"Virginia is 102nd in team offense. I'm not sure I've ever seen an 8-2 team do that before," color commentator Bob Davie remarked during ESPN2's telecast of the U.Va. football game against Miami. The former Notre Dame coach added that Virginia was 62nd in turnover margin at the time, "so it's not like they are forcing a lot of turnovers." When you think about it, he's right: Those stats are pretty amazing for a top-15 BCS team. But at this point, why should anything the Hoos -- now 95th in total offense and 46th in turnover margin -- do this season be surprising?
I watched the second half of the Miami game with my friends, and for most of those 30 minutes (football time) we were busy laughing at the game's broadcasters. Part of this was because of their comical observations, like when play-by-play man Mark Jones narrated, "Jameel Sewell carries the ball off of a direct snap." He's the quarterback -- of course he took a direct snap!
The other reason was because they mentioned the absurd statistics Virginia has compiled this year. There were a number of instances where we just shook our heads and couldn't help but laugh at the fact that U.Va. is actually in the running for the ACC Championship so late in the season. Again though, why should any of this be surprising in what is shaping up to be one of the most memorable seasons in Virginia football history?
In 2007, Virginia has the kind of offensive stats that would make most people would cover their eyes. When hearing we are 82nd in scoring offense or 90th in tackles for a loss allowed, a Wahoo fan will do the same. When his or her face emerges, however, there's a smile on it. That's because despite the 76th-rated passing attack and the 88th-ranked rushing unit, Virginia is 9-2. The Hoos hadn't even scored a touchdown in the third quarter before Mikell Simpson's 1-yard run less than five minutes into the second half Saturday, and yet the Cavaliers are leading the ACC Coastal Division.
Believe me, I'm still shaking my head as I think and write about this. I just can't get rid of the feeling that Al Groh may have made a deal with the devil after the Wyoming game and that there really will be lava under the Rotunda like in the Adventures of Cavman or something like that after we beat Tech. Aside from the national statistics, there is the fact that Virginia has five wins by two points or less, an NCAA record that is directly correlated to the unofficial record for most fan heart attacks in one year. The "Cardiac Cavaliers," as they have been dubbed to a dizzying degree, have cemented this year's team picture in the cliché dictionary next to the entry: A win is a win.
U.Va.'s most recent win was obviously more the exception than the rule this year. With the Hoos up only 41 points in the fourth quarter, Chris Cook provided the dagger with a fumble recovery touchdown. Virginia helped Miami exit the Orange Bowl in the same way the Hurricanes entered it in 1937 -- except the complete opposite. Instead of a 40-0 beat down like Miami handed Georgia Southern in the first game at the famous stadium, the last contest was a 48-0 debacle for the Canes that was not as close as the final score indicated. Instead of the usual one or two point win the Hoos pull out, it was the worst shutout loss in Orange Bowl history.
If that wasn't a surprise, I don't know what is. The next thing you'll tell me is Jameel Sewell just won the Heisman.
To cap off the season, Virginia plays rival Virginia Tech. Next Saturday's game will not only be a showdown for the ACC Coastal, but a battle between the best two-loss team in the country (hint: not us) and the worst according to ESPN's Pat Forde. Tech's losses came to the current No. 1 team LSU and then--No. 2 Boston College . U.Va. lost convincingly to Wyoming (which just lost to Utah 50-0) and N.C. State (which was winless in the ACC before beating the Hoos). Based on what has transpired this season and the (lack of) logic thus far, it would be stupid not to pick Virginia over the Hokies next weekend.
This year's clash for the Commonwealth Cup should be one for the ages. The only thing I am not looking forward to is the mass of Hokie fans who will undoubtedly invade the student section thanks to the jerks who sell their tickets to Tech fans to make a profit (which is an honor violation) or buy guest tickets for their Tech friends (which should be an honor violation).
All jokes aside, the Virginia-Virginia Tech game has more than just pride and bragging rights on the line for the first time in as long as I can remember. For all the poor rankings in offensive stats, the Virginia defense is in the top 20 in most major categories (scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, red zone defense) -- a fact that should prove the Cavaliers can seriously compete with Virginia Tech.
A win next weekend would put Virginia in the ACC Championship game and one step closer to the ACC's BCS bowl bid in the Orange Bowl. In a season of consistent surprises, one thing is definite: We all know how things turn out when Virginia plays in Miami.
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