Do not book that winter break getaway with friends to Florida or the Caribbean just yet. While the odds are still against it, Virginia's win over N.C. State Saturday kept alive the slim chance that the Cavaliers will somehow pull out enough wins to spend late December eating potatoes in Boise while preparing for the MPC Computers Bowl.
As it had in its previous two games, Virginia continued to show improvement in its win over N.C. State.
The defense did exactly what it needed to do against the Wolfpack. Saturday, the Cavaliers limited N.C. State to a mere 70 yards on the ground and Evans was unable to do enough through the air to lead the Wolfpack to victory.
Because of its failure to establish the run, N.C. State faced numerous third-and-long situations on which it could not convert.
No single player or coach deserves all the credit for what was the defense's best overall performance against a solid offense this season. It was a total team effort. But there are a few players deserving of some kudos.
Junior defensive end Chris Long has made his presence known all season but has really started to rack up his statistics in recent games. Saturday, Long terrorized the Wolfpack's offensive line as he set the tone for Virginia's defense with two tackles for a loss, one sack, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry. With redshirt freshman Jeffrey Fitzgerald wreaking havoc on the other side, Virginia's defensive line has become a force to be reckoned with in the ACC.
It was also nice to see senior safety Tony Franklin pull in the big interception that ended N.C. State's final offensive drive and secured the win for Virginia. While Franklin, who almost was not part of the team this season because of off-the-field transgressions, has not piled up the stats that he has in the past, he still plays an enormously important role for this squad, especially in terms of leadership.
It was definitely not an overall stellar day for the offense but Jameel Sewell & Co. came through when it counted the most -- late in the fourth quarter after N.C. State tied the game 7-7. Rather than fold and just play for overtime, Sewell and the Cavaliers engineered an 80-yard drive that was capped off by a 17-yard Jason Snelling touchdown run.
A team with less mental fortitude might have crumbled when N.C. State tied the game up. The fact that the Cavaliers immediately responded with a prolonged scoring drive of their own shows that this team has truly embraced a "never give up" mantra.
The Cavaliers will need to maintain that mentality over the final three games of the regular season -- at Florida State, home against Miami and at Virginia Tech. To go to Boise or San Francisco for a bowl game in December, Virginia would have to win two of these final three games.
Despite its recent improvements, it still appears unlikely that Virginia will attain bowl-eligibility status. But crazier things have happened. No one knows how Florida State will respond after losing its fourth ACC game of the season to Maryland Saturday night. Miami looks vulnerable, especially on the road. And it is hard to get a read on whether Virginia Tech is the team that dominated Clemson Thursday night or the team that was embarrassed by Boston College two weeks earlier.
No matter what happens, Virginia will at least be able to look back at this season and see that it was not a total loss. Even if the Cavaliers do not reach a bowl game, the recent improvements bode well for next season.
So while there may be little chance that Virginia will win two of its last three games, there is still hope. And hope is part of what makes being a sports fan enjoyable.
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