In a recreation by which it appeared that each groups’ offenses had been decided to keep away from scoring touchdowns, the Cavaliers proved to be unwavering of their resistance to the top zone to the bitter finish. Lastly, Miami quarterback Jake Garcia dove throughout the purpose line to present the Hurricanes a 14-12 victory over Virginia, in the end bringing a horrendous soccer recreation to an finish after 4 overtimes. 

It is not the loss itself that can harm the Cavaliers wanting again on this recreation – they’ve misplaced 5 video games this season – however fairly the way by which they misplaced that can hang-out the Hoos for a very long time. Because of a fabulous efficiency from the UVA protection, the helpless Virginia offense had alternative after alternative to win the sport. 

And time and time once more, these alternatives had been missed because the Cavaliers suffered one in all their extra irritating losses in current reminiscence. 

It began from Virginia’s first offensive play from scrimmage. UVA had compelled Miami to punt on its first drive, starting a sequence of wins for the Cavalier defensive unit which fielded maybe its strongest efficiency of the season. Dontayvion Wicks labored himself vast open down the sphere on a put up route. With no defender inside 5 yards of Wicks, Brennan Armstrong unleashed his throw and the ball hit the bottom 10 yards in entrance of his meant goal. What ought to have been a straightforward completion that may have undoubtedly gone for a landing as a substitute was the primary missed alternative of the sport. 

Virginia went on to punt on every of its 5 drives within the first half, three of which had been three-and-outs. In fact, the UVA protection did its job, holding the Canes and backup quarterback Jake Garcia, in for injured starter Tyler Van Dyke, at bay. Miami managed to get in subject purpose vary simply earlier than halftime and Andres Borregales knocked via a 38-yard subject purpose as time expired to present the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead. 

UVA’s first drive of the second half seemed just like every of the crew’s drives within the first, with the Cavaliers going backwards on first and second all the way down to make it third and 15 from their very own 20-yard line. Two performs later, the Hoos in some way discovered themselves with a primary and purpose on the Miami 3-yard line after a few performs that confirmed that the explosive UVA offense that broke data in 2021 continues to be in there someplace, simply itching to get out. Armstrong focused Keytaon Thompson over the center of the sphere and Thompson made a leaping catch for 30 yards to maneuver the chains. 

On the subsequent play, UVA went deep once more and this time it was Lavel Davis Jr. who had freed himself behind the Miami secondary and was streaking in direction of the left nook of the top zone. Within the postgame press convention, Brennan Armstrong instructed reporters that he knew Davis was going to be open on the play based mostly on what the Miami protection was exhibiting him. Remembering his overthrow on the missed landing go to Wicks on the primary play, Armstrong simply needed to ensure he threw a catchable ball to Davis. His go was barely underthrown, forcing Davis to sluggish up and switch his physique round to make the catch contained in the 10-yard line. Nonetheless, Davis might and may have been capable of preserve his toes and get throughout the purpose line. As an alternative, the Miami safeties caught as much as Davis and introduced him down on the 3-yard line. 

Frustrations that Davis didn’t get into the top zone on that play might have been rapidly abated had the Cavaliers been capable of punch within the landing from the three. As an alternative, these explosive performs had been adopted by three puzzling play calls as Virginia as soon as once more confirmed pure ineptitude in terms of executing within the purple zone. Armstrong pitched the ball forward to Keytaon Thompson, however Miami blew the play up instantly and Thompson backtracked to attempt to get away from the tacklers and ended up shedding seven yards. That play was adopted by two Armstrong scrambles because the UVA offensive line gave him no time to survey the sphere earlier than dodging a number of Miami go rushers. The primary scramble picked up only one yard and the second went for no achieve and Armstrong harm his ankle on the play as nicely. He would find yourself returning to the sport, however the Cavaliers needed to accept chip shot subject purpose from Will Bettridge to tie the sport. 

On UVA’s subsequent possession, Armstrong threw a brief go to Mike Hollins within the flat on third and 9. Hollins made a person miss after which picked up couple of good blocks from Keytaon Thompson and Grant Misch. Hollins was free down the left sideline with a pair of Miami defenders closing, however not close to sufficient to catch him. As he neared the top zone, Hollins took a powerful step along with his left foot to dive in direction of the pylon. The Miami defenders didn’t drive him out of bounds as he leapt into the top zone, however that left foot stepped on the boundary on the 3-yard line. As an alternative of a 67-yard landing catch and run, Mike Hollins needed to accept a 64-yard catch-and-run. And once more, just like the Davis catch, that play would bear no disappointment if it had solely led to a Cavalier landing. 

