The month of November is when a college football team looks within and reveals its true colors. Thanksgiving time marks the end of a long season for the fans and an even longer one for the players and coaches -- what seemingly starts in August really begins in January if you pay attention to the action behind the scenes.
Off-season weights and conditioning, rehabbing from injuries, staying fresh with spring practice and learning the playbook for the upcoming season are all things that do not make the front page between the New Year and the dog days of summer.
But whether you watch from the stands or call in plays from the sidelines, the regular season culminates in November. How a team plays at the end is going to determine whether all the hard work will pay off. Virginia football coach Al Groh's players understand this well -- their coach pounds the importance of this month into their heads at every step of the way.
For this year's team, November was a microcosm of the entire season. As would be expected from a team that finished with a 6-5 overall record, Virginia went 2-2 in the last four games.
In the final month -- and on the season as a whole -- a strong start made way for a struggle to the finish line.
During the final stretch, the Cavaliers played well at times and horribly at others. They showed flashes of brilliance against Temple and Georgia Tech but lost the two games everyone counted on them to lose against Virginia Tech and at Miami.
But after the embarrassment of being blown away by the Hokies in front of its home fans, Virginia somewhat saved face by not giving in at Coral Gables.
"I feel like after last week's demonstration in front of our fans, we just felt like this week we had to come out and prove ourselves," junior wideout Deyon Williams said after Saturday's 25-17 loss to Miami. "We didn't want the nation or our fans to think that we're that kind of a team."
Exactly what kind of team Virginia was in 2005 is up for debate.
If going to a bowl game is the definition of success, then this season could be considered just that.
The Cavaliers needed two victories in the final month to qualify for the postseason. They knew their two most difficult games of the year would come in a double dose to close it out. So they took care of business early -- easily brushing aside winless Temple before locking up a bowl berth against Georgia Tech.
But if you're Al Groh, going 6-5 to barely qualify for another bowl game may not be reason for celebration. Not in your fifth season as coach at your alma mater; not after being handed a multi-million dollar contract in the offseason despite never having made it to the BCS.
For Groh, success this season may be measured in his players' will to keep fighting when all they have to play for is keeping their final record above .500.
"Our challenge now is to have the same sense of purpose, the same sense of passion going into the next game as we had in this one," Groh said after the Miami game. "We're looking forward to moving on."
Many thought the Hurricanes would pick up against Virginia where Virginia Tech had left off, which was in a 52-14 rout just a week before. After all, the Hokies' only loss all season came in a 27-7 reality check against Miami Nov. 5.
Virginia regrouped for the regular season finale and hung in for most of the game. But a loss is still a loss, and any team that drops its final three would be hard-pressed to find anyone who would label its season a success.
Where the Cavaliers go from here will say a lot about the makeup of this team.
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