Under Groh, rivalry has tilted toward Tech

CHARLOTTESVILLE It is college football's unpardonable sin.

For all the reasons that will be trotted out as to why Al Groh likely is coaching his final game at U.Va. today, perhaps it really is this simple -- he's played Virginia Tech eight times and left a winner once.

In the college game, it's tough to keep a job if you can't keep the rivalry trophy.

The Commonwealth Cup has had an extended stay in Blacksburg -- none of the 30 seniors the Cavaliers will honor today has beaten the Hokies.

"I don't think you could give me any amount of money to trade for beating Tech," linebacker Aaron Clark said.

Groh has been more subdued on the issue this week as he has consistently declined to discuss his future and has done his best to avoid discussing the series. He was asked Monday what has made it so hard to beat the Hokies.

"Good teams, close games," he said.

But while it's true that Tech's teams have been consistently good, U.Va. has entered the series a handful of times seemingly just as strong, but the Cavs couldn't make it happen.

Now as they wrap up their season, they'll try to avoid two dubious distinctions. It would be the sixth consecutive loss to Virginia Tech, tying the school record, and the sixth consecutive loss this season, the first time that's happened since a seven-game stretch in 1981, which marked the final year of coach Dick Bestwick's tenure.

Groh has had a number of teams that seemed to have a good shot at victory, dating to the 2002 Tire Bowl champs, but save for a 35-21 victory in 2003, it hasn't happened. Most recently, the Cavs lost at home in 2007 with the ACC title on the line.

"It's been noted that they're one of the toughest teams in the ACC, year in and year out," linebacker Denzel Burrell said. "But it's about the rivalry."

Burrell remembers his freshman year, noticing that the upperclassmen started hitting harder and practicing with a little more intensity as they prepared for the game.

Many of Virginia's players are from out of state, but it didn't take them long to get indoctrinated into the rivalry.

For Nate Collins, it came as the New Yorker was chatting with teammates Clint Sintim and Chris Long as a freshman.

"I remember Clint and C. Long and some of those guys and how they're like, 'We hate Tech. We have to beat Tech.' And I'm going about it like it's just another game, and they're like, 'No. It's not just another game. It's different,'" Collins said. "It is different. You just want to do everything you can to play your best, since it's a big-time rivalry game and people are going to remember it win or lose."

Recently, it's been more lose than win for the Cavs. The all-time series stands at 48-37-5 in favor of Tech, a margin that has been helped by Groh's 1-7 record.

On his watch, the Hokies also claimed an all-time winning record in Charlottesville, moving to 18-17-3 with their 2007 victory.

Today's game may not have as much on the line, but for a coach wrapping up his tenure, it's one last opportunity to get a victory that has consistently eluded him.

Contact Michael Phillips