Positives and negatives. That's essentially how every game has to be evaluated. Ultimately, wins tell the tale. But within the win/loss aspect are the details through which one can figure out how good (or bad) a team really is and will continue to be.
Along with winning a game, you want your team to do two things each time out there: Have more positives than negatives and improve on mistakes of the past.
For UVa on Saturday, getting a win over Syracuse was the unequivocal mission. The Cavaliers absolutely had to have it. That's not up for debate and it's important to not lose sight of that reality when evaluating the positives and negatives.
But at the same time, it's impossible not to see repeated issues and make note of them as well.
There was definitely good for the Wahoos in their 44-38 triple-overtime victory over the Orange on Saturday. In getting a win in its first OT game since 2011, Virginia also got its first win when trailing after three quarters since beating Miami three years ago. The Hoos had a 19-play drive (kept alive early by a boneheaded facemask penalty) to send the game into overtime, which is tied for the second-longest drive in school history. Still, they went 88 yards and managed the end of regulation well.
The defense forced a pair of turnovers, scoring on one of them, and allowed just three points in the second half in addition to a mere 99 yards. But it also gave up 21 points in the second quarter, though admittedly two of those scores were on coaching blunders more than anything else.
As such, there were so many places that this game shouldn't have been close. Whereas last week, UVa didn't have much business being in the game late against Pitt, here the Cavaliers didn't have any business being in overtime.
The last 2:49 of the first half, for example, was full of frustration. The Hoos, leading 14-7, managed to get the Orange into a 4th and 4 from the 43-yard line and called timeout (their first of the half) to set up a potential end-of-half drive. Rather than setting up for another scoring opportunity knowing they'd get the ball back to start the second half, the Cavaliers fell asleep and gave up another brutal fake punt. By the time there were 24 seconds left until intermission, UVa had turned it over and promptly given up another TD one play later to go down 21-14.
Very few teams with the kind of overwhelming issues that Virginia causes itself every week are going to be able to overcome that kind of turnaround. It's actually pretty incredible that the Cavaliers did in this game.
Perhaps even more important, though, is this reality: These players needed something good to go their way. And if there's anything true in sports it's that confidence begets confidence. It's impossible to say for sure that the Wahoos will use this experience (the good as well as the bad) and do something positive with it next week and the week after, etc. It's also impossible to know for sure that they won't.
But what is a certainty is that this one goes down as a victory, a flawed one in many respects.
Virginia's schedule is going to get rough considering the Hoos need four of the six remaining games to be wins in order to make it to the postseason. Is Carolina beatable? Sure. Is Georgia Tech a shadow of the team many expected? Sure. Are Miami, Duke, and Virginia Tech beatable? Sure.
But to do so, it can't be the team that showed up for the last 2:49 of the first half. It has to be the team that scored on three-straight OT possessions to win, one that will have to improve in a lot of ways. The grit they showed, though, could be something to build on.
This was a game UVa had to have and it got the job done. And that's good because what is asked of the Cavaliers from here on out will very challenging.
Positives and negatives. That's what it will all ultimately come down to in the end.
Moore helps the Hoos score another on D
Senior defensive lineman Mike Moore had another good game for the Cavaliers, forcing another fumbles that UVa turned into a TD. He finished with five tackles, including 1.5 sacks. In this video he talks about his game, the result, and the mindset of the team.
Mizzell's biggest game comes at the right time
For junior running back Taquan Mizzell being [ticked] off at himself for a first quarter fumble turned into quite the fire in the gut. The former Bayside standout, who was directly responsible for SU's first score, finished with 127 all-purpose yards and a pair of TDs. He had a career-high 10 receptions and reached 100 in his career in just 28 games. Mizzell talked after the game about his mindset following his fumble and what became his first multi-TD game as a Wahoo.
Wahee plays through the whistle
Junior defensive back Wilfred Wahee was in the right spot at the right time when Moore forced the fumble, scooping up the ball and rumbling 32 yards for his first career touchdown. In this video interview, Wahee talks about the second quarter score and what went through his mind as he made the play.
