From their first offensive snap, when junior Perry Jones sprinted through a huge hole for a 14-yard gain, the Virginia Cavaliers imposed their will on a seemingly helpless Georgia Tech defense to stun the 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets 24-21 at Scott Stadium Saturday.
With the upset win over one of the ACC’s three ranked teams, the Cavaliers suddenly have a new lease on the season that only two weeks ago in a narrow overtime win over Idaho appeared to be heading in the wrong direction. Georgia Tech’s vaulted triple-option offense was held in check the entire game, with the UVa. defense limiting the Yellow Jackets to just 270 rushing yards – almost 85 below their season average.
“This is one of those wins against a good team with a lot of accomplishments that you can try to turn the corner on how think about yourself and how people view your program,” said Virginia Coach Mike London just moments removed from a Scott Stadium frenzy filled with fans that hard stormed the field in celebration of the upset win.
While the season has just reached the half way mark the game served as a measuring stick for the Cavalier defense which has shown significant improvement. Last season in 33-21 loss in Atlanta to the Yellow Jackets, the Virginia defense was torched for 536 total yards offense, Saturday Georgia Tech was held to a season-low 296.
Saturday’s homecoming win was due in large part to several critical fourth-quarter stands. Trailing by three with less than seven minutes to play, the Jackets faced third-and-14 at their 38-yard line. Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington, who earlier in the game broke a similar play for a 23 yard run, was stopped at the line of scrimmage by Virginia junior linebacker Steve Greer for no gain, forcing a punt.
Virginia’s offense scored all 24 points in the first half, but despite being blanked in the final two quarters used a strong running game in the final half to keep the Georgia Tech offense on the sideline. Jones, who had a season-high 149 yards, said the offense prepared thoroughly for the Yellow Jackets 3-4 defensive scheme, which was led by former UVa. coach Al Groh.
“We studied films, we had a good idea of what their defensive line was going to do,” said Jones, who led a Cavalier rushing attack that carved up Groh’s 3-4 scheme for 272 yards.
But even after surrendering a season-high in rushing, Georgia Tech trailed only 24-21 and had a chance to survive and win when their defense took the field for the final time with just under six minutes left. Tech’s job was to simply stop Virginia, force a punt and get the ball back. Instead, Tech’s offense never saw the field again. Virginia marched from its own 23 to Georgia Tech’s 6 in a game-winning and possibly season-defining drive that ended with quarterback Michael Rocco taking two knees as time expired. The drive, which did not end with a score, lasted 13 plays – 11 of which were runs.
Asked afterwards if he thought his team’s defensive struggles were a scheme issue or primarily a problem with execution, Tech head coach Paul Johnson said, “That was something you’ll have to ask Al about.” For the thousands of jubilant Virginia fans that cascaded from the hill and stands, the question need not be asked. The scoreboard said it all.
Virginia, now 1-1 in conference play and 4-2 overall, will host North Carolina State next Saturday.
Story by Scott German
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