The Virginia Tech Hokies and Virginia Cavaliers will meet as ranked teams and with the ACC's Coastal Division on the line, making this year's edition of the Commonwealth Cup as important as any in the rivalry's history.
Virginia Tech's run up a 10-1 record on the basis of a tough defense and the hard running of David Wilson. The junior running back is third in the country with 1,442 rushing yards, but has scored just eight touchdowns. That's because towering Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas can do some running of his own, and has scored nine touchdowns on the ground to go with his 16 touchdown passes. Virginia Tech's defense has been seriously stingy, too, giving up more than 30 points just once and more than 20 points only four times.
If Virginia is going to pull the upset, the Cavaliers will likely need to keep the game close. They are 4-0 in games decided by fewer than six points on the season, but lost to Southern Mississippi and North Carolina State by double digits. Virginia's rushing game, which has tallied over 100 yards in all but its last game, is powered by the three-headed monster of Perry Jones, Kevin Parks, and Clifton Richardson.
Game date, time: 3:30 p.m. Eastern, Saturday, November 26, 2011
Location: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, Virginia
TV channel: ABC/ESPN2
Spread: Virginia Tech is favored by 4 points.
Series history: The Hokies lead the all-time series, 50-37-5, and Virginia Tech hasn't lost to Virginia since joining the ACC.
For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Virginia Tech blog Gobbler Country and Virginia blog Streaking the Lawn. Here’s the complete Week 13 college football TV schedule, and stay tuned to SB Nation’s college football news hub for more.