This Friday marks the 15th meeting with the Virginia Tech Hokies since the Virginia Cavaliers last won a game over their in-commonwealth rivals. It’s the 100th meeting between the two schools, and the Cavaliers are desperate to start a new—and more positive—streak. The feeling around the game this season has been different all season, stemming from Coach Bronco Mendenhall and the team making a bigger deal of it.
Signs that read “Beat Tech” and “Own the State” have been hung around the Virginia locker room since it was renovated this past summer. A countdown clock ticks down the seconds, minutes, hours, and days until the Hoos and Hokies meet again.