Virginia football squares off against Duke Saturday afternoon in a crucial ACC Coastal clash.
The Cavaliers (4-2, 2-1 ACC) generated some significant momentum Saturday night to carry into the rest of ACC play. In front of a massive homecomings crowd, under the lights of Scott Stadium, Virginia upset then-No. 16 Miami (5-2, 2-1 ACC), 16-13.
It was Virginia’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2014, a major milestone for Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s rebuilding effort.
Virginia’s gritty defensive effort and excellent secondary play carried the Cavaliers to victory.
The Cavaliers’ run defense held up strong. Apart from one 70-yard breakout run by Hurricanes junior running back Travis Homer, Virginia’s defensive line and linebacking core shut down Miami’s explosive playmaking ability on the ground. Senior quarterback Malik Rosier, who ran all over Virginia’s defense in Miami’s victory against the Cavaliers last year, was limited to just 19 yards rushing.
But the most exemplary performance came from Virginia’s supremely talented secondary, which has been inconsistent but shown flashes of greatness throughout the year. The Cavaliers secondary had three interceptions which were returned for a total of 117 yards. Senior safety Juan Thornhill was especially outstanding. Thornhill had two picks — one of which he returned for 62 yards to the Miami 7 — putting the Cavaliers in position to score their only touchdown of the game.
As a result of his outstanding play, Thornhill was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and the ACC Defensive Back of the Week.
Junior transfer quarterback Bryce Perkins had a tough day through the air against a strong Hurricanes’ secondary. He finished with only 92 yards passing and three interceptions.
Virginia’s offense did just enough to pull off the upset. The running game performed well against one of the best run defenses in the nation. Senior running back Jordan Ellis led the way with 86 yards and a touchdown, and Perkins picked up a couple of crucial first downs with his legs that extended drives.
Duke (5-1, 1-1 ACC) also had a strong week, beating Georgia Tech 28-14.
The Blue Devils’ defense also stepped up in their win, limiting the Yellow Jackets’ potent spread option offense. Junior linebacker Joe Giles-Harris has been a standout in the Blue Devils’ defense. He came up with a whopping 15 tackles against Georgia Tech, tearing apart the Yellow Jackets’ gameplan.
On offense, Duke is led by talented junior quarterback Daniel Jones, who many pundits project to be an early pick in the NFL draft. Jones has thrown for 821 yards and eight touchdowns in just three and a half games this season.
“[Jones] is certainly capable of making any throw,” Mendenhall said. “Certainly has the size to handle pressure, vision, arm strength.”
That said, Virginia has done well against Duke recently. Last year, the Cavaliers won against the Blue Devils 28-21, limiting Jones to just 124 yards passing to go along with two interceptions — including a then-senior safety Quin Blanding pick six.
The Cavaliers, however, have struggled on the road this season. None of their four victories have come away from home. They will need more production from Perkins and the same defensive intensity to pick up a crucial win.
“Our opponent is skilled; their record is strong. I think they're coached really well, they're clear about their identity, they're playing with confidence [and] we're on the road,” Mendenhall said. “So all those things make this week's preparation really important. Our focus has to be at a really high level.”
The game against Duke has serious implications in the race to win the ACC Coastal conference. Virginia Tech leads the standings right now, but Virginia is only one game back. Challenging for a conference title is a crucial step in the movement towards a New Standard in football.
“We have to keep going to Duke and play just how we played tonight with the same aggression,” Perkins said. “From here on ou,t it’s going to be a competition to see who can take over the ACC. If we come out how we did, besides the turnovers, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Kickoff begins at 12:30 p.m. from Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.
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