Along with winning a game, you want your team to do two things each time out there: Have more positives than negatives and improve on mistakes of the past.
For UVa on Saturday, getting a win over Syracuse was the unequivocal mission. The Cavaliers absolutely had to have it. That's not up for debate and it's important to not lose sight of that reality when evaluating the positives and negatives.
But at the same time, it's impossible not to see repeated issues and make note of them as well.
There was definitely good for the Wahoos in their 44-38 triple-overtime victory over the Orange on Saturday. In getting a win in its first OT game since 2011, Virginia also got its first win when trailing after three quarters since beating Miami three years ago. The Hoos had a 19-play drive (kept alive early by a boneheaded facemask penalty) to send the game into overtime, which is tied for the second-longest drive in school history. Still, they went 88 yards and managed the end of regulation well.
The defense forced a pair of turnovers, scoring on one of them, and allowed just three points in the second half in addition to a mere 99 yards. But it also gave up 21 points in the second quarter, though admittedly two of those scores were on coaching blunders more than anything else.
As such, there were so many places that this game shouldn't have been close. Whereas last week, UVa didn't have much business being in the game late against Pitt, here the Cavaliers didn't have any business being in overtime.
The last 2:49 of the first half, for example, was full of frustration. The Hoos, leading 14-7, managed to get the Orange into a 4th and 4 from the 43-yard line and called timeout (their first of the half) to set up a potential end-of-half drive. Rather than setting up for another scoring opportunity knowing they'd get the ball back to start the second half, the Cavaliers fell asleep and gave up another brutal fake punt. By the time there were 24 seconds left until intermission, UVa had turned it over and promptly given up another TD one play later to go down 21-14.
Very few teams with the kind of overwhelming issues that Virginia causes itself every week are going to be able to overcome that kind of turnaround. It's actually pretty incredible that the Cavaliers did in this game.
Perhaps even more important, though, is this reality: These players needed something good to go their way. And if there's anything true in sports it's that confidence begets confidence. It's impossible to say for sure that the Wahoos will use this experience (the good as well as the bad) and do something positive with it next week and the week after, etc. It's also impossible to know for sure that they won't.
But what is a certainty is that this one goes down as a victory, a flawed one in many respects.
Virginia's schedule is going to get rough considering the Hoos need four of the six remaining games to be wins in order to make it to the postseason. Is Carolina beatable? Sure. Is Georgia Tech a shadow of the team many expected? Sure. Are Miami, Duke, and Virginia Tech beatable? Sure.
But to do so, it can't be the team that showed up for the last 2:49 of the first half. It has to be the team that scored on three-straight OT possessions to win, one that will have to improve in a lot of ways. The grit they showed, though, could be something to build on.
This was a game UVa had to have and it got the job done. And that's good because what is asked of the Cavaliers from here on out will very challenging.
Positives and negatives. That's what it will all ultimately come down to in the end.
Moore helps the Hoos score another on D
Senior defensive lineman Mike Moore had another good game for the Cavaliers, forcing another fumbles that UVa turned into a TD. He finished with five tackles, including 1.5 sacks. In this video he talks about his game, the result, and the mindset of the team.
Mizzell's biggest game comes at the right time
For junior running back Taquan Mizzell being [ticked] off at himself for a first quarter fumble turned into quite the fire in the gut. The former Bayside standout, who was directly responsible for SU's first score, finished with 127 all-purpose yards and a pair of TDs. He had a career-high 10 receptions and reached 100 in his career in just 28 games. Mizzell talked after the game about his mindset following his fumble and what became his first multi-TD game as a Wahoo.
Wahee plays through the whistle
Junior defensive back Wilfred Wahee was in the right spot at the right time when Moore forced the fumble, scooping up the ball and rumbling 32 yards for his first career touchdown. In this video interview, Wahee talks about the second quarter score and what went through his mind as he made the play.
