After losing 37-3 at Florida State, the Virginia football team rebounded with a 17-6 win against North Carolina Saturday. Now the Cavs (5-3, 4-2 ACC) are at a pivotal position in the season. The key number for Virginia now is six, the minimum number of wins required for a bowl bid.
The Cavs' remaining schedule is formidable. The sixth win won't come easily. The season-ending three-game stretch will match Virginia against No. 25 Georgia Tech, N.C. State and No. 2 Virginia Tech. Of these opponents, only N.C. State is coming to Charlottesville. The Cavaliers and coach George Welsh are very aware of the task at hand.
"I think the team knows we have to win one more to be bowl eligible, so the sooner the better," Welsh said in a teleconference yesterday.
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The first of these games will be at ACC rival Georgia Tech (6-2, 4-2) a week from tomorrow.
In order to win against a Georgia Tech team that is coming off an upset victory over then-No. 5 Clemson, Virginia's defense will have to stop an offense that gained 550 offensive yards againt the Tigers. Welsh said he feels that the defense still is improving. Against the Tar Heels, the defense played hard for every play, and was more aggressive. Outside linebacker Byron Thweatt earned ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors for his 19-tackle perfomance Saturday.
The Cavs will have their work cut out for them as the status of some of their key players remains uncertain. In order to deal with the injuries, Welsh plans to use this week's bye to give the players some days off, and have heavy practices only twice this week.
Senior quarterback Dan Ellis played against North Carolina but is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained against Maryland. Ellis is not 100 percent but Welsh said he is expected to practice tomorrow.
"He is not as mobile as he should be, but thank God we have him, we need him," Welsh said.
Free safety Jerton Evans and middle linebacker Yubrenal Isabelle, who suffered injuries against North Carolina this weekend, are not expected to practice for a few days, but they should be ready for the game next week. Evans hurt his back on the game's seventh play, while Isabelle twisted his right knee in a pileup in the third quarter. Offensive tackle Brad Barnes also missed the UNC game with back problems.
Some fans might be looking past the Georgia Tech game to the final home game or the clash with Virginia Tech, but Welsh knows better than to fall prey to that kind of thinking, especially when each of the three games is so important.
"We are playing very good football teams and we are not thinking beyond the next one," Welsh said. "That would be a big mistake"
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