Virginia's last-minute loss Saturday echoed a common theme for the Cavalier football team this season: It takes big plays to win big games.
T.A. McClendon's 38-yard run for NC State with 23 seconds to go put the Wolfpack ahead for good in what was otherwise a well-matched game.
The loss was another tough one for Cavalier fans, many of whom expected Virginia to contend for the ACC title this year. Four weeks ago, Virginia lost to Clemson by three in overtime, then fell by five to Florida State the following week at home. On the season, the Cavaliers (5-4, 3-3 ACC) are 1-3 in games decided by two touchdowns or less. Last season's team fared 6-3 in such games.
"Last year at the end of the game with the game on the line, we made a big play at the end of the game to win the game," Groh said in his weekly teleconference. "This year with the game on the line, we didn't make the play; their guy made the play."
Virginia will need to capitalize on big-play opportunities in its next game at Maryland (6-3, 3-2 ACC) to remain in the hunt for a prominent bowl bid. After the BCS makes its post-season selections, the Gator Bowl has the first choice among remaining ACC teams, followed by the Peach Bowl. The Tangerine Bowl and Continental Tire Bowls also each have one ACC selection.
Resting Up
The Virginia defense will have extra time to prepare for the Maryland battle with no game on the schedule this week. The bye week will provide more time for banged-up players to heal.
The off week "gives us time to rest, and those of us who have bruises and aches and pains, we just need to get better," freshman linebacker Ahmad Brooks said.
The additional time also will give coaches the opportunity to work on both run and pass defense. NC State's bruising 5-foot-11, 215-pound running back T.A. McClendon -- a 2002 First Team All-ACC selection -- rumbled for 145 yards in Saturday's game. His game-winner, however, was helped by mistakes by the Cavalier defense.
"Minimal hole, missed tackle about three yards beyond the line of scrimmage," Groh said about the run. "Another one about seven yards beyond. Tough guy to tackle but still missed tackles."
The defense is retaining its optimistic outlook and being careful not to focus on one bad lapse.
"We can't dwell on [the run] -- we just have to bounce back and play hard in the next game," defensive end Chris Canty said.
Kicking Success
Until the Florida State game, Connor Hughes was one of three kickers in the nation to have made all of his field goal attempts. With 14 of 15 attempts made overall, Hughes still stands as one of the country's most reliable.
"What every coach wants to know is, 'Where do I need to get the ball to in order to make a field goal? Whatever yard-line that is?'" Groh asked rhetorically. "If that's the 25 or just the 15, that's fine -- as long as when you get it to the spot that the guy's supposed to be consistent from, he makes it from there because then you know how to manage the game. That's one of the really good things that Connor gives to us."
Hughes took over the starting job last season and hit his first career field goal attempt, a 47-yarder against Maryland last season.
Hughes and the Cavaliers will take aim at the Terrapins again next Thursday in primetime on ESPN at Maryland's Byrd Stadium.
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