Nobody got his money’s worth from this highly hyped Penn State showdown. What we got instead is far more valuable: a genuine human drama that reinforced everything we truly love about college football.
The Virginia football team needed the perfect storm to overcome a laundry list of mistakes against Penn State Saturday. Two game-changing catches by sophomore tight end Jake McGee and four missed field goals by Nittany Lions sophomore kicker Sam Ficken provided the necessary jolt to lift Virginia to a heart-throbbing albeit far from flawless 17-16 victory.
After securing a comfortable 43-19 victory against Richmond, Virginia head coach Mike London and his players are ready for the team’s matchup Saturday with traditional Big Ten powerhouse Penn State at Scott Stadium. Although riddled with minor miscues, the performance of the Cavaliers (1-0, 0-0 ACC) highlighted to the rest of the ACC that London’s physically imposing squad could be priming for more success after an 8-5 campaign in 2011. “Coach London has done an excellent job of putting together his style of team,” Penn State coach Bill O’Brien said.
Last Saturday, two unranked teams squared off to begin their 2012 campaigns. In a sport that values high stakes and compelling action, the game offered only lukewarm excitement and held virtually no national championship significance, with the visitor rallying for a 24-14 win. Because it was Penn State’s first game, however, this otherwise unremarkable tilt garnered extensive national media attention.
The NFL season kicks off again Tuesday as the Dallas Cowboys head to East Rutherford, N.J. to take on the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. It’s been seven months to the day, and let me tell you — pro football hasn’t come back a day too soon.
In Saturday’s primetime clash between the ACC and SEC, No. 14 Clemson gave its conference a much-needed boost and downed Auburn, 26-19.
Though the vast majority of the 50,081 fans who flocked to Scott Stadium donned orange for Virginia’s first home football game of the season, the color gray most defined the Cavaliers’ 43-19 win against Richmond Saturday.
London and junior quarterback Michael Rocco engineered a near-flawless first half to earn a second season-opening win in three years against a first-year Richmond head coach, 43-19. This time, Rocco led the way with 311 yards and a touchdown against his uncle, Richmond coach Danny Rocco, to help London become the first Virginia coach since Rice Warren in 1913 to win his first three season-openers at the University.
As we barrel toward opening day of the 2012 season, two countervailing forces shape expectations for the Virginia football team: optimism stemming from the Cavaliers’ first bowl appearance since 2007 and anxiety about the significant roster turnover.
Football returns to college campuses across the nation this weekend, and Scott Stadium opens its gates as Virginia hosts Richmond Saturday afternoon. The Cavaliers open the season exactly as they did two years ago with a matchup against in-state rivals Richmond.
Coach Mike London’s decision to reinstall junior Michael Rocco as starting quarterback made headlines.
The Virginia football team’s New Year’s Eve loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl was a good summation of everything that went wrong for the special teams unit in 2011.
For most, college is a time to gain wisdom by making the mistakes that accompany youth and independence.
The long-awaited announcement Monday that junior Michael Rocco will be the starting quarterback for Saturday’s season-opener against Richmond was the highlight of Virginia’s unveiled depth chart.
Ahead of Coach Mike London’s Monday announcement of the Virginia football team’s depth chart, here is a first look at the squad’s offense.
Virginia football coach Mike London announced the Cavaliers had secured commitments from 25 recruits on National Signing Day - the first day recruits can sign binding letters of intent. London touted the athleticism of his 2012 class, which was ranked No.5 in the ACC and No.28 in the nation by scout.com, during a celebration at John Paul Jones Arena. "I'm very excited about this particular class," London said.
Joe Paterno, one of the most decorated coaches in college football history after 46 years and 409 victories at Penn State, died of lung cancer Sunday morning in State College, Pa.
[caption id="attachment_48860" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Virginia coach Mike London finished his second season with a disappointing postseason defeat, but still guided the Cavaliers to their most successful season in four years.
During just his second season at the helm of the Virginia football team, coach Mike London has already orchestrated the fifth-best single-season turnaround in the country and clinched the program's first winning record and bowl game since 2007.
Senior cornerback Chase Minnifield, senior defensive tackle Matt Conrath and senior offensive guard Austin Pasztor earned first-team All-ACC honors to headline the eight Virginia football players named to the All-ACC squad. Junior offensive tackle Oday Aboushi and junior linebacker Steve Greer garnered second-team All-ACC recognition.
