifth in the ACC in overall passing offense, throwing for nearly 252 yards a pop and completing over 62% of their passes this season.
With that being said, UVA does have a tendency to turn the ball over, though. The Cavaliers have been picked off a whopping 13 times to just 17 touchdowns so far this season, tied for the second-worst ratio in the ACC.
Now, the Hokies don't generate a big chunk of takeaways with only 11 on the season and six in the air, but the opportunity is there to force some miscues along the way.
A Familiar Situation
Coming in at 5-6 as Tech closes out the regular season in 2023, the Hokies need a victory in Charlottesville to extend their season and clinch bowl eligibility for the first time in the Brent Pry era.
That's not to say the program is foreign to this exact spot, though. In the last 10 meetings between these two squads, Tech has needed a victory in five of those 10 matchups to continue its season and earn a bowl bid.
Hopefully a sign of what's to come, the Hokies were 5-0 in those five games, showcasing Tech's ability to perform when the pressure is on and reach the postseason on a consistent basis.