After dropping four straight ACC conference games, the Virginia football team, in need of a physical and mental reprieve, was content with the timing of its second and final bye week.
On their most recent contest Nov. 8, the Cavaliers fought valiantly on the road against a Florida State team — currently ranked No. 1 in the nation — that had won 10 consecutive home games versus ACC opponents.
Opting to defer the kickoff, Virginia prevented an explosive Seminole offense from putting up points on its first possession. But then junior defensive end Mario Edwards smacked Virginia senior running back Kevin Parks into the turf and knocked the ball loose, allowing another Seminole defender to recover the fumble.
Sophomore quarterback Jameis Winston then took advantage of a short field, scrambling for an impressive 20-yard gain. Operating in a first and goal on the Cavalier two-yard line, senior running back Karlos Williams sprinted outside and into the end zone for six. Suddenly, things appeared rather bleak for Virginia.
By the end of the night — though Virginia eventually leveled the turnover margin and converted all three of its takeaways into touchdowns — Florida State had stayed perfect (9-0) with a 34-20 victory.
Nearly two weeks later, the Cavaliers (4-6, 2-4 ACC) prepare to host Miami (6-4, 3-3 ACC) in a must-win game this Saturday. With three losses by eight points or fewer, Virginia has made its days ahead more difficult. But bowl eligibility is still achievable if the team can win this week and next week against Virginia Tech.
“You always look at things that if they could have, should have, would have — the bottom line is they didn't occur,” coach Mike London said. “The most important game is the next game that's coming up, again, against a very good Miami team.”
Last Saturday, while the Cavaliers rested, the Hurricanes had the Seminoles on the ropes at Sun Life Stadium. In the end, Florida State secured a 30-26 win thanks to freshman running back Dalvin Cook’s game-winning score.
But Miami showed a national audience that it could still compete with its in-state ACC powerhouse. The Hurricane effort certainly depended, as it has all season, on freshman quarterback Brad Kaaya.
Kaaya has compiled 2403 passing yards for 22 touchdowns, and Miami has won 71 percent of the games in which its signal caller has thrown for two or more scores. His success as a passer is due in part to the established ground game of junior running back Duke Johnson.
Johnson has amassed 1,343 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, in addition to 310 receiving yards and two scores. He is ranked No. 51 overall and the No. 5 running back in the 2015 NFL Draft according to CBS Sports.
“He’s a special talent," London said. "In the games that you watch, you know he gets his yardage, he creates yardage. He runs away from guys, he runs through arm tackles. So you see why he is one of the best running backs in the country.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the Hurricanes feature another heralded player in senior linebacker Denzel Perryman. Ranked the second best inside linebacker in the 2015 NFL Draft, also according to CBS Sports, he is a tackling-machine with 322 in his college career.
“[Perryman’s] a very, very good football player,” London said. “He's involved in a lot of their special teams. ... He's a very physical player. You can see that he's kind of the emotional leader defensively for them.”
The Cavaliers have their own version of Perryman — senior linebacker Henry Coley. Revered for his phenomenal leadership on and off the field, Coley leads the ACC with 8 sacks this season and has recorded 214 career tackles.
“Henry has emerged for us as a guy that's gotten better over the years,” London said. “His numbers, his contribution to the team is something that's very, very important for us and to us."
Coley and 33 other fourth and fifth-year football players will play their final game at Scott Stadium on Saturday. And, under the lights — Virginia’s first-ever night home game in November — emotions will be high in a setting all too familiar to high school senior night.
“It's our last home game for a group of seniors that I consider great young men, and a lot of them — most of them — who will graduate and do big things in life,” London said. “I know [they] are looking forward to this.”
Senior wide receiver Miles Gooch — who had season-ending knee surgery a few weeks ago — wishes he could suit up a final time. But from the sidelines he will be as fired up for his fellow seniors as anybody in the stadium.
To honor this high character competitor and friend who’s had his final season cut short, senior wide receiver Darius Jennings will wear No. 17 instead of his usual No. 6.
“I know that the reason why Darius wanted to make the change to Miles’ number was one that was just born out of love for a teammate, and the fact that Miles’ final few games were lost here rather abruptly,” London said.
Every member of the Cavalier football program is ready to lay it all on the line Saturday. And this support, as well as that shown between proud parents and their children before the game, makes Senior Night special.
“I definitely want to send out our seniors on a good note, because they’ve been role models for me,” junior defensive tackle David Dean said. “And they’ve helped others on the team come a long way.”
Kickoff between the Cavaliers and Hurricanes is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Scott Stadium, and will be aired on ESPN2.
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