COMMENTARY: Virginia Tech trumps UVA

By Charles R. Barrineau The Collegiate Times

November 26, 2007

Blacksburg, VA (CSTV U-WIRE) -- CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Hokie, Hokie, Hokie Hi!

A few things hit me while I was standing down on the field during the final minutes of Virginia Tech's 33-21 victory over the University of Virginia Cavaliers. The first thing that his me was how lucky I was.

A friend text messaged me during the first half saying that she would not up getting into the game because tickets were going for $200 outside-significantly more than most people would be willing to pay. I'm lucky because I got in-something that apparently had quite a market value to it.

The second thing that hit me down there was how great this game was-and I've seen some great Commonwealth Cups.

In 1995 Tech quarterback Jim Druckenmiller engineered a great comeback to defeat the Cavaliers 36-29 and get the Hokies into their first ever major bowl game, the Sugar. In 1998 it was a great game, just not for the Hokies. Tech blew a sizeable halftime lead to lose to the Wahoos 36-32.

But I wasn't really treated to a number of memorable games from 1999-2006-the Hokies pretty much took care of the Cavs, only losing the 2003 matchup.

But wow, did Saturday's game ever bring a since of greatness back to the rivalry. Great games aren't those that a team wins in convincing fashion, they're those that are the nail-biters.

I didn't hit me sitting at the 20-yard line chewing on my fingernails in the open-air press box that this one was going to be a good memory for the Hokie Nation-but it was. All I could think about was the sense of disappoint there would be around campus when everyone returned after the Thanksgiving Holiday should the Hokies lose. The fact that a loss would knock the Hokies out of the Bowl Championship Series picture also crossed my mind a few times.

But a Tech loss just wasn't in the cards. Standing in the southeast corner of Scott Stadium as time expired and watching the players celebrate with their contingent of fans solidified the game as a significant win.

All the players knew that this one was huge. After the game senior linebacker Xavier Adibi put into perspective the magnitude of this Tech/UVa game.

"We talked about it all week-this was probably the biggest UVa-Virginia Tech game ever in the history of the game," said Adibi. "This win meant a lot to all the players and, as well, to all the seniors. So, we're 4-0 against UVa."

That was the final thing that hit me while I was down on the field. I managed to get through my time at Virginia Tech with the Hokies faring pretty well against their historic rivals. Tech is 4-0 against Virginia, as Adibi stated, 3-1 against the University of Miami and 2-0 against the West Virginia Mountaineers while I've resided in Blacksburg.

Being able to watch your team, that you grew up living and dying with, triumph so often over those you learned to loathe is quite a great feeling-in fact, it's one for which to be thankful.

But I guess that's all in the past now-or maybe not. Tech is 1-2 against Boston College-a team with which it's developing a less intense rivalry. The only problem is, Tech is 1-2 against the Eagles since I started in 2004 and Tech joined the Atlantic Coast Conference. It'd be really nice to see the Hokies even the score Saturday.

That'd be great-another victory over a team you love to loathe to be for all the marbles. Tech kicks off its attempt at a repeat performance at 1 p.m. in the ACC Championship. The game, in Jacksonville, Fla., will be nationally televised by ABC.