Virginia-Virginia Tech Rivalry Game Canceled

November 22, 2022 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

This week there is no rivalry, only solidarity, between Virginia Tech and Virginia.

In the wake of the shooting that tragically ended the lives of three Virginia football players, wounded another and also injured a female student, the Cavaliers and Hokies agreed to cancel this week's traditional season finale which was slated for Saturday in Blacksburg.

Tickets will be refunded, the schools will lose a boat load of money, but so be it. Few things are more important that football.

Virginia ends its season with a 3-7 record overall and a 1-6 conference mark. Virginia Tech ends 3-8 over-all and 1-6 in the ACC. 

The ACC simply stated that "The ACC and Virginia Tech continue to support UVA following the devastating tragedy".

Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. has been arrested after allegedly opening fire on a charter bus upon its return to campus after a class trip to Washington, DC on November 13. He faces murder and other charges.

The players killed were wide receivers Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D'Sean Perry. Mike Hollins was injured and was able to leave the hospital on Monday. Morgan was released two days after the incident.

Hollins reportedly was instrumental in saving lives. When he saw a gun, he yelled for the bus driver to stop and for fellow students to exit and run. Hollins also ran, but then returned to to do what he could to stop the shooter.

Virginia Tech has shown support across all sports, wearing 'Hokies for Hoos' shirts, and even carrying the Virginia Cavaliers' flag onto the field in last week's upset win at Liberty. The Liberty band played UVa's fight song, "Auld Lang Syne" after a score.

Virginia Tech can relate as it endured the mass shooting of April 16, 2007 that left  32 dead and 17 wounded. The gunman became the 33rd person who died when he shot himself. It remains the worst mass school shooting in U.S. history.

The cancellation of Saturday's game will be the first interruption of the series since 1967-1969. Overall, the teams have played 103 times.