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As you might expect in a 7-5 loss, the defense graded out fairly well. The Cavaliers held the Tar Heels to one score, 21 yards or less on eight of 13 drives, limited the Carolina running game to 3.7 yards per carry and shut down a UNC passing attack that entered the game averaging 221 yards.
On offense, however, the performance and the play-calling were pathetic, and the grades reflect that. The offensive line, in particular, had an atrocious afternoon in Chapel Hill, and the coaching staff, including QB coach Mike Groh, didn't get the job done.
In fairness to Ron Prince, today's pathetic offensive showing wasn't entirely his fault. Marques Hagans was gimpy and erratic. Wali Lundy still doesn't look 100 percent. Michael Johnson was injured on the opening kickoff and right guard Marshal Ausberry also had to leave the game, forcing the Cavs to reshuffle their line. It's also important to note that Al Groh has a major influence on the gameplan and the play-calling.
Still, it wasn't Prince's finest hour - or three-plus hours, as the case may be, at Kenan Stadium. The same offense that was dynamic, creative, freewheeling and fun a week ago became conservative, dull, stagnant and stubborn. But maybe that should come as no surprise.
This is the kind of game that gives me fits. North Carolina's most prominent trait to date is inconsistency, and it's hard to figure out how the Tar Heels will play or what they'll try to do. For example, the best way to contain the Virginia offense is for the Heels to stop playing the aggressive defense that's worked for them this season. Their best hope of moving the ball on UVa's defense is to either run, which they have yet to do effectively, or pass into the teeth of Virginia's very effective nickel defense. But hey, we'll take a guess.
Virginia takes on a North Carolina team that is coming off a bye week after getting dismantled 69-14 by Louisville. Like the Cavaliers going into the FSU game, the Tar Heels are embarrassed and at home with their backs against the wall. This is a dangerous game for the 'Hoos, so let's talk about what they can do to escape Chapel Hill with a victory. One key will be for Ron Prince to stay aggressive with his offensive play-calling.
While there were many important moments during Virginia's incredible upset of Florida State, the game was really won in the final five minutes of the first half. All of the factors most critical to the victory - Marques Hagans, great catches, turnovers, Kai Parham, Connor Hughes, Chris Gould, FSU penalties - crystallized in a span of about 20 plays.
So let's take a fun trip down memory lane and relive some amazing plays during an amazing five minutes that captured everything that went right under the (mostly lit) Saturday night lights at Scott Stadium.
The Cavaliers weren't perfect Saturday night, but they did enough to come away with a 26-21 victory. The defense gave up 472 yards but shut down the high-powered FSU scoring machine. There were as many dropped interceptions by the defense as there were dropped passes by the offense, but when the secondary needed a big pick it got it and when the receivers needed a drive-sustaining catch, they made it.
The Wahoos attacked on both sides of the ball and played with an emotion and physicality that they had not displayed in five previous games. “Magical” Marques Hagans was, well, magical, and though the receivers did not catch everything, they caught enough. The defense, led by Kai Parham, freely gave up yardage between the 20s but stiffened in the red zone, holding one of the top-scoring offenses in the nation almost 15 points below its season average.
As thrilling as Saturday night's win was for the Wahoos and their fans, it was also a little perplexing. Why haven't they played like that all season? Why did it take six games for Virginia to perform up to its potential? What was the difference between this incredible outing and the five duds that preceded it?
Well, to me there were four big factors: better health, more guts, extra emotion and a magnificent Marques Hagans. Let's take those one at a time...
While fans in Charlottesville are trying to run the 3-4 defense out of town, suggesting it can't be played at the collegiate level, fans in Tallahassee are raving about it and wondering why it wasn't implemented sooner. And just like with the defense, Bobby Bowden has proven that even with all of his success, he's still willing to change the way his team plays to win.
Under a new offensive line system and a four-wide spread scheme, a very predictable FSU offense of the last three or four years once again resembles the high-octane attack the Seminoles were known for in the '90s. The 'Noles are playing more cohesive football, with all three aspects (offense, defense, special teams) performing at levels not seen in Tallahassee since 1999. To call Saturday's game a challenge is a significant understatement.
The Seminoles sputtered to a win over Miami in the first game of the year but have since cranked it up. They come into Charlottesville sporting a 5-0 record and a top-5 ranking. Due to serious personnel shortcomings, the 'Hoos will have to execute the keys of the game perfectly to have a chance of victory. Marques Hagans, for one, will need to be at his most elusive behind a makeshift offensive line.
In our game preview last week, we outlined several keys to beating Boston College. The Cavaliers needed to improve their efficiency in the red zone, force at least three turnovers, limit the Eagles to fewer than 3.2 yards per carry and gain a clear advantage in the kicking game.
How did they do? Well, close only counts in horseshoes. The 'Hoos got two turnovers and had Tony Franklin or Mark Miller been able to handle two potential interceptions, it could have been more. Virginia held the Eagles to 2.9 yards per carry - until you add Andre Callender's 57- and 35-yard runs; then it balloons to 5.3. How about in the red zone? The 'Hoos went 3 of 4, including settling for a field goal from the Eagle 20 after Deyon Williams dropped a stick-moving pass.
Given Virginia's injury situation and the quality of today's opponent, no one should be surprised or particularly disappointed by the outcome. The 28-17 loss to Boston College was so predictable that even 
After watching Maryland's young offensive line shove the Virginia defense around like a blocking sled on Tropical Blend last Saturday, UVa's biggest advantage this week might be an overconfident Boston College squad. But contrary to what apparently some folks up north think, the Eagles are not superheros and there are ways to exploit their top-10 defense. The big question is can the 'Hoos slow the BC rushing attack?
