Virginia football fans Saturday filed into an overcast Scott Stadium not knowing what to expect from the Cavaliers in their first-ever matchup against Big Ten challenger Indiana. Roughly three hours later, the fans among the crowd of 45,371 emerged far happier, but likely with much the same feeling despite knowing the outcome.
Continuing a season in which the unexpected has become the expected, Virginia celebrated its homecoming with a lopsided 47-7 romp over the Hoosiers to snag its second straight win of the season and its first against a nonconference opponent.
"Our team has clearly taken another step down the road of progress," Virginia coach Al Groh said.
'Step' might be an understatement in this case, especially in regards to the Cavalier offense. Entering Saturday's game third worst in Division I in total offense, the team racked up 536 yards - more than their output from the first two losses of the season combined - and failed to commit a turnover for the second straight outing after committing seven in its week one embarrassment against William & Mary.
"We're playing good ball now," senior quarterback Jameel Sewell said. "We're playing our ball."
Although Sewell and his teammates may have struggled earlier in the season to discover their offensive identity, the team looked at ease from the start against the Hoosiers.
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