CHARLOTTESVILLE – Virginia appeared to take a massive step forward two weeks ago when it upset then-No. 10 North Carolina in Chapel Hill. And it looked like an improved, though still error-prone, team a week later in an overtime loss at Miami.
Two steps forward, one giant stumble back.
“We got what we earned today,” Virginia coach Tony Elliott said.
There was no silver lining in UVa’s 45-17 home loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday, just a thick, grimy film on a game that many viewed as the Cavaliers’ last realistic hope for a victory down the stretch.
Instead, the defense found itself gashed over and over up the middle as the Jackets ran for 305 yards, the most Virginia has allowed this season, and five scores. The Cavaliers (2-7, 1-4 ACC) were repeatedly caught on third down in pass defense calls, and the Yellow Jackets hit them with runs that sprung for big gains.
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“They got after my tail here today,” UVa defensive coordinator John Rudzinski said. “I’ll be the first one to say I take full responsibility for our performance. I got to do a better job as far as putting our guys in position.”
The offensive line, the team’s most-improved unit in recent weeks, couldn’t block in the run or pass. Freshman quarterback Anthony Colandrea, forced back into action after starter Tony Muskett suffered a right ankle injury on the first drive, showed the rust of his limited game action and practice time with the first team.
Colandrea, getting nearly zero protection, lost a fumble, threw an interception, had a second interception wiped out by a penalty, and was sacked twice.
“I’ve been preparing every week as if I’m a starter,” Colandrea said. “Nothing has changed.”
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Muskett went out very on brand, playing tough but ineffectively. He stood in and took a big shot as he throw a 50-50 pass deep down the field, that Georgia Tech (5-4, 4-2) ended up intercepting, though it appeared Virginia wide receiver Malachi Fields and Yellow Jackets cornerback Myles Sims came down together with joint possession of the ball.
That was the first of many plays Virginia simply failed to make Saturday. It trailed 24-10 at the half and 31-10 after three periods.
While hype videos played on the scoreboard at the end of the third quarter, fans filtered out of the stadium to the parking lots.
The good energy that surrounded this team after wins over William & Mary and UNC and even the close loss at Miami felt like it disappeared Saturday afternoon, leaving the Cavaliers – along with many of the fans – well before the game was officially over.
Now, the question is, can Virginia get its positive momentum back?
“That’s just part of growing up,” safety Jonas Sanker said. “This isn’t high school football anymore. You didn’t do your job. You got to go correct it.”
Virginia’s last ACC win came last season against the Jackets in Atlanta. Its last ACC home win came over Georgia Tech in 2021. When might its next one come? After playing at Louisville on Thursday night, Virginia finishes with home games against Duke and then rival Virginia Tech.
The Cavaliers figure to be underdogs in all three of those games, a distinction they more than earned with Saturday’s lackluster performance.
“We are going to go back to understanding what generated the success that we had,” Elliott said. “I reminded the guys today in the locker room that what success we had was a function of the things that we did right in preparation. We have to learn from this situation. What we’re not doing is we’re not scrapping what we’re doing. We’re owning this one, taking accountability for it, we’re going to correct the mistakes and we’re going to continue to move forward. It’s a part of the growth process.”
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