Saturday's game against the Maryland Terrapins (4-2, 1-1 ACC) looked very similar to the weather throughout the day. The sun shone on Virginia in the first half to the tune of a 20-0 advantage. But as the sun began to set and the temperature dropped, so did the Cavaliers' lead.
Virginia (2-5, 1-2 ACC) was unable to hold the halftime lead as Maryland responded in the second half with 21 unanswered points en route to a 28-26 win.
"That was certainly very disappointing," coach Al Groh said after the game. "I feel bad for the players, who put so much into it for this week. I feel bad for the fans, who put so much into the game, who did a lot to lift the energy level of the team. It's tough for them as well as for the players."
The Cavaliers' defense was especially controlling in the first half as Maryland was only able to complete two out of six third-down conversions. But ultimately the final came down to mistakes on the part of Virginia, and Maryland's ability to capitalize on them.
The loss "hinged on two plays that made it very easy for them to get back in the game," Groh said.
Both were committed on special teams with the first occurring with 8:43 remaining in the third quarter. Junior wide receiver Emmanuel Byers fumbled his only punt return of the day, which was recovered by the Terrapins at Virginia's 1-yard line. It only took an easy jump over the line by tailback Lance Ball to record Maryland's first of four touchdowns of the game.
The second play occurred with 1:20 left in the third quarter, when junior punter Chris Gould botched a punt that netted only 16 yards and gave Maryland great field position at Virginia's 31-yard line. Two minutes and 10 seconds later, Terrapin quarterback Sam Hollenbach ran to the right for a three-yard touchdown, closing the gap to 20-14.
After giving up two more touchdowns, one a 56-yard run and the other occurring just two plays later off an interception, the Cavaliers had eight minutes remaining in the game and trailed 28-20. After making their way down the field from their own 32-yard line, the team found itself at Maryland's 15-yard line facing a 4th and 4 opportunity with 5:05 left. Instead of opting for a field goal, Virginia attempted the conversion with a lob by redshirt freshman quarterback Jameel Sewell over the shoulders of senior wide out Deyon Williams.
The incompletion forced Virginia's defense to step up, which they did by forcing a punt four plays later, giving the Cavaliers a final attempt to score.
Beginning the drive at Maryland's 44-yard line, Sewell wasted no time delivering a score. Sewell hooked up with sophomore wide receiver Kevin Ogletree for a touchdown, leaving the Cavaliers a successful two-point conversion away from tying the score. On the attempt, Sewell passed to Ogletree again, but the result was an incompletion and Maryland win.
Sewell, for at least the first half, appeared to be a complete Virginia quarterback. The Richmond native sparkled in the first half, leading a nine-play 80-yard drive that finished with a 36-yard touchdown run.
In the first half, "I was a lot more comfortable than I have [been] in the past few games," Sewell said.
He also threw for a career-high 243 yards (13 for 21), rushed for a career-high 92 yards on 10 carries and recorded three touchdowns.
Ogletree led the Cavaliers with three receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
Ultimately, though, the team was tripped up by "a few mental errors when it really counted," Sewell said.
Virginia has a short week this week, with North Carolina coming to town for a primetime showdown Thursday night at Scott Stadium.
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