University of Richmond Athletics
The South’s Oldest Football Rivalry – The Capital Cup Presented By C&F Bank
11/20/2019 | Football
RICHMOND, Va. – Saturday afternoon at Robins Stadium will see the continuation of "The South's Oldest Football Rivalry" with the 130th meeting of The Capital Cup presented by C&F Bank. The Capital Cup is one of college football's longest running rivalries with only three rivalries in NCAA Division I having played more games (Lafayette-Lehigh, Princeton-Yale and Harvard-Yale) and none in the South.
Richmond and William & Mary first met on the football field November 19, 1898 and have met at least once a year each year since then except for three seasons – 1900, 1902 and 1943. Since 1944, the teams have met every year, a string of 76-straight seasons meeting on the field at least once and sometimes more than once. The series was named the I-64 Bowl from 1984-2008, but beginning in 2009, it was renamed The Capital Cup in reference to the two cities that have been capitals of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Despite playing their 130th meeting of The Capital Cup this season, the two teams have been evenly matched in the rivalry at 62-62-5. Each program has enjoyed years of dominance and winning during the series, but enter Saturday's game deadlocked in the series.
Richmond has tipped the scales in the series back to even with its run of recent success. The Spiders have won the past two meetings and seven out of the last eight meetings. Richmond has won 12 out of the past 15 meetings with the Tribe since 2005, clawing back to evening the series all-time. In fact, after last year's 10-6 Spider victory over the Tribe in Williamsburg, the series is tied for the first time since 1989 when it was deadlocked at 47-47-5 after a William & Mary 22-10 victory.
The Spiders are looking to take the series lead for the first time since 1988 with a victory Saturday. The last time Richmond held the series leads was November 19, 1988 with a 24-19 victory at home, taking a 47-46-5 advantage in the series. Since that season, William, & Mary has held at least a one game advantage in the series and led by as many as nine games (59-50-5 in 2004).
The closely battled series has seen some great games in its history with 41 games being decided by seven points of less in the 129-year history, including the past two meetings. Richmond recorded a 10-6 victory in Williamsburg last season in a defensive battle between the two teams. The Spiders limited William & Mary to just 212 yards of total offense and only 59 yards rushing. Richmond forced three turnovers in the victory and wide receiver Caleb Drake caught the game's lone touchdown.
The last time The Capital Cup was played in Richmond, the Spiders came home with a 27-20 victory at Robins Stadium. Running back Xavier Goodall led the way with a career-high 180 yards rushing, including two touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Kyle Lauletta capped off his incredible career by setting a single-season record for total offense, finishing with 3,827 yards, including 3,737 though the air and 31 total touchdowns.
One of the biggest games in The Capital Cup history came during the Spiders' 2008 National Championship season. Richmond closed out the year with a 23-20 overtime victory against the Tribe in Williamsburg, in a game that the Spiders desperately needed to secure a spot in the FCS playoffs. Andrew Howard drilled a 37-yard field goal in overtime that capped an impressive defensive performance by the Spiders that featured seven takeaways, six interceptions and a blocked field goal in overtime.
Since renaming the series The Capital Cup in 2009, a Most Valuable Player of the game has been awarded as voted on by the media. Richmond has claimed seven of the 10 MVP honors since 2009 with former Spider Dale Matthews Jr. winning last season, becoming the first defensive player to earn the honors. Quarterback Eric Ward was the first-ever recipient of the award in 2009.
2009 – Eric Ward, Richmond
2010 – Mike Callahan, William & Mary
2011 – Jonathan Grimes – William & Mary
2012 – Kendall Gaskins – Richmond
2013 – Seth Fisher – Richmond
2014 – Michael Strauss – Richmond
2015 – Jacobi Green – Richmond
2016 – Kendell Anderson – William & Mary
2017 – Xavier Goodall – Richmond
2018 – Dale Matthews Jr. - Richmond
Still don't have tickets to the game? Click Here for a Black Friday combo deal including the men's basketball game against ACC opponent Boston College!
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Richmond and William & Mary first met on the football field November 19, 1898 and have met at least once a year each year since then except for three seasons – 1900, 1902 and 1943. Since 1944, the teams have met every year, a string of 76-straight seasons meeting on the field at least once and sometimes more than once. The series was named the I-64 Bowl from 1984-2008, but beginning in 2009, it was renamed The Capital Cup in reference to the two cities that have been capitals of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Despite playing their 130th meeting of The Capital Cup this season, the two teams have been evenly matched in the rivalry at 62-62-5. Each program has enjoyed years of dominance and winning during the series, but enter Saturday's game deadlocked in the series.
Richmond has tipped the scales in the series back to even with its run of recent success. The Spiders have won the past two meetings and seven out of the last eight meetings. Richmond has won 12 out of the past 15 meetings with the Tribe since 2005, clawing back to evening the series all-time. In fact, after last year's 10-6 Spider victory over the Tribe in Williamsburg, the series is tied for the first time since 1989 when it was deadlocked at 47-47-5 after a William & Mary 22-10 victory.
The Spiders are looking to take the series lead for the first time since 1988 with a victory Saturday. The last time Richmond held the series leads was November 19, 1988 with a 24-19 victory at home, taking a 47-46-5 advantage in the series. Since that season, William, & Mary has held at least a one game advantage in the series and led by as many as nine games (59-50-5 in 2004).
The closely battled series has seen some great games in its history with 41 games being decided by seven points of less in the 129-year history, including the past two meetings. Richmond recorded a 10-6 victory in Williamsburg last season in a defensive battle between the two teams. The Spiders limited William & Mary to just 212 yards of total offense and only 59 yards rushing. Richmond forced three turnovers in the victory and wide receiver Caleb Drake caught the game's lone touchdown.
The last time The Capital Cup was played in Richmond, the Spiders came home with a 27-20 victory at Robins Stadium. Running back Xavier Goodall led the way with a career-high 180 yards rushing, including two touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Kyle Lauletta capped off his incredible career by setting a single-season record for total offense, finishing with 3,827 yards, including 3,737 though the air and 31 total touchdowns.
One of the biggest games in The Capital Cup history came during the Spiders' 2008 National Championship season. Richmond closed out the year with a 23-20 overtime victory against the Tribe in Williamsburg, in a game that the Spiders desperately needed to secure a spot in the FCS playoffs. Andrew Howard drilled a 37-yard field goal in overtime that capped an impressive defensive performance by the Spiders that featured seven takeaways, six interceptions and a blocked field goal in overtime.
Since renaming the series The Capital Cup in 2009, a Most Valuable Player of the game has been awarded as voted on by the media. Richmond has claimed seven of the 10 MVP honors since 2009 with former Spider Dale Matthews Jr. winning last season, becoming the first defensive player to earn the honors. Quarterback Eric Ward was the first-ever recipient of the award in 2009.
2009 – Eric Ward, Richmond
2010 – Mike Callahan, William & Mary
2011 – Jonathan Grimes – William & Mary
2012 – Kendall Gaskins – Richmond
2013 – Seth Fisher – Richmond
2014 – Michael Strauss – Richmond
2015 – Jacobi Green – Richmond
2016 – Kendell Anderson – William & Mary
2017 – Xavier Goodall – Richmond
2018 – Dale Matthews Jr. - Richmond
Still don't have tickets to the game? Click Here for a Black Friday combo deal including the men's basketball game against ACC opponent Boston College!
-- UR --
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