There was a reason UCLA was a 19.5 point favorite against Virginia Saturday. From junior linebacker Myles Jack to junior running back Paul Perkins, the Bruins boast some of the Pac-12’s, and arguably the nation’s, top players. Virginia, meanwhile, won just five games a year ago.
The Cavaliers (0-1) ended up covering the spread in a 34-16 loss against the No. 13 Bruins (1-0). However, reason suggests that means little to Virginia fans, especially since the team could have made the game even closer — and perhaps even competed for a week-one win.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Virginia marched 60-yards down the field before settling for 42-yard field goal by senior kicker Ian Frye.
Two possessions later, the Cavaliers strung together a 10 play, 72-yard drive. But again, after three consecutive runs by junior running back Albert Reid put Virginia in a 4th-and-2 down and distance, Frye was needed to connect, this time from 31-yards out.
On the following drive — Virginia’s fifth possession — junior quarterback Matt Johns drove the Cavaliers even deeper into Bruin territory. Still, the outcome proved the same — with the ball on the 2-yard line, Frye was called upon to boot through his third field goal of the afternoon.
Virginia had moved the football just as efficiently as UCLA before halftime — the Bruins only outgained the Cavaliers 206-194. But UCLA held a 17-9 advantage heading into the locker room at the half.
According to both college football analysts and the betting odds, the Cavaliers were not expected to beat UCLA. Still, it was not as if Virginia did not have its chances, especially in the first half.
But upset bids, like the one Virginia tried to capture Saturday, require teams to score touchdowns — something the Cavaliers failed to do. Although Virginia finished 3-3 from inside the red-zone, its only touchdown came with 3:29 remaining, which merely pulled the Cavaliers to within the spread.
Virginia’s conservative, pro-style offense actually managed to move the ball quite well in the first half. Junior running back Taquan Mizzell showcased his speed and quickness as a receiver out of the backfield. Meanwhile, Johns showed good pocket awareness on the few plays he looked downfield.
But once inside the red-zone, either the Cavaliers’ offensive variety ceased — such as the fourth drive when Reid took three consecutive handoffs inside the 20-yard line — or offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild was unwilling to attack the Bruin secondary — like on the fifth possession when neither of Virginia’s two passing attempts within the 10-yard line were into the end zone.
Mizzell was one of the few bright spots on the afternoon, picking up 45 yards on the ground and 100 through the air, yet Virginia consistently went to Reid near the goal line. And despite the fact that Virginia’s top trio of receivers — senior Canaan Severin, junior Keeon Johnson and sophomore Andre Levrone — are all listed as at least 6-foot-2 and over 205 pounds, neither had the ball thrown their direction in the end-zone.
While the Cavaliers settled for three first half field goals, freshman quarterback Josh Rosen orchestrated an efficient Bruin attack. Standing tall behind a veteran offensive line, Rosen rarely felt pressure from Virginia’s pass rush as he picked apart the Cavalier secondary for three touchdowns, two of which came before halftime.
Trading Virginia’s first half field goals for touchdowns would not have guaranteed a Cavalier victory, especially as UCLA continued to roll in the second half. But at the bare minimum, a closer game could have given an extra jolt of motivation to a Virginia offense that struggled mightily in the third and fourth quarters.
The sledding will not get any easier for coach Mike London’s squad, as Virginia will face No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 23 Boise State before September ends.
The Cavaliers will need to learn how to capitalize in the red-zone in order to compete against not only college football’s blue bloods, but also later in the season against their conference foes. With the London-era now in its sixth year, covering the spread just isn’t good enough anymore.
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