A Miami penalty moved the Cavaliers half the space to the purpose, however that did not do them any favors. Armstrong handed off to Xavier Brown, who was tackled instantly for a lack of one yard. On second down, Armstrong pitched a shovel go to Thompson, who received that one yard again however no extra. On third and purpose from the 1, UVA tried to get difficult as Armstrong pitched the ball to Keytaon Thompson and the previous Mississippi State quarterback tried to search out Grant Misch at the back of the top zone. It was a well-designed play and Misch was open, however Thompson’s lofted go had an excessive amount of hangtime and Miami was capable of deflect it to drive the incompletion. The 4th down play was essentially the most excruciating play of the sport. The offensive line gave Armstrong time to throw and he discovered a large open Grant Misch on the entrance of the top zone. The go hit Misch within the fingers and he dropped it. Say what you’ll about Tony Elliott, Des Kitchings, and their new offensive system, however they can not catch the ball for the gamers. If Misch hauls that one in, Virginia wins the sport and the sky is not falling on the UVA soccer program. 

Twice Virginia had first and purpose contained in the 5-yard line and the Cavaliers received simply three factors out of it. For the entire struggles of the UVA offense, had both of these alternatives resulted in a landing, we merely aren’t having this dialog proper now. 

On Virginia’s subsequent drive, there was one other promising scoring likelihood as an 18-yard scramble from Armstrong, a juggling catch from Billy Kemp IV, and a 13-yard run from Perris Jones moved the Cavaliers into the purple zone as soon as once more. Armstrong focused Davis on a slant, however Miami broke the go up. On the subsequent play, Armstrong saved the ball on a designed run and darted ahead for 8 yards to the Miami 4-yard line. Perris Jones received the stick with it third and a couple of, however was introduced down for a lack of two yards. Virginia settled for one more Will Bettridge subject purpose and he knocked it via to present UVA a 6-3 lead. 

Miami tied the sport on a Borregales subject purpose as time expired, which meant the UVA offense would have much more probabilities to redeem itself. On 4 of the six performs Virginia ran within the first two time beyond regulation intervals, Armstrong saved the ball on scrambles, designed QB runs, or sacks. Regardless of the case – the performs had been largely ineffective and Virginia received a pair of 41-yard subject targets from Bettridge, who was the offensive MVP, going 4/4 on his subject targets after a disappointing efficiency at Georgia Tech final week. 

Because of the UVA protection, which additionally held Miami to 2 subject targets, the sport went to a 3rd time beyond regulation, at which level the groups alternate two-point makes an attempt per a rule change in 2021. Antonio Clary intercepted Garcia ultimately zone in Miami’s half of the third time beyond regulation, giving Virginia one play to win the sport. A false begin backed the Cavaliers up 5 yards after which Armstrong threw a fade to Wicks, who received his fingers on the ball however could not possess it to the bottom. That is a play that Wicks and Armstrong related on a number of instances final season, however can not seem to get working in 2022. 

Virginia additionally failed within the high half of the 4th time beyond regulation, as Armstrong was compelled out of the pocket and lofted a go to Lavel Davis Jr., who made the catch, however was out of bounds out of the again of the top zone. Lastly, the Virginia protection faltered and Garcia was capable of scramble on a bootleg earlier than diving for the pylon to win the sport. 

The complete recreation was a missed alternative, as Virginia failed to choose up a really achievable win towards a dramatically underperforming Miami crew that could not do something offensively towards UVA’s smothering defensive effort. Virginia gave up simply 272 complete yards to the Canes and didn’t give up a landing for the second week in a row. UVA compelled eight Miami punts and yielded simply two subject targets in regulation. It merely by no means ought to have come all the way down to time beyond regulation with how dominant the Virginia defensive unit was on this recreation. 

The UVA protection might be examined by a high-powered North Carolina offense subsequent week, however regardless of how nicely John Rudzinski’s group performs, the Cavaliers haven’t any likelihood to win subsequent Saturday or on any Saturday for the remainder of the season if they can not discover the top zone on offense. 

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