There was no holiday hangover for Virginia this time around.
In 2004, the Cavaliers traveled to Boise, Idaho for the MPC Computers Bowl and lost to Fresno State 37-34 in overtime only three days after Christmas. This year, however, Virginia beat Minnesota 34-31 in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl two days before welcoming in the New Year to finish the 2005 season with a 7-5 record.
Senior place kicker Connor Hughes, who is Virginia's all-time leading scorer with 332 points and is tied for fourth in ACC history with 66 field goals, nailed a 39-yard field goal with 1:08 left in the game to propel the Cavaliers over the Gophers.
"We're very pleased with the result," Virginia coach Al Groh said. "It was all done by the fellas -- they did a great job, and I thought they showed great heart. Throughout the course of this preparation, there were a few things that could have been distracting to some teams, but we started this year preaching the power of team, and we relied upon that during our preparation and over the course of the game."
The "distractions" Groh referred to were the departures of four of Virginia's assistant coaches in between Virginia's final regular season game at Miami and the Music City Bowl.
Associate head coach and outside linebackers coach Danny Rocco was the first to go, leaving to become the head coach at Liberty University. Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Ron Prince followed shortly thereafter, becoming the head coach at Kansas State. Defensive coordinator Al Golden took over the head coaching position at Temple University. Inside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Mark D'Onofrio followed Golden to Temple, where he will act as the defensive coordinator.
To take their places, Groh has since hired Bob Diaco of Western Michigan as the linebackers and special teams coach and has rehired Mike London. London, who spent 2005 as the defensive line coach of the NFL's Houston Texans, worked under Groh as Virginia's defensive line coach from 2001 to 2004. He is the new defensive coordinator.
Several Cavaliers set personal, Virginia and ACC records during the game. Quarterback Marques Hagans had the best passing game of his career, throwing for 358 yards and two touchdowns. Hagans' previous high had been 306 yards in the 26-21 win over then-No.4 Florida State earlier this season.
"The other thing that we had emphasized all week long was that it was everybody's job in this game to find a way to win," Groh said. "A lot of players had to step up individually and do that. Obviously the heart and the energy
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