Let's take a little visit to the Cavalier kitchen, just to see what Virginia will have to cook up to recapture the Commonwealth Cup this weekend.
Picture football coach Al Groh in a "Kiss the Cook" apron, relieved that his Georgia Tech souffle wasn't quite the sou-flop of the previous five games. Groh knows the recipe for trumping Virginia Tech well. As a player, he was on the only Virginia team to beat the Hokies between 1957 and 1970, and as a coach at Wake Forest he beat Tech in 1982 and 1983. But this is a different Virginia Tech team, and Groh will have to add several new ingredients for his team's mix of players to rise to the occasion.
Start with two quarterbacks. Say what they will of the dual signal-caller system, critics overlook the fact that despite their respective moments, neither Spinner nor Schaub has been able to turn out steady performances week after week. Groh will start with Spinner, whose arm gave the Cavaliers 327 passing yards and five touchdowns last week, but you can be sure that Schaub will be attentive on the sidelines, and Groh won't hesitate to use him if Spinner stumbles.
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Next, add one heaping spoonful of Antwoine Womack, whose enthusiastic return to the field after an ankle injury might just have been the spark that set the Cavaliers on fire against the Jackets. Thirteen carries for 56 yards might seem laughable for the mighty Womack, but count on him to keep the Virginia offense alive on the ground.
Stir in two more tough running backs. Alvin Pearman is making his mark by averaging 51.4 yards rushing per game and leading the team in all-purpose yardage per game (100.7). He is the first true freshman to rush for more than 100 yards in a game since Womack in 1997. Arlen Harris, back from an injury of his own, led the Cavaliers in rushing for the first five games of the season. Pearman may have taken over, but Harris is a dangerous weapon, even off the bench.
Sprinkle your mixture with Billy McMullen. There's a reason Groh compliments the senior wide receiver after every game - regardless of the outcome - for being "the same guy every week." McMullen has proved himself a priceless asset in desperate situations. Remember him snagging Spinner's last-minute loft to escape Clemson? Last week was no different; McMullen was the vital rung in the hook-and-ladder play that stole the victory out of Georgia Tech's hands. No one expects anything but a close game between these two teams, and that's exactly when you want to have Big Billy on your side.
Whatever you do, do not forget a dash of defense. It's no coincidence that Georgia Tech missed six, yes six, critical two-point conversions and allowed more sacks than in last year's game. Virginia couldn't stop Godsey's big drives, but when it really mattered, the defense stepped up to keep the Cavaliers in the game. Believe that Virginia Tech's freshman tailback Kevin Jones may be just as hard to defend as any of the Yellow Jackets. The Cavaliers' defense will have to show even more heart to stop him.
Top with confidence. After Maryland demolished Virginia in College Park, 41-21, on Oct. 6, the Cavaliers seemed to be limping around licking their wounds. That's no way to win a football game, especially when you're facing North Carolina a la Julius Peppers one week later. Virginia's collective ego must have been almost torn to shreds by the time they watched their own stadium empty in the fourth quarter against the Seminoles. The win against then-No. 20 Georgia Tech came just in time to salvage Virginia's season. Boosted by two ACC awards (Tavon Mason's 100-yard return earned him ACC specialist of the week and Kevin Bailey shared ACC offensive lineman of the week), a big win and an even bigger rivalry, the Cavaliers may be just cocky enough to believe they can win.
Empty contents into a Wahoo-blue helmet and bake under the lights of Scott Stadium for 60 minutes, stirring with cheers occasionally.
If the recipe turns out right, the Cavaliers may get to eat their turkey a few days early. But hold the Hokie sauce.
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