The weather was picture-perfect in Dallas, with a kickoff temperature of 58 degrees at Gerald J. Ford Stadium as the Cavaliers faced their first early-window kickoff of the season against SMU.
Virginia (4-3, 2-2 ACC) had an almost picture-perfect first series against the Mustangs (5-1, 3-1 ACC), too. The defense held the line and prevented an early fourth-down deep ball from Mustang senior quarterback Kevin Jennings, giving the offense superb field position. Feeding fourth-year running back Jekail Middlebrook and second-year running back Xay Davis, the offense advanced all the way down to the SMU five-yard line. On the first play, not going to a running back, all went awry as fifth-year quarterback Beau Pribula fumbled the ball away.
The Mustangs, in the shadow of their own end zone, drove nearly all the way down before settling for a field goal following a solid goal-line stand. The remainder of the first half would see the teams trade scores, with SMU pulling ahead as time expired on a field goal following a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on third-year defensive end Billy Koudelka — which led to a talking-to from Coach Tony Elliott. Down 13-10 at the end of the first half, Virginia lost 23-13, their second ACC loss of the season.
For the Cavaliers, the first half was defined by Middlebrook, who had 71 receiving yards in the first half and had over half of the carries. None of those first-half carries went longer than nine yards, but the plays kept the clock ticking down. Furthermore, five of those carries went for first downs, and all were for positive yardage — further solidifying Middlebrook’s position as the No. 1 option in a crowded running back room.
During the only Virginia touchdown drive of the first half, though, Pribula redeemed his early error with a quarterback run into the end zone. The first touchdown of the game, Pribula’s score, made the score 7-3.
Following the Syracuse game, where Virginia only had one drive taking up 4:30 or longer of game time, all three of Virginia’s first-half possessions took at least 5:30 off the game clock — time that SMU did not have to hold the ball. Given that SMU similarly was taking significant time with their drives — their shortest of their first three, that initial failed fourth down, lasting 1:19 — a late second-quarter kick from fifth-year kicker Will Bettridge with 25 seconds remaining seemed to ensure that the score would be tied at the half, 10-10.
It would not. Following a Jennings incomplete pass, SMU notched two consecutive first downs. They grabbed a third off the aforementioned penalty on Koudelka, setting up a demoralizing field goal from the Mustangs’ backup kicker. The home team went up 13-10 at the half.
“Part of the strategy was to try and play keep-away, if we could,” Elliott said. “That’s why you saw a lot more intentional tempo on offense […] I thought we did a good job there in the first half, and we couldn’t get it established early in the second half.”
Due to the Mustangs’ choice to receive the ball first following their victory in the coin toss, Virginia opened the second half with the ball, but managed only a three-and-out. The lack of success was partially mollified by a nearly 70-yard boot from seventh-year punter Daniel Sparks.
A punt from each team followed. The next Sparks punt was returned for a touchdown, but subsequently nullified by a Mustangs penalty. SMU made its way down inside the Virginia 10-yard line again, but came away with only a field goal, doubling its lead to 16-10.
Now down almost a touchdown, Virginia looked poised to score, quickly moving the chains on a Pribula pass and subsequent scramble. In a quick change of fate, Pribula initially threw an ill-advised pass that was initially deemed an interception before being overturned and ruled incomplete. Another lengthy kick from Bettridge brought the score back within three, 16-13.
As the game moved from the third to fourth quarter, SMU advanced down the field, eventually punching it in with a shade over 12 minutes to go, giving SMU a 23-13 lead. Virginia could not get anything going, advancing no yards in a three-and-out possession, their shortest of the game.
SMU received the ball in decent field position, but was ultimately hamstrung by penalties and a late-drive sack from fourth-year defensive end Matthew Fobbs-White, the first and only of the game for the Cavaliers. Facing fourth and 43, SMU punted, giving the ball back to Virginia with just over five minutes to go.
Ultimately, the Cavaliers were unable to make anything happen, facing a penalty and a sack of their own. They turned the ball over on downs, and never scored again. The final margin was only 10 points as the score stood 23-13, but those 10 points were insurmountable to a slow-advancing second-half offense that hardly gave the ball to Middlebrook like the first half.
“In the end, [Virginia] couldn’t make enough plays down the stretch to capitalize and see if we could win,” Elliott said.
The Cavaliers will look to bounce back Oct. 23. Under the Friday night lights on Family Weekend, Virginia will host a 2025 ACC Championship rematch against the Blue Devils. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff and will air on ESPN.
Drew Dillman is a staff writer and X account manager on the sports desk. He is a fourth-year College student, majoring in history. Drew is from North Little Rock, Ark., and he enjoys writing game recaps. Outside of The Cavalier Daily, Drew is president of Shakespeare on the Lawn, a classical theater group at the University.
Read More
Virginia volleyball’s nine-match winning streak against Virginia Tech ends in a straight-set loss
By Jonathan Altshuler | 10 hours agoThe loss also split the two-game Commonwealth Clash against the Hokies after the Cavaliers had defeated them in four sets on Wednesday.
Virginia men’s soccer fails to answer flurry of goals in grimy loss to Duke
By Mofeoluwa Akande | 11 hours agoVirginia was shown two red cards in the ugly loss.
MCNIFF: Virginia’s porous defense and flat offense head to Dallas in dire straits
By Ben McNiff | YesterdayA tough matchup with a ranked opponent awaits the Cavaliers as they travel to the Lone State.