I think Boston College is a better, more talented and experienced team than Maryland. So if the Cavaliers are going to have a chance at pulling off the upset in Chestnut Hill, they must make major improvements and adjustments, especially on the defensive side by getting tougher up the middle. Offensively, they will need D'Brickashaw Ferguson to deal with Mathias Kiwanuka, one of the best DEs in the country.
In our game preview, we noted that the 'Hoos needed to limit the Maryland production on first and second down, keep the Terrapins from converting third downs, defend the underneath zones and limit yards after contact. The 'Hoos did none of these things.
Much of Saturday's poor play on defense was a result of a poor collective effort, not the fault of one particular player or group. But each unit had its own problems which I'll address. I'm still trying to figure out how the Terps only scored 45 points.
As the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard today at Byrd Stadium, the Maryland students chanted, “Over-rated! Over-rated!” at the #19 (and soon to be unranked) Virginia football team. Thanks, guys. Tell us something we don't know.
Maybe the Cavaliers are a top-20 team at full strength, though that's debatable. What's obvious right now is that this team isn't top 50, not with so many injured stars, so many problems on defense, so many issues and concerns and question marks. That may change as the season progresses, but it will take better health, better coaching and perhaps a lot of soul-searching to turn things around.
Maryland enters Saturday's contest at 2-2, while the 'Hoos travel to College Park with a 3-0 record. The record may be different but both of these teams have traveled similar roads to get to this point and both are at a crossroads. The Cavaliers and Terps have both struggled with secondary play and have been plagued by injuries on the offensive line. Maryland can ill afford another home and conference loss if it wishes to sustain hopes of playing for an ACC title. Virginia can afford few if any losses in the powerful Coastal Division.
The questions are many. Can Virginia run the football? Can Maryland run the football? Can the Wahoos win a key conference matchup on the road? Can the Terps win at home? Are the answers in this week's preview? Will Batman get there in time to save the “Boy Wonder”?
Homecoming weekend left a lot of Virginia alumni with more questions than, “Where was I Friday night?” The Cavs did prevail over the hapless Duke Blue Devils, but the details weren't always pretty. For the most part, I was impressed with the play of the 'Hoos, but thanks to injuries on the offensive line, the hobbled play of Wali Lundy and the absence of Ahmad Brooks, there were causes for concern.
UVa needs to address those question marks to get out of Byrd Stadium with a win. Maryland is coming off a solid victory over pesky Wake Forest and is clearly the best team the Cavs will have faced to this point. Tight end Vernon Davis is an especially dangerous player, so one key for Jermaine Dias and the 'Hoos is jamming Davis at the line, re-routing him and gang-tackling him.
Can the Cavaliers keep winning without their biggest stars? Let's hope we don't need to find out. Virginia ended the patsy portion of its schedule with its perfect record intact but with its marquee players in various states of disrepair. Ahmad Brooks was watching from the sideline in baggy jeans and an orange t-shirt. D'Brickashaw Ferguson sat on the bench with his left knee wrapped in ice. Wali Lundy spent much of the day being dumped behind the line of scrimmage. Remember, these are UVa's two preseason All-Americans and potentially the school's all-time leading scorer.
So while it's nice that the Wahoos could still clobber Duke and go into October at 3-0, it's also discomforting to think what might happen the rest of the season if the injury situation doesn't improve. Who knows? All three may be back at full strength by the time the Cavs face the likes of Boston College, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Miami. But maybe not. And that's why I'm more than a little anxious right now.
Virginia may be 2-0 this season, but it remains to be seen whether the Wahoos have what it takes to beat a quality opponent. After this week, we'll still be waiting. Duke is the worst team in the ACC and doesn't have the depth, talent or firepower to give the Cavaliers a major challenge. But who knows? UVa needed strong finishes to defeat Western Michigan and Syracuse and can't take anyone lightly. Not even the Blue Devils.
The Cavaliers secured their second win of the season with a 27-24 triumph over Syracuse. Virginia played better, blocked better, tackled better and coached better than it did against Western Michigan. And while this week's grades show that some areas did improve, only two units came to the Carrier Dome with their “A” game, including Mark Miller and the linebacking corps.
At this point, it's all about survival. No Ahmad Brooks. No Wali Lundy. Let's face it, Virginia's just not a very good team without those guys. Once they return, that may change. But right now, we might as well be satisfied with ugly wins, because the Cavs don't have what it takes to dominate anybody.
For now, that's fine. Of course, if the 'Hoos don't make major improvements over the course of the season, they don't stand a chance in the ACC. But there are reasons to think this team will get healthier and better as the weeks go by. And wouldn't that be a nice change from last year, when a dazzling start didn't mean much by November?
After a less-than-impressive win over woeful Western Michigan in their opener, the Cavaliers have had two weeks to prepare for a slightly tougher test Saturday. They will face Syracuse, a team with a decent defense, a one-dimensional offense and a frequently noisy home crowd at the Carrier Dome. How Virginia will fare depends largely on how much it has improved in practice since Sept. 3. Let's look at the matchups…
One of the toughest things about Saturday's game is the proposition of playing in the Carrier Dome. It is a downright nasty place to try to win a football game, regardless of the quality of Syracuse's team. Just ask Florida State last year. Despite the challenge, if the Cavaliers execute the keys to the game, they will walk out of the dome with an important early-season road victory.
Here are six keys to the game - three on offense and three on defense - and a fearless prediction. One key will be for center Brian Barthelmes and the offensive line to develop better chemistry and establish the running game.
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