We've been here before. The Virginia football team faces a must-win game against a conference foe that is trying to improve its own bowl position. Both a possible bowl trip and a chance at a seven-win season are on the line for the Cavaliers.
Not feeling enough deja vu? On offense, quarterback Dan Ellis remains questionable until game time, thanks to a sore hamstring. On defense, the Cavaliers (5-4, 4-3 ACC) face a high-flying aerial attack led by a talented quarterback. Yes, we have been here before.
Tomorrow's game against N.C. State (6-3, 3-3) at 2:30 p.m. at Scott Stadium is strikingly similar to the Cavs' games at Florida State and Georgia Tech, both of which turned into embarrassing losses.
But as Virginia coach George Welsh explained, there are two sides to every story.
"We bounced back from the Clemson loss, we bounced back from the Florida State loss, and I expect us to do the same" tomorrow, Welsh said. "There's no question our backs are to the wall."
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The Virginia defense will have to contain the nation's seventh-leading passer in N.C. State freshman quarterback Philip Rivers. With an average of 294.3 passing yards per game, Rivers leads one of the nation's top passing and scoring offenses.
With Chuck Amato in his first year as Wolfpack coach since coming over from Florida State, the N.C. State offense is "tilted more towards the way Florida State plays," Welsh said. "It's expanded. It's a BYU concept in some ways, but there's more variety by far."
The only promising news for the Virginia secondary is that two key components to the 'Pack aerial show might not be available. Tight end Willie Wright and wide receiver Eric Leak - both starters - are questionable because of injuries.
"They are two big assets to our offense," Rivers said. "But we have to prepare and keep going."
On the other side of the ball, the Cavaliers must find the offensive production that has eluded them since their 31-23 win over Maryland. Virginia put up 317 yards of total offense against the Terps before Ellis pulled his hamstring at the end of the first half, but the Cavs have not gained more than 290 yards in any game since then.
"The way we're playing now and the way we played against Maryland are very different," Welsh said. "Our timing was better, our execution was better, and we were catching the ball. We're not doing that now."
Ellis' lingering hamstring injury may force him to sit out the game, requiring one of the two redshirt freshmen, Bryson Spinner and Matt Schaub, to start in his stead.
With a bowl invitation dangling in front of him on "Senior Day," fifth-year outside linebacker Byron Thweatt was bluntly honest as usual in summing up Virginia's situation:
"We've got to win"
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