UVA Football hosts longtime rival Maryland in Scott Stadium Saturday evening, for the first time since 2012.
The Cavaliers don’t want a repeat of how things began and ended that fall Saturday afternoon against the Terps.
Stefon Diggs, now a member of the Houston Texans, returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown before plenty of the announced crowd of 45,556 had settled in their seats.
The kickoff started a disastrous first quarter that put Virginia in a 17-point hole it was never unable to climb out of.
Backup quarterback Mike Rocco, coming on in relief of struggling Phillip Sims, rallied UVA from a 27-13 deficit.
Rocco promptly directed Virginia downfield on a 10-play, 81-yard drive.
Rocco found receiver Jake McGee for a 24-yard TD pass with just over four minutes left.
The Virginia defense forced Maryland into a three-and-out.
After a good punt return, the Cavaliers found themselves at midfield with 1:51 remaining.
Maryland’s defense rose to the occasion, as Rocco had four consecutive incompletions as the time expired.
After the Diggs’ kickoff return, Virginia’s first possession ended on a Sims interception.
Just a few plays later, Maryland scored on a 20-yard TD pass to make it 14-0.
The Terps later in the quarter added a 33-yard field goal making it 17-0.
Remember Sims?
The Alabama transfer, making his second start for the Cavaliers, suffered a brutal three quarters before getting pulled in favor of Rocco in the early moments of the fourth.
Sims had numerous passes knocked down at the line of scrimmage and lost a fumble on a sack at the UVA 15 in the fourth quarter.
The UVA defense held tough, as Maryland settled for a short field goal to go up 27-13.
The Rocco-led long touchdown drive got the Cavaliers close, but it was not enough as the Terrapins held on.
This Saturday evening will remind us of all the changes in college football since that Saturday in Charlottesville 12 years ago.
Saturday will mark the 80th all-time meeting between the Cavaliers and Terrapins.
Despite now being in different conferences, Virginia is still the Terps’ most played opponent in program history.
Maryland leads the series 45-35-2.
Last year when UVA traveled to College Park (losing 42-14), it was the first time the two teams had met since 2013, Maryland’s final season in the ACC.
The Terrapins took the Big 10 money grab in 2014 and have struggled on the field and at the gate since.
Judging by the scramble during the last few years of conference realignment, Maryland made the right choice.
Maryland Athletics was operating under a severe deficit, having sliced seven varsity sports after 2012.
The move was said to have been made to bolster the football program by bringing in elite competition.
The Terrapins were a charter member of the ACC, and leaving caused plenty of disgruntlement in the ACC headquarters in Greensboro, N.C.
Ten years later, the Terrapins have struggled in their new conference, in both basketball and football.
Moral to the story: the grass is not always greener on the other side.
The money, however?
That’s a different story.
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