|
Wake Forest's Marshall Williams (8) beats the coverage |
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE--
Five of the six teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division have two league losses.That's why despite Virginia's 24-17 overtime loss to Miami last Saturday, the Cavaliers are still very much alive in the race for the division title and a trip to the conference championship game Dec. 6 in Tampa, Fla.
The Cavaliers (5-4, 3-2 ACC) could help themselves in a big way today when they visit Atlantic Division foe Wake Forest (5-3, 3-2). Virginia has just two games remaining after today.
"There's a lot of teams in the same situation we're in," Virginia senior linebacker Clint Sintim said. "A lot of teams are in the hunt and trying to win their next game. We have an opportunity to win this game against Wake, and after that we'll see where it goes."
Sintim and his teammates are dialed in to the division race.
On Tuesday, he said he would actively root for Maryland against Coastal rival Virginia Tech, but the Hokies held on for a 23-13 victory on Thursday to improve to 3-2 in the ACC.
Cavaliers head coach Al Groh prefers not to watch the standings. He said he hasn't mentioned the race to his players since the preseason.
Groh said the Cavaliers need to "keep a lot of the focus on the process and not the outcome."
"Then we'll see what it all adds up to," the coach added.
So far the Cavaliers' season has added up to one wild roller-coaster ride.
They started out 1-3 before winning four straight and briefly gaining first place in the Coastal standings. That was lost in last week's setback to the Hurricanes.
Virginia players admitted the loss hasn't been an easy one to forget, The Cavaliers held a 17-10 lead from the second quarter until there were 55 seconds left in regulation.
They failed to make a key play to seal the win.
"Obviously that was a very disappointing result, very frustrating," Virginia sophomore quarterback Marc Verica said. "But that's the way it happens sometimes. We've won plenty of games here over the past couple of years the way [Miami] did."
One such game was the Cavaliers' 17-16 victory over Wake Forest last season.
The contest ended when Wake's all-ACC kicker, Sam Swank, missed a 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
The Deacons remember that contest and don't want a repeat performance.
"It felt like we left some opportunities out there," Wake senior wide receiver Chip Brinkman said. "I think it's a good chance to play them again."
The Deacons also missed some opportunities in two of their past three contests. They beat Duke 33-30 in overtime last week, but that came after back-to-back losses to Maryland and Miami that junior defensive tackle Boo Robinson called "demoralizing."
To rebound, the Deacons turned to standout junior quarterback Riley Skinner, who threw for 232 yards and a touchdown against Duke.
Skinner leads the ACC in passing yards per game (197.0) and total offense (212.2 yards per game).
He's thrown just four interceptions, to help the Deacons lead the ACC in turnover margin (plus-1.38).
"He's a very effective quarterback," Sintim said. "He fits into that system very well."
Injury report
Swank (quadriceps) is doubtful for today's game. Replacement Shane Popham is 6-of-11 on the season.
Virginia starting cornerback Vic Hall (shoulder) is questionable.
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com
VIRGINIA (5-4) at |
