Last week the Yankees won, Kerry and Bush debated and the Donald fired someone again, but what really shook the University was the Virginia football team's loss to Florida State.
"I'm very disappointed," first-year College student Chris Holby said. "I thought we were better than that."
Holby's feelings about the game were echoed by many students.
"I watched [the game] till the end, and then I had to turn it off," second-year College student Alexandria Jatras said. "It broke my heart."
Fourth-year College student Sean Homan said he took a different approach.
"I didn't watch it until the end," Homan said. "I watched enough of it though. It was just so demoralizing."
Several students said high expectations for success made the loss more unbearable.
"We were probably projected higher than we should have been," Holby said. "We had a false hope."
Homan agreed with Holby that the commentary beforehand drove hopes and expectations very high.
"We just had high hopes," Homan said. "All the experts said that we had a very high chance of winning, and, even if it was a loss, it would be very close. The result was very different of course."
Jatras was one of many fans who expected the loss -- if it had to happen -- to be on a much smaller scale than the actual 36-3 loss.
"The score was dreadful," she said. "In the beginning I expected us to win, and, even after we fell behind, I expected us to narrow the gap."
Holby also commented on the Cavaliers' lone field goal.
"Three points is just about the ugliest score you can get," he said. "I'd almost have a zero over three. Three just looks pathetic."
Some students said they thought the fact that the game took place in Florida had a big impact on the results.
"I think FSU was pissed off that we jumped over them in the rankings," first-year College student David Golden said. "It is the toughest place to play -- they are like the bullies of the ACC. The tough environment and strong players just didn't work out for us."
Agreeing with Golden, Homan pointed out the differences between the University's and FSU's football traditions.
"They have such an established and prestigious football program," he said. "We are still getting used to having a good team -- we are not as rowdy. They are a different breed down there."
Despite the devastating loss, the students said they are hopeful about the rest of the football season.
"I can see us finishing and making it to a New Year's bowl with two losses -- this and Miami," Homan said.
Miami indeed poses a threat to the ACC championship hopes for the Cavaliers, according to students.
"We will definitely do well over Duke and Maryland, but Miami will be a different story," Holby said. "But we have been brought down to earth now; we know where we are, and we know what it takes."
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