Virginia Tech Football: Virginia coach Tony Elliott explains what is at stake

Saturday afternoon, the Virginia Tech and Virginia football teams will play in the annual Commonwealth Cup in Charlottesville.

There doesn’t need to be much on the line for the two teams to battle for 60 minutes, but for the Hokies, this is a big game. In fact, it’s a giant one for the future of the program under second-year head coach Brent Pry.

Virginia Tech enters the game 5-6 and needs a win to become bowl-eligible and get the valuable extra practices and bowl game to set themselves up for 2024. Virginia is 3-8 after beating Duke last weekend, 30-27, at home. On Tuesday, both coaches held their weekly media sessions and gave their thoughts on the upcoming battle.

Virginia coach Tony Elliott says his team is battling for bragging rights.

Virginia coach Tony Elliott held his weekly meeting in Charlottesville and said what a win Saturday over Pry and the Hokies would mean.

“We’re battling and jockeying to say, ‘This is our state.”’

Yes, they are battling for that, however, Virginia is just looking to get a win over a Virginia Tech program that has won 17 of the last 18 meetings. But of course, the Hokies also have a bowl game they’re playing for and that will give them an edge over the Cavaliers in the extra practices and games in December that Virginia isn’t getting.

After Saturday’s win over Duke, Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea went on the record saying that the Cavaliers were going to beat the Hokies. In his defense, the Cavaliers are playing better football in the second half of the season and have a signature win over North Carolina on the road, and nearly took down Louisville on the road two weeks ago. This is going to be a tough game for Virginia Tech and Elliott is looking to grab state bragging rights with an upset.