After a year hiatus for the Commonwealth Cup due to the tragedy last year at UVA, the Commonwealth Cup returns with Virginia Tech looking to beat Virginia for the 20th time in 22 matchups this century. There's plenty at stake for the Hokies who are looking to reach a bowl game for the first time under Brent Pry and double their 2022 win total while UVA looks to reclaim the Cup for only the third time this century.
With that said, here are our picks for the 2023 Commonwealth Cup.
Tim Thomas
Last week definitely raised some worries about this game for Hokie fans with Virginia Tech's defense having a bad game against NC State and UVA pulling off the upset against Duke. However, the more you look into this matchup, the more that this looks like a great matchup for the Hokies.
The Hokies are built around their rushing attack, something that UVA has struggled with allowing 4.9 yards per carry to opponents this season. Bhayshul Tuten has been a force for the Hokies and should be well-rested after only having two carries last week against NC State. This game feels ripe for a big performance from Tuten to drive Tech's offense with Kyron Drones and the passing attack not being needed nearly as much this week.
Meanwhile, UVA has struggled to run the football averaging only 3.2 yards per carry which fits well with a Tech defense that is weaker defending the run than they are defending the pass. Freshman QB Anthony Colandrea has been a roller coaster but the hights have been quite good while he also has one of the best receivers in the country to throw to in Malik Washington. Tech may need to make some adjustments to get their best cornerbacks on UVA's standout slot receiver as I discussed in my keys to the game that you can read here if you are a TLP Insider.
As mentioned prior, Colandrea has been a roller coaster making some spectacular plays while also accumulating eight interceptions in only seven games. Don't be surprised if Tech forces a turnover or two off the freshman who shows plenty of talent but plenty of inconsistency that a rivalry game like this will expose.
While this game is in Charlottesville, there should be plenty of Hokie fans on hand to largely neutralize the homefield advantage that the Cavaliers may have. In the end, I think this is a great matchup for Virginia Tech and I think the Hokies take care of business comfortably to keep the Cup and reach a bowl game for the first time under Brent Pry.
Pick: Virginia Tech 31, Virginia 17
Will Locklin
Virginia Tech faces massive stakes headed into the 104th Commonwealth Cup. Do both these teams have a combined eight wins? Sure, but the Hokies are 5-6 and need this one for bowl eligibility. I believe they also need it to prove that the program has taken a step forward as well. In year two of the Brent Pry era, Tech has shown quite a bit of promise in several ACC games.
Tech has balled out against Wake Forest, Syracuse, Old Dominion, Boston College, and Pittsburgh. They had a chance to get to six wins last week against a now ranked NC State team but fell short to a more talented team. This week, Tech has the more talented roster over their in-state rival. The Hoos are always a strong test for the Hokies but I believe Tech’s offense will churn out a high yardage and points day.
A win against UVA to clinch bowl eligibility sounds a lot better on paper for year two of Pry’s tenure than a loss to a three win team to clinch a second consecutive losing season. I believe the former situation will play out and Tech wins by two scores.
