Virginia Football 2005 Wrap-Up:
Happy Homecoming!
45 33
By Bob W.
My take on the game:
Overall:
Boy did we really need this game. A loss here would have all but killed our bowl chances, and a win has really energized the team. No more moral victories or “if we could have just done this, or not done that” excuses. Pay Dirt. We now have the ACC leader in total offense running the show, and he is looking great. We have an emerging wide out who is also stepping up his game, we have one of the best TE’s in the country, and our RB situation has in two weeks gone from who is going to step up, to a two headed monster. Granted there is still a lot of work to do, but right now it seems like old times in College Park (and by old times I mean 2001-2003).
Game Highlights:
I so wanted to put VD’s 47 yard TD run in the highlights, but he stepped out of bounds. That was one of the most impressive feats of athleticism I have seen on the field at Byrd in a long time. But you can’t highlight a play that never happened. Though there are a ton of plays to choose from, I am going with Danny Melendez (Brothers) 10 yard TD catch. It was 3rd and 9 and a failed conversion would have only netted us 3 points. That touchdown set the tone and breathed life into the 52,000+. The honorable mention goes to pass interference call on I believe Jo Jo Walker. That turned a possible punt deep in our own end to a Lance Ball TD to seal the win. Feel free to debate these choices, I can’t remember the last time I had so many plays to choose from.
Game Lowlights:
It is tough to find a lowlight this week. There was the UVA pick 6, but that was forgotten by half time. There also were no stupid Maryland penalties to speak of, so I am going to go with a pet peeve of mine. The Maryland student body rushing the field after the game was by far the low light of the day. I was in the student section and unlike the WVU game, the students were awesome, loud, and ready to go. But after the game they could not resist the urge to rush on the field. What is up with that? Yes it was homecoming and a great win against a ranked team but UVA isn’t USC! Because of these actions I have herby enacted the Denton 7 tailgate “Rules for when it is OK to rush the field”. Learn them, and live by them:
1.) Beating a top 5 in the Nation
2.) Winning on a last second FG against any ACC school (minus Duke)
3.) Clinching a Conference Title
4.) Clinching a BCS bowl
5.) Beating FSU
If none of the above occur, simply stay in your seat, clap and cheer, wait for Fridge and the boys to come over and sing the fight song, then file out for some post game tailgating.
Game MVP:
Again, another tough choice. Hollenbach was 25-33 for 320 yards and 2 TD’s. Vernon had 4 catches for 59 yards and 1 TD (and almost one of the greatest post catch runs in Maryland History). Keon had 46 yards and 2 TD’s, Melendez (Brothers) had 9 catches for 125 yards and a TD. Josh Wilson also had 12 tackles and 3 pass break ups, and always steady D’Qwell finished with a team leading 14 tackles. But I am going to go with Lance Ball as the UVA-MD D7 Tailgate MVP. While talking with Chris and Cory’s wahoo brother-in-law Byron after the game we briefly discussed who should be the Terps MVP. We mentioned all the above but Byron commented that none of the other stuff would have happened without Lance Ball establishing the run game. I could not agree more (see Navy recap Game MVP discussion). When we run, we win, when we don’t we loss.
Random Maryland Notes:
- When Vernon Davis does not win game MVP we are now 3-0. This is the leading candidate for fact of the year. If you need more proof of what a balanced attack does for the Terps, well then you’re and idiot.
- Both teams yesterday combined for only 7 penalties. A great stat, but makes you wonder why the game took 3 hours and 45 minutes anyway.
- Maryland’s offensive out pouring was the most points the Terps put up since the 2004 Duke game, and since that really doesn’t count as a football game, the most points they have put up since the Gator Bowl.
Around the ACC:
Wake Forest 31Clemson 27- After week two I thought it was time to call the Tigers the comeback kids, now it is looking more and more like the heart break kids. When is the last time you saw a team play 5 nailbiters to start the season. Tommy Bowden took the ball off of Jad Dean’s foot by calling for a fake FG instead of allowing Jad-o-matic to kick a 44 yarder. Though the score would have only given them a 6 point lead, it would have allowed them to kick off to Wake instead of turning the ball over at Wakes 34. Wake then drove down the field to score a TD with :33 on the clock to shock the Tigers. Sounds like more hot water for Tommy Boy.
Miami 27 South Florida 7- Tyrone Moss ran for 3 TD’s and Miami improved to 3-1. SF was unable to recapture the magic of last week when they shocked then #9 Louisville. But if you ask me, losing by 20 to the Hurricanes in Miami is nothing to be a shamed of for the Bulls. By the way, not to kick a team when they are down, but the South Florida Bulls?! When I think of Florida, I think Orange’s, Palm Trees, Hurricanes, Alligators, Water Parks, Disney World, Beaches, and Seminoles. I don’t think Bulls. Are there even any bulls in South Florida, why not have the Delaware Buffalo, or the Mississippi Moose, that would make as much sense? Maybe there is a history behind the nick name I don’t know about, but I am far too lazy and really don’t care enough to dig that deep into it.
Navy 28 Duke 21- In the “Reason #561 why Annapolis is better than Durham Bowl” the Middies outlasted the feisty Blue Devils 28-21. As a result of the loss Durham was forced to give up one of their first families, The Forests, who now have to spend a week in Nap town living in my basement. Gee imagine my punishment if Navy actually lost!
Virginia Tech 34 WVU 17- A large upflow of air was observed yesterday in Morgantown, WV. Due to the rarity of such a sudden rise in atmospheric pressure the EPA, and NWS were immediately contacted. Upon completing their joint investigation it was discovered that the phenomenon was just simply all the furniture in WV breathing a collective sigh of relief.
Boston College 38 Ball State 0- In the “Is BC ever going to play a tough out of Conference game again” category, the Eagles Man handled Ball State (cue chuckling). Back up QB Matthew Ryan ran for two TD’s to lead the Eagles to victory over a suspect school who had 15 player suspended. In related news, I punched a blind guy in the face yesterday, do I get my name in the ACC wrap up or does that only work for BC.
UNC 31 Utah 17- Matt Baker threw for 2 TD’s to improve UNC’s record to 2-2. UNC Athletic Director Dick Baddour was heard after the game yelling “Boston College gets to play Ball State!!! Then why the hell am I risking our bowl bid by scheduling Utah! Someone get me Elon on the phone pronto!”.
Florida State 38 Syracuse 14- Drew Weatherford (not Weatherly) passed for 3 TD’s to lead FSU over Syracuse in this game that no one outside of Syracuse, NY and Tallahasse, FL really cared about, expect maybe the hard core gambling types. Regardless FSU moves to 4-0 on the year.
ACC Standings:
Atlantic
FSU 2-0 4-0
Maryland 2-1 3-2 (Well we’re moving on up, to the eastside….)
BC 1-1 4-1
Wake 1-1 2-3
Clemson 1-3 2-3
NC St 0-2 1-2
Coastal
VT 4-0 5-0
Virginia 1-1 3-1
GT 1-1 3-1
Miami 1-1 3-1
UNC 1-1 2-2
Duke 0-2 1-4