Battle of the Valleys

Battle of the Valleys

Grand Valley State Lakers Saginaw Valley State Cardinals
Sport	Football
First meeting	October 18, 1975 Grand Valley, 32–5
Latest meeting	September 30, 2023 Grand Valley, 55–14
Trophy	None (for game), Victoria (for fundraising)
Statistics
Meetings total	52 (including 4 NCAA playoff meetings)
All-time series	Grand Valley leads, 41–11 (including 4–0 in NCAA playoff meetings)
Largest victory	Grand Valley, 55–7 (1982)
Longest win streak	Grand Valley, 11 (2013–present)
Current win streak	Grand Valley, 11 (2013–present)

Grand Valley State

Saginaw Valley State

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Locations in Michigan

The Battle of the Valleys is an NCAA Division II football rivalry between the Grand Valley State University Lakers and the Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals which began in 1975. Both teams play in the GLIAC. Since 2003, the week leading up to the game has featured a fundraising competition between the two student bodies with proceeds being donated to local charities. Grand Valley and Saginaw Valley have met four times in the NCAA Division II football playoffs. While not considered part of the rivalry series, both teams count these games in the all-time head-to-head records and are included below.

Fundraising Battle

Adding to the football rivalry which has existed since 1975, in 2003 an additional element was added to the Battle of the Valleys rivalry in the form of a fundraising competition between the two student bodies. ^[1] Grand Valley won the initial fundraising battle, raising $8,500 for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Michigan with Saginaw Valley raising $6,208 for the BBBS of Mid-Michigan. ^[2] While Grand Valley leads the rivalry on the football field, Saginaw Valley leads in the fundraising rivalry 8–3. A traveling trophy, Victoria, accompanies the fundraising competition and the winner of the fundraising competition, announced during the football game, has possession of the trophy until the next Battle. ^[3] The largest margin of victory was in 2012 when Saginaw Valley raised over $30,000 for the Great Lakes Miracle League versus Grand Valley's $1,100 for the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, and the closest margin of victory was in 2006 when Grand Valley raised $19,337 for Burton Middle School and Saginaw Valley raised $19,160 for Child and Family Services of Saginaw County. ^[4] Saginaw Valley is currently on a seven-year winning streak in the fundraising battle. All told, over $400,000 has been raised in the history of the Battle by both schools combined. ^[1] The winner of the fundraising battle has also won the football game on four occasions: 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2012.

Game results

Grand Valley State victories

Saginaw Valley State victories

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 1975 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 32–5 2 1976 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 17–6 3 1977 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 41–14 4 1978 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 24–14 5 1979 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 32–24 6 1980 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 45–20 7 1981 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 31–7 8 1982 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 55–7 9 1983 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 15–14 10 1984 Allendale, MI Saginaw Valley State 28–24 11 1985 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 35–18 12 1986 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 28–13 13 1987 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 31–28 14 1988 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 14–13 15 1989 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 42–17 16 1990 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 23–7 17 1991 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 14–10 18 1992 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 24–20 19 1993 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 36–17 20 1994 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 27–22 21 1995 Allendale, MI Saginaw Valley State 24–21 22 1996 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 17–6 23 1997 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 30–27 24 1998 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 37–36 25 1999 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 31–7 26 2000 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 28–21 27 2001 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 38–7 No. Date Location Winner Score 28 2001* Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 33–30 29 2002 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 23–18 30 2003 Allendale, MI Saginaw Valley State 34–20 31 2003* University Center, MI Grand Valley State 10–3 32 2004 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 31–20 33 2005 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 31–10 34 2005* Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 24–17 35 2006 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 49–35 36 2007 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 21–10 37 2008 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 36–0 38 2009 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 38–7 39 2010 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 28–7 40 2011 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 49–24 41 2012 University Center, MI Saginaw Valley State 55–52 42 2013 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 49–34 43 2013* Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 40–7 44 2014 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 21–3 45 2015 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 24–17 46 2016 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 62–56 47 2017 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 34–6 48 2018 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 31–28 49 2019 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 35–28 50 2021 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 49–17 51 2022 Allendale, MI Grand Valley State 29–10 52 2023 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 55–14 53 2024 University Center, MI Grand Valley State 16–9 Series: Grand Valley State leads 42–11

Fundraising results

No.	Date	Location	Grand Valley		Saginaw Valley
1	2003	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$8,500	Saginaw Valley	$6,208
2	2004	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$7,500	Saginaw Valley	$12,000
3	2005	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$7,327	Saginaw Valley	$13,012
4	2006	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$19,337	Saginaw Valley	$19,160
5	2007	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$31,382	Saginaw Valley	$20,319
6	2008	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$28,002	Saginaw Valley	$47,278
7	2009	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$19,299	Saginaw Valley	$34,401
8	2010	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$12,500	Saginaw Valley	$40,088
9	2011	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$12,381	Saginaw Valley	$26,623
10	2012	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$1,100	Saginaw Valley	$30,224
11	2013	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$11,137	Saginaw Valley	$25,185
12	2014	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$7,000	Saginaw Valley	$32,294
13	2015	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$12,031	Saginaw Valley	$24,540
14	2016	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$17,000	Saginaw Valley	$26,000
15	2017	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	$17,000	Saginaw Valley	$32,000
16	2018	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	$14,915	Saginaw Valley	$36,210
Series: Saginaw Valley leads 13–3

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References

1. History of the Battle of the Valleys – SVSU
2. "History – Battle of the Valleys – Grand Valley State University". Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
3. The Valley Vanguard: The rock, Coop make SVSU home (September 9, 2013)
4. The Valley Vanguard: SVSU wins fifth straight fundraising battle (November 11, 2012)