RALEIGH, N.C. --- In what Al Groh called "one of the best games in the history" of the ACC, fans on both sides saw exactly what they expected to see.All the hype leading up to the game was "Schaub vs. Rivers" in a showdown between the two best quarterbacks in the league.
Unlike most games hyped from a certain angle, NC State and Virginia lived up to everyone's high expectations.
The two teams combined for 88 points, over 800 passing yards and a completion percentage of 78 between the two quarterbacks -- a showdown doesn't get much better than that.
Inevitably two questions arise: "Who is the better quarterback?" and "why did Virginia lose?" The answers are not necessarily related.
First, Rivers is the better quarterback. He has an incredibly quick release, he makes great decisions with the ball and he comes through in the clutch. That said, Rivers did not outplay Schaub, and subsequently he was not the sole reason the Wolfpack won.
Second, the Virginia defense gave up too many big plays in a big game, keeping them from winning.
Schaub and the Virginia play-calling were great in helping Virginia score on all six red-zone possessions, but NC State only had two red-zone possessions (yes, they scored on both of those as well).
The statistic shows how the Wolfpack scored four offensive touchdowns on big plays -- a 34-yard pass to Chris Hawkins, a 33-yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery, a 75-yard pass to T.J. Williams and a 38-yard run by T.A. McLendon.
"That's our whole defensive scheme: Not to give up the big play," Virginia cornerback Almondo "Muffin" Curry said. The goal is "to make the offensive team drive the length of the field and make him throw the little, short passes. Hopefully we'll get a play or turnover, but our goal is to not let him throw the ball deep and score touchdowns."
Unfortunately that's just what happened.
Rivers averaged almost 15 yards per completion and 36.3 yards on his touchdown passes.
For a defense designed not to give up the big play, the Cavaliers have given up too many big plays in all three of their ACC losses. Cotchery's 75-yard touchdown catch was reminiscent of when Florida State scored a 73-yard touchdown early in the game that would be determined by only five points. The back-breaking play Saturday was McLendon's 38-yard run for the game-winning touchdown, which was eerily similar to a couple of late-game rushes in the Clemson loss.
As long as the Virginia defense continues to give up the big play both on the ground and in the air, the Cavaliers will continue to lose big games such as this one.
The secondary was plagued in part by NC State's deep crossing route. With sophomore safety Jay Dorsey playing limited time after undergoing hand surgery two weeks ago, the burden of the deep pass defense fell on junior Jermaine Hardy and senior Jamaine Winborne. Hardy made the move from corner to safety in the offseason, and Winborne made the same switch just two weeks ago. Though talented athletes, the pair have not yet combined to play a single season at safety, and their miscues clearly hurt Virginia.
It is times like these that make Virginia fans miss the great safety play of graduated players. Jerton Evans last year always was around the ball, making stops and helping to prevent the big play. Keith Lyle helped anchor a secondary in the early 90s, and the greatest safety in ACC history, Anthony Poindexter, was hailed in the same way Oklahoma's Roy Williams was -- a projected top-10 -- pick until he suffered a career-altering knee injury.
Who will step up to be the next linchpin of the secondary, and who will stop the big play doing their part to help Virginia win the big game? The Cavaliers will have to continue to search for an answer to that question.
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