Pass defense still suspect: The UVA D gave up just 150 yards to Syracuse in the 44-38 three-overtime win on Saturday, but the Orange passing game still had a very efficient day.
Quarterback Eric Dungey was 16-for-22 passing with two touchdown passes and a 160.0 passer rating.
That actually represented a slight improvement for the UVA pass defense, which had come into the game ranked 14th and dead last in the ACC in pass-efficiency defense, allowing opposing quarterbacks to post a collective 161.9 passer rating.
For context on what that means, Syracuse is 13th in the conference with a 141.1 opponent passer rating, and Miami is 12th with a 122.7 opponent passer rating.
Yikes, indeed.
‘Cuse QB gashes Virginia on the ground: Dungey also did a fair amount of damage to Virginia with his feet, gaining 85 yards on 18 rushes, totals that included 13 yards lost on two sacks.
Dungey’s runs included gains of 28, 15, 13, 26 and 14.
UVA run game shows continued improvement: A week after gaining 139 yards on 31 carries in a 26-19 loss to Pitt, Virginia put up 159 yards on the ground on 44 carries in the win over Syracuse.
Fifty-four of those yards came in the overtime periods.
It is telling that the last two drives, both ending in touchdowns, in the overtime periods came entirely on the ground.
Not sure that confidence in the run game would have been there even a couple of weeks ago.
Big play breakdown: Virginia gained 249 yards of offense on 17 big plays (defined as runs of eight yards or more, and passes of 10 yards or more).
Syracuse had 241 yards on 15 big plays.
Virginia’s other 64 offensive plays gained 144 yards. Syracuse’s other 50 offensive plays gained 93 yards.
Attendance: The official attendance for Saturday’s homecoming game was 39,223.
UVA is averaging 45,433 fans per game through four home games in 2015.
Capacity at Scott Stadium is 61,500.
– Compiled by Chris Graham
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