Virginia 33, N.C. State 6
Maybe it was the extra week of preparation Virginia got because of its bye week. Maybe N.C. State experienced a hangover from its heartbreaking loss to rival North Carolina the week before. Maybe the Cavaliers turned a corner and something clicked. Maybe they were just tired of all the losing. Whatever it was, Virginia emphatically snapped its six-game losing streak with a dominating 33-6 victory over the Wolfpack on Saturday. There are obviously several good things to talk about because so much went well after so much had not gone well in previous games. It was a stunning contrast. The Wahoos were mired in their worst losing streak since 2009 and one more loss would have tied them with the 1981 squad, which lost seven games in a row. Instead, Virginia played easily its finest game of the season and beat a team on the road that only a few weeks earlier, topped then-undefeated Florida State. Here's a look at some of what went right against the Wolfpack.
Offensive line dominates: The fact that the line kept the jerseys of both Michael Rocco and Phillip Sims clean despite the quarterbacks' differing styles is impressive. Last year, the quarterback rotation was mostly a disaster but against N.C. State on Saturday, the rotation seemed to bring the best out in the offense. The line only allowed one sack on Sims. The running game was also clicking. The Cavaliers piled up 248 yards rushing and Kevin Parks recorded 115 yards and a touchdown and Perry Jones racked up 67 yards. Virginia gained 446 yards total, its best game since posting 461 yards in the Duke loss.
Quarterback rotation: I can't explain it, but it worked. It didn't work last year when Rocco and David Watford rotated series at quarterback. But for whatever reason, with the offense gaining yards but not putting up points in recent weeks with Phillip Sims under center, the coaches decided before the game that both Rocco and Sims would play a significant amount of plays. Both played well but Sims started (though Rocco saw more series) and had the best game of his young Cavalier career. The former Alabama quarterback completed 8 of 10 passes for 115 yards, a touchdown throw, and a touchdown run. He could have had a touchdown catch as the Wahoos perfectly executed a trick play on their first drive and Perry Jones lofted a pass to Sims in the end zone that could not have been easier to catch but he dropped it. He made up for it a couple plays later by hustling to the pylon on his TD run. Sims also finally connected with former high school teammate Tim Smith on a long 38-yard touchdown to make it 23-0 in the third quarter. Rocco was 12 for 23 for 83 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 36 yards and three first downs. Like I mentioned in the offensive line section, the rotation seemed to make both quarterbacks better Saturday. Perhaps Sims was put on notice and he stepped up his game and Rocco was probably excited to just get back into a game. I will say, though, as a principle, I do not like the quarterback rotation. I'm not sure why but it worked like a charm Saturday, but it could be a trainwreck this Saturday against Miami. We will see. But for a week, the coaches looks like geniuses after looking otherwise for much of the season.
Defense steals the spotlight: Quietly, the Virginia defense has gotten better and better all year. It hasn't really had many bad games except for the Georgia Tech game and portions of the Louisiana Tech and Duke games. Coming into the contest, the defense ranked third in the ACC in total defense behind Florida State and Maryland. I say quietly because one ingredient of a truly solid defense was missing for the 'Hoos: turnovers. UVa had forced just four all year. Well, Virginia got five of them on Saturday. Not sure if there was a focus on ballhawking in the bye week or what, but they obviously helped Virginia snag the much-needed win. Maurice Canady, Eli Harold, and Anthony Harris all got interceptions. Chris Brathwaite and Demeitre Brim forced fumbles and Jake Snyder and Alec Vozenilek recovered them. Vozenilk is the team's punter. It is probably a good day when your punter recovers a fumble. Snyder had one of the best games of his career. The junior totaled four tackles, one for loss, and one sack in addition to the fumble recovery. Brathwaite, a sophomore, is really coming into his own on the defensive line. He recorded five total tackles, 2.5 for loss, and two sacks in addition to the forced fumble. The defensive line was dominant all day. It lived in N.C. State's backfield and snacked on Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon, who was sacked six times, once for a safety by Will Hill. Glennon, a native of Virginia and the little brother of former Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon, came into the game as the ACC's best passer this year at over 300 yards per game but was harrassed all game and finished just 23 of 46 for 197 yards, three picks and a touchdown. Glennon was not helped by about six dropped passes. The N.C. State run game got stuffed as well. Leading rusher Shadrach Thornton gained only 28 yards. Overall, Virginia held the 'Pack to 216 total yards. The Cavalier defense has now held three opponents in a row to less than 235 yards.
One turnover: Darius Jennings fumbled the ball in the third quarter but it ended up being inconsequential as N.C. State did nothing with the turnover. While it was a better effort in protecting the ball, the only game this year UVa has not turned the ball over once is the Richmond game at the beginning of the season.
I do not really know where this effort came from but the Cavaliers really woke up. My guess is a lot of it had to do with the bye week. Last year after its bye week, Virginia upset then-undefeated Georgia Tech. One thing Mike London and his staff seems to be good at in his first two years is rallying the troops during a bye week. It could be just in time. If Virginia play like this the rest of the season, it can get to 6-6 and still make a bowl game. Such a run would also include the first victory over Virginia Tech since 2003. We will see. I'm skeptical that the team has really changed but it is hard to ignore a 33-6 beatdown of what was generally considered one of the better teams in the conference. The Wahoos will try to carry their momentum into a home game against Miami on Saturday. The Hurricanes snapped a three-game losing streak by pounding Virginia Tech 30-12 at home last Thursday. Against N.C. State, Virginia scored on its opening possession. A quick start will be important Saturday vs. Miami, especially in a Scott Stadium that was mostly lifeless for the Maryland and Wake Forest games. A quick touchdown could do wonders to spark the fans and give them hope for an upset and improbable late-season run. Unfortunately, Virginia is known for dashing such hopes as well.
