Battle of the Valleys

Battle of the Valleys

Grand Valley State Lakers
Sport	Football
First meeting	October 18, 1975 Grand Valley 32, Saginaw Valley 5
Latest meeting	November 14, 2015 Grand Valley 24, Saginaw Valley 17
Trophy	Victoria (for fundraising)
Statistics
Meetings total	41
All-time series	Grand Valley leads 30–11
Largest victory	Grand Valley, 55–7 (1982)
Longest win streak	Grand Valley, 9 (2005–2011)
Current win streak	Grand Valley, 3 (2013–present)

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.

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 victories

Saginaw Valley victories

Tie games

#	Date	Location	Grand Valley		Saginaw Valley
1	1975	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	32	Saginaw Valley	5
2	1976	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	17	Saginaw Valley	6
3	1977	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	41	Saginaw Valley	14
4	1978	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	24	Saginaw Valley	14
5	1979	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	24	Saginaw Valley	32
6	1980	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	45	Saginaw Valley	20
7	1981	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	31	Saginaw Valley	7
8	1982	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	55	Saginaw Valley	7
9	1983	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	14	Saginaw Valley	15
10	1984	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	24	Saginaw Valley	28
11	1985	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	18	Saginaw Valley	35
12	1986	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	28	Saginaw Valley	13
13	1987	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	31	Saginaw Valley	28
14	1988	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	14	Saginaw Valley	13
15	1989	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	42	Saginaw Valley	17
16	1990	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	23	Saginaw Valley	7
17	1991	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	10	Saginaw Valley	14
18	1992	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	24	Saginaw Valley	20
19	1993	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	36	Saginaw Valley	17
20	1994	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	27	Saginaw Valley	22
21	1995	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	21	Saginaw Valley	24
22	1996	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	17	Saginaw Valley	6
23	1997	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	27	Saginaw Valley	30
24	1998	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	37	Saginaw Valley	36
25	1999	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	31	Saginaw Valley	7
26	2000	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	21	Saginaw Valley	28
27	2001	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	38	Saginaw Valley	7
28	2002	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	23	Saginaw Valley	18
29	2003	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	20	Saginaw Valley	34
30	2004	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	20	Saginaw Valley	31
31	2005	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	31	Saginaw Valley	10
32	2006	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	49	Saginaw Valley	35
33	2007	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	21	Saginaw Valley	10
34	2008	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	36	Saginaw Valley	0
35	2009	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	38	Saginaw Valley	7
36	2010	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	28	Saginaw Valley	7
37	2011	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	49	Saginaw Valley	24
38	2012	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	52	Saginaw Valley	55
39	2013	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	49	Saginaw Valley	34
40	2014	University Center, MI	Grand Valley	21	Saginaw Valley	3
41	2015	Allendale, MI	Grand Valley	24	Saginaw Valley	17
Series: Grand Valley leads 30–11

Fundraising results

#	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	$32,294.21
Series: Saginaw Valley leads 9–3

References

1. History of the Battle of the Valleys - SVSU
2. History - Battle of the Valleys - Grand Valley State University
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)