Florida State–Virginia football rivalry

Florida State–Virginia football rivalry
Florida State Virginia
Total meetings	18
Series record	Florida State leads, 14–3 One (1) FSU victory vacated
First meeting	October 31, 1992 Florida State 13, Virginia 3
Last meeting	November 8, 2014 Florida State 34, Virginia 20
Next meeting	2019
Largest win	Florida State, 43–7 (2001)
Longest win streak	Florida State, 9 (1996–2004)
Current win streak	Florida State, 1 (2014–present)
Trophy	Jefferson–Eppes Trophy

The Florida State–Virginia football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Florida State Seminoles football team of Florida State University and Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia. The Jefferson–Eppes Trophy is awarded to the winner of the game. The trophy was created in 1995 and was named for former President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, and Jefferson's grandson Francis W. Eppes VII, a two-time mayor of Tallahassee and president of the Board of Trustees of the West Florida Seminary, now Florida State University.

Although the game is played for a trophy, it is not considered a significant rivalry. Virginia's biggest rivalries are with Virginia Tech for the Commonwealth Cup and North Carolina in the South's Oldest Rivalry. FSU's most meaningful rivalries are with Florida and Miami. When the ACC split into divisions in 2005, the annual rivalry between Florida State and Virginia ceased, as the Seminoles were assigned to the Atlantic Division and the Cavaliers to the Coastal Division. Though each team in the ACC plays an annual game against one designated cross-divisional rival, both teams' more historic rivals were awarded these positions (Maryland for Virginia, Miami for Florida State). As a result, Florida State and Virginia have not played on an annual basis since 2006.

The most recent meeting took place on November 8, 2014, with Florida State winning 34–20 in Tallahassee, marking the Seminoles' 25th consecutive win and longest current win streak in FBS college football.

Origin

The idea for the Jefferson–Eppes Trophy was conceived by Florida State University President Talbot D'Alemberte. UVA link

Construction

The trophy is composed of an intricately wrought silver pitcher presented to the city of Tallahassee by Eppes in 1842 and set upon a wood base made of remains of the McGuffey Ash, which was once the largest tree on the Grounds of the University of Virginia but suffered a fatal tree disease in 1990. The trophy was designed by famed artist Ryan Parker.

Game results

Florida State victories are colored ██ garnet. Virginia victories are colored ██ blue.

Date	Location	Winner	Score
October 31, 1992	Charlottesville, VA	Florida State	13–3
October 16, 1993	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	40–14
September 3, 1994	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	41–17
November 2, 1995	Charlottesville, VA	Virginia	33–28
October 26, 1996	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	31–27
October 25, 1997	Charlottesville, VA	Florida State	47–21
November 7, 1998	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	45–14
November 2, 1999	Charlottesville, VA	Florida State	35–10
October 21, 2000	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	37–3
October 20, 2001	Charlottesville, VA	Florida State	43–7
August 31, 2002	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	40–19
October 18, 2003	Charlottesville, VA	Florida State	19–14
October 16, 2004	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	36–3
October 15, 2005	Charlottesville, VA	Virginia	26–21
November 4, 2006	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	33–0 (Vacated)
October 2, 2010	Charlottesville, VA	Florida State	34–14
November 19, 2011	Tallahassee, FL	Virginia	14–13
November 8, 2014	Tallahassee, FL	Florida State	34–20