Maybe it was the extra week of preparation Virginia got because of its bye week. Maybe N.C. State experienced a hangover from its heartbreaking loss to rival North Carolina the week before. Maybe the Cavaliers turned a corner and something clicked. Maybe they were just tired of all the losing. Whatever it was, Virginia emphatically snapped its six-game losing streak with a dominating 33-6 victory over the Wolfpack on Saturday. There are obviously several good things to talk about because so much went well after so much had not gone well in previous games. It was a stunning contrast. The Wahoos were mired in their worst losing streak since 2009 and one more loss would have tied them with the 1981 squad, which lost seven games in a row. Instead, Virginia played easily its finest game of the season and beat a team on the road that only a few weeks earlier, topped then-undefeated Florida State. Here's a look at some of what went right against the Wolfpack.
Offensive line dominates: The fact that the line kept the jerseys of both Michael Rocco and Phillip Sims clean despite the quarterbacks' differing styles is impressive. Last year, the quarterback rotation was mostly a disaster but against N.C. State on Saturday, the rotation seemed to bring the best out in the offense. The line only allowed one sack on Sims. The running game was also clicking. The Cavaliers piled up 248 yards rushing and Kevin Parks recorded 115 yards and a touchdown and Perry Jones racked up 67 yards. Virginia gained 446 yards total, its best game since posting 461 yards in the Duke loss.
Quarterback rotation: I can't explain it, but it worked. It didn't work last year when Rocco and David Watford rotated series at quarterback. But for whatever reason, with the offense gaining yards but not putting up points in recent weeks with Phillip Sims under center, the coaches decided before the game that both Rocco and Sims would play a significant amount of plays. Both played well but Sims started (though Rocco saw more series) and had the best game of his young Cavalier career. The former Alabama quarterback completed 8 of 10 passes for 115 yards, a touchdown throw, and a touchdown run. He could have had a touchdown catch as the Wahoos perfectly executed a trick play on their first drive and Perry Jones lofted a pass to Sims in the end zone that could not have been easier to catch but he dropped it. He made up for it a couple plays later by hustling to the pylon on his TD run. Sims also finally connected with former high school teammate Tim Smith on a long 38-yard touchdown to make it 23-0 in the third quarter. Rocco was 12 for 23 for 83 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 36 yards and three first downs. Like I mentioned in the offensive line section, the rotation seemed to make both quarterbacks better Saturday. Perhaps Sims was put on notice and he stepped up his game and Rocco was probably excited to just get back into a game. I will say, though, as a principle, I do not like the quarterback rotation. I'm not sure why but it worked like a charm Saturday, but it could be a trainwreck this Saturday against Miami. We will see. But for a week, the coaches looks like geniuses after looking otherwise for much of the season.
Defense steals the spotlight: Quietly, the Virginia defense has gotten better and better all year. It hasn't really had many bad games except for the Georgia Tech game and portions of the Louisiana Tech and Duke games. Coming into the contest, the defense ranked third in the ACC in total defense behind Florida State and Maryland. I say quietly because one ingredient of a truly solid defense was missing for the 'Hoos: turnovers. UVa had forced just four all year. Well, Virginia got five of them on Saturday. Not sure if there was a focus on ballhawking in the bye week or what, but they obviously helped Virginia snag the much-needed win. Maurice Canady, Eli Harold, and Anthony Harris all got interceptions. Chris Brathwaite and Demeitre Brim forced fumbles and Jake Snyder and Alec Vozenilek recovered them. Vozenilk is the team's punter. It is probably a good day when your punter recovers a fumble. Snyder had one of the best games of his career. The junior totaled four tackles, one for loss, and one sack in addition to the fumble recovery. Brathwaite, a sophomore, is really coming into his own on the defensive line. He recorded five total tackles, 2.5 for loss, and two sacks in addition to the forced fumble. The defensive line was dominant all day. It lived in N.C. State's backfield and snacked on Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon, who was sacked six times, once for a safety by Will Hill. Glennon, a native of Virginia and the little brother of former Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon, came into the game as the ACC's best passer this year at over 300 yards per game but was harrassed all game and finished just 23 of 46 for 197 yards, three picks and a touchdown. Glennon was not helped by about six dropped passes. The N.C. State run game got stuffed as well. Leading rusher Shadrach Thornton gained only 28 yards. Overall, Virginia held the 'Pack to 216 total yards. The Cavalier defense has now held three opponents in a row to less than 235 yards.
One turnover: Darius Jennings fumbled the ball in the third quarter but it ended up being inconsequential as N.C. State did nothing with the turnover. While it was a better effort in protecting the ball, the only game this year UVa has not turned the ball over once is the Richmond game at the beginning of the season.
I do not really know where this effort came from but the Cavaliers really woke up. My guess is a lot of it had to do with the bye week. Last year after its bye week, Virginia upset then-undefeated Georgia Tech. One thing Mike London and his staff seems to be good at in his first two years is rallying the troops during a bye week. It could be just in time. If Virginia play like this the rest of the season, it can get to 6-6 and still make a bowl game. Such a run would also include the first victory over Virginia Tech since 2003. We will see. I'm skeptical that the team has really changed but it is hard to ignore a 33-6 beatdown of what was generally considered one of the better teams in the conference. The Wahoos will try to carry their momentum into a home game against Miami on Saturday. The Hurricanes snapped a three-game losing streak by pounding Virginia Tech 30-12 at home last Thursday. Against N.C. State, Virginia scored on its opening possession. A quick start will be important Saturday vs. Miami, especially in a Scott Stadium that was mostly lifeless for the Maryland and Wake Forest games. A quick touchdown could do wonders to spark the fans and give them hope for an upset and improbable late-season run. Unfortunately, Virginia is known for dashing such hopes as well.
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