The Virginia football team had given fans glimmers of early explosive offense, sustained suffocating defense and outstanding team preparation several times this season - but never all at once. Energized from their bye week and the prospect of a huge homecoming statement, the Cavaliers delivered a complete performance against No. 12 Georgia Tech, a 24-21 upset victory that sent shockwaves across the ACC and compelled the orange-and-blue-clad hordes on Scott Stadium's hill to swarm the field in ecstasy.
"This was such a tremendous victory to be a part of," coach Mike London said. "To play a game like this, everything just kind of comes together."
Georgia Tech (6-1, 3-1 ACC) entered the contest with the second-best totals for rushing and total offense in the country and eager to improve on its best start in nearly half a century.
Virginia (4-2, 1-1 ACC) countered with a bye week's worth of preparation for Georgia Tech's vaunted triple option offense and its deadly dual-threat quarterback, junior Tevin Washington. The bye week strategies worked to perfection as the Cavaliers constantly hurried Washington - who completed just two of eight passes for 24 yards with two interceptions - and held the Yellow Jackets to just 296 total yards - nearly 250 below their season average.
"[The bye week] did tremendous things for our defense," sophomore quarterback Michael Rocco said. "They got to work on the cut blocks, the misdirection and the offense for two weeks straight."\nVirginia not only tripped up Georgia Tech's triple option but also handed the Yellow Jackets a heavy dose of their own medicine on offense. The Cavalier backfield trio of junior Perry Jones, redshirt freshman Kevin Parks and freshman Clifton Richardson gouged Al Groh's 3-4 defense for 272 yards and two touchdowns on 40 carries. Jones led all rushers with 152 yards, Parks and Richardson found the end zone during the first and second quarter, respectively, and all three averaged better than 5 yards per carry.
"We have some great running backs and I give credit to all of them tonight," Rocco said. "They can run the ball great and all are great pass catchers. Perry, Kevin and Clifton did a great job for us tonight."
For the third consecutive game, the Virginia offense gave the Cavaliers an early advantage with two first-quarter touchdowns. Rocco successfully mixed Jones' and Parks' runs with short passes before Parks plunged into the end zone from 6 yards out. The defense did its part to force a subsequent three-and-out and give Rocco great field position at the Georgia Tech 45-yard line. After an 8-yard Jones rush softened up the Yellow Jacket secondary, Rocco unleashed a 37-yard touchdown strike to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tim Smith.
"They couldn't have scripted a better start," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "[They] take the ball, run time off the clock. Then we get the ball and get two penalties in the first four plays. We made some bonehead plays."
Rocco continued to move the offense early as his picturesque 30-yard pass to senior wide receiver Kris Burd set up a field goal try by senior Robert Randolph, but the usually reliable kicker sent his tipped 32-yard effort wide left. Georgia Tech almost instantly erased what should have been a three-score lead as it scored twice in two minutes to tie the game at 14-14 during the second quarter. Washington took the last of Georgia Tech's 11 consecutive rushes 7 yards to paydirt. Three plays later, the Yellow Jackets were back celebrating in the end zone before a stunned student section after Rocco's wobbly pass attempt to a triple-covered Burd was picked off by junior cornerback Rod Sweeting, who returned it 32 yards for a touchdown.
Freshman quarterback David Watford entered the game on the next possession. Watford's performance wasn't pretty, but directed Virginia's third touchdown drive of the half behind the Cavaliers' three-headed rushing monster. Richardson capped the drive when he barreled over multiple defenders for a 22-yard score.
Randolph's 36-yard field goal on the following drive gave Virginia a 24-14 halftime lead, but it hardly seemed enough after Washington brought Georgia Tech to within 24-21 on a 1-yard touchdown dive during the opening series of the second half. The teams traded punts the rest of the way as the gritty ground games of both teams kept the clock rolling and left the almost 50,000 attendees in a constant state of nail-biting suspense. On third-and-6 with less than five minutes remaining, Rocco completed a crucial swing pass to Jones for 18 yards. Two first downs - one each by Jones and Parks - and two final Rocco kneeldowns later, the Cavaliers had iced the game and kick-started the celebratory Scott Stadium stampede.
"We just need to keep remembering how it feels to win against a top-25 team and our fans rushing the field," junior offensive tackle Oday Aboushi said. "You just have to keep it in your memory and work hard."
In one sense, a storm-the-field victory was a familiar feeling for Virginia. Last year, the Cavaliers enjoyed a 24-19 upset win Oct. 30 against No. 22 Miami as throngs of frenzied fans flooded the field. The biggest win of London's inaugural season evened the squad's record at 4-4 and indicated the program was headed in the right direction; the team's winless record during its final four games of 2010, however, suggested otherwise.
Two thrilling wins against lightly-regarded Indiana and Idaho elicited as much trepidation as excitement about the prospects for London's second season, but now the Virginia coach has the ultimate validation for his squad's sky-high potential. It's only one game - and half a season still remains - but in a mere two weeks, London's 2011 team seemingly underwent a total transformation from underwhelming ACC also-ran to bona fide bowl contender.
"You win a game like this against a very good team, a nationally ranked team ... it's contagious," London said. "We hope it gets contagious enough where these guys start craving to win like some of these programs around the country"
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