What happened to the running game? UVA had averaged 187.8 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry in its past four games, but the game plan on Saturday called for the Cavs to attack through the air more.
Virginia threw the ball 42 times, and quarterback Matt Johns was credited with five rushes, including sacks and scrambles.
All told, then, the pass/run ratio was 47/27.
The ‘Hoos ended up with 127 yards on the ground. On the 27 running plays they ran, they gained 4.4 yards per rush.
Miami, coming into the game, were 13th in the ACC against the run, giving up an average of 200.2 yards per game.
Why you decide to run the ball 27 times in a game with one of the worst run defenses in the country is a good question.
UVA pass defense gashed, again Brad Kaaya had a solid day for Miami, 20-for-26 passing for 286 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and a 187.0 passer rating.
The Virginia defense is the worst in the ACC against the pass, both in yards per game allowed and in terms of defensive pass efficiency.
The D didn’t record a sack on Saturday, and had just two quarterback hurries.
Darious Latimore did make a big play with a second-quarter interception that set up an Ian Frye field goal just before the half.
Big plays were once again the backbreaker. Eight of Kaaya’s 20 completions accounted for 230 of Miami’s passing yards.
Another big day for Smoke Tailback Taquan Mizzell had 91 yards on 18 carries and a team-high eight catches for 40 yards.
On the season, Mizzell, a junior, has 537 yards on 122 carries (4.4 yards per carry) and 539 yards on 54 catches (9.9 yards per catch).
Ian Frye, MVP Ian Frye kept Virginia in the game with his kicking, going 4-for-4 on field goals, including kicks of 48 and 47, his two longest makes of the year. After starting the season 3-for-6, Frye has made his last 11 field-goal attempts.
Good day for Conte Nicholas Conte had three of his five punts downed inside the 20, and averaged 41.0 yards per kick on the day.
The team with these stats lost Virginia ran 74 plays to Miami’s 59, had 24 first downs to Miami’s 18, and had a 6:18 advantage in time of possession. Both teams had one turnover, and Virginia had a modest 3-0 advantage in points off turnovers.
The team also with these stats lost Virginia had eight penalties for 80 yards; Miami, the ACC’s most-penalized team coming in, had seven penalties for 52 yards. Virginia was 4-of-13 on third downs; Miami was 8-of-13. Virginia gained 5.5 yards per play; Miami gained 7.3 yards per play.
Red zone Miami had two touchdowns and two field goals (with one missed field goal) in five red-zone trips (four points per red-zone possession); Virginia had a touchdown and two field goals on its three red-zone trips (4.3 points per red-zone possession).
-Compiled by Chris Graham
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