To say that Virginia’s 17-16 OT win over North Carolina on Saturday “wasn’t pretty” makes me think of the adage that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
There are these facts to consider: Virginia was held to a season-low in points, blanked in second-half regulation.
The Cavaliers were also limited to a season-low 59 yards of rushing.
Quarterback Chandler Morris struggled mightily, completing only 20 of 35 passes (a season-low), and his quarterback rating was a season-low of 108.8
Morris was also sacked so many times (six) that he was lucky even to be standing for overtime play.
Overall, it was not the best afternoon for the Cavaliers on Tobacco Road.
ICYMI
- ‘Hoos 17, UNC 16: Not sure how, but #16 UVA wins, again, in OT, again
- Team of destiny? #16 UVA wins another by the skin of its teeth
- Bill Belichick on the decision to go for two: ‘Trying to win the game’
Yet, despite misstep after misstep, Virginia did what they have been doing all season: win, somehow, someway.
Winning ugly can be beautiful.
“I told these guys, we’ve been here before,” said Virginia coach Tony Elliott. “Unfortunately, this is what we do.”
Uh, I might add, coach, your team does it well.
UVA became only the second ACC team to win three overtime games in the same season (Virginia Tech, 2012)
And we still have November for more thrills.
Virginia (7-1, 4-0 ACC) is riding a six-game winning streak.
With some losses of teams ranked slightly above them (16th), the Cavaliers will be inching closer to a Top 10 ranking this week.
We can fret over the Cavaliers’ offensive engine sputtering later; for now it’s time to enjoy what is shaping up to be a spectacular football season in Charlottesville.
Is money part of the fix, or simply the fix?
It’s no secret that the infusion of money into the UVA Football program drastically raised the program’s talent level over the offseason.
However, winning close games can’t simply be chalked up to better talent.
Or can it?
ICYMI
During Elliott’s tenure as head coach, Virginia has had more than its share of close losses.
In 2023, UVA finished 3-9. A close look at those nine losses reveals that four of them were by three points or fewer. Another loss, to #11 Louisville, was by seven, 31-24, with Louisville scoring late for the win.
This season, with a team payroll reportedly north of $30 million, the Cavaliers are finding ways to turn close losses into wins.
Coincidence, or just luck?
Likely not.
Yesterday in Chapel Hill, Virginia’s offense misfired all game long.
In years past, the Cavaliers would have been fortunate to escape with only a close loss, but Saturday was different.
With a roster loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, Virginia beat Carolina by playing complementary football.
Simply put: the UVA defense bailed out the offense.
“At the end of the day, we’re finding ways to win,” Elliott said.
Defensive end Mitchell Melton, a portal pickup from Ohio State, broke up two passes, the second of which he also picked off, and was credited with two quarterback hurries.
Melton coming over from Ohio State didn’t come cheap.
“Regardless of what’s happening on the offensive side, whatever the case may be, we know that if we have their back, they’re going to have ours,” said Melton.
Complimentary football.
The ACC regular-season race is?
And then there were two.
With SMU’s loss to a suddenly resurgent Wake Forest, Virginia shares first place in the league with the only other unbeaten team, Georgia Tech.
Translation: only the Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets are in control of their own fates.
Win out and both qualify for the ACC Championship Game.
But if both slip, there are plenty of programs breathing down their necks to replace them.
Here’s a look at the Top 6 in the ACC heading into November.
- Georgia Tech 8-0, 5-0 ACC
- Virginia 7-1, 4-0 ACC
- Pitt 6-2, 4-1 ACC
- Louisville 6-1, 3-1 ACC
- SMU 5-3, 3-1 ACC
- Duke 4-3, 3-1 ACC
- Miami 6-1, 2-1 ACC
Of teams below them in the standings, Georgia Tech hosts Pitt, while Virginia will face Duke in Durham.
Six of the ACC’s teams have played at least half of their eight league games, while Miami and UNC have played just three.
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