Cavaliers Reclaim the Cup, 35-21

In the annual battle for the Commonwealth Cup, Virginia was led by a group of seniors in their last Scott Stadium appearance and two big-time sophomores, as they beat Virginia Tech, 35-21, for the first time in four years. Running back Wali Lundy scored a career high four touchdowns Saturday afternoon, and Heath Miller caught 13 passes for 145, yards leading an effort that brought the Cup back to Charlottesville.

“I hadn’t seen what it looked like,” sophomore Alvin Pearman said after the game. “I had to go up and kiss it when we got into the locker room. It really is a great feeling. I know the seniors wanted this one badly.”

One of those seniors was quarterback Matt Schaub, who completed 32 of 46 passes for 358 yards and two touchdowns, a year after he could only manage 43 yards through the air against the Hokies in Blacksburg. It was also a record-setting day for Schaub, as his two touchdown passes tied him with Shawn Moore for the most touchdowns thrown at Virginia, with 55. It was one of the last Virginia passing records that Schaub had yet to break or share.

“It was a big day for all of us,” he said following the game. “We knew that we would have to execute and play well if we were going to win, and that’s what we were able to do. It’s exciting for all of the seniors, because we haven’t been able to beat these guys in four years.”

It was Schaub who helped put the game away in the final minutes, as he found Miller wide open in the flat on a fake field goal with just over five minutes left in the quarter and Virginia up 28-21. The fake came on fourth and 7, extending the Cavaliers’ drive and allowing Virginia to run down the clock. Instead of ticking off more time from the clock, however, Lundy ran in his fourth touchdown of the day on the next play to put the Cavaliers up 14 points, all but sealing the Hokies’ fate. An interception by another senior, Muffin Curry, on the next drive put the game away for good.

“If I want these guys to have confidence in themselves, I have to have confidence in them,” head coach Al Groh said of his aggressive playcalling in the second half. “We went out to be very aggressive in the second half.”

With Virginia Tech leading 14-7 at halftime, Virginia made their move in a third quarter that began with a bang when their offense took the field. After the Cavalier defense shut the Hokies down on offense coming out of the half, Schaub hooked up with fellow senior Art Thomas for a 49-yard passing play that opened up the offense during the second half. Facing a fourth and goal from the one-yard line later in the drive, Groh showed his aggressiveness, calling a wide receiver screen for Lundy, who promptly made his way into the end zone behind two blockers.

After a Tony Franklin interception stopped a Hokies drive, Schaub took the team on his back to midfield, before he found Pearman streaking down the sideline on a wheel route that gave the Cavaliers a 21-14 lead, which they would never relinquish. It was a drive that almost didn’t happen, as the Hokies appeared to stop Virginia on a three and out.

On Tom Hagan’s ensuing punt attempt, Eric Green made his way into the backfield, blocked the punt, and scooped it up for a touchdown and the apparent tying score. Fortunately for Groh and his Cavaliers, Vincent Fuller was offsides on the other side of the line, giving the Cavs a second life, and setting up Pearman’s touchdown catch.

“It was a big play that we knew could work,” Pearman said after the game. “We had run it a few times this season, and most of the time it was open. It was a perfect throw from Matt, and I was just able to get down the sideline and into the end zone.”

When the Cavalier defense forced Virginia Tech to punt on their next possession, Schaub led his team down to the Hokie one-yard line once again, setting up yet another fourth and one decision on the first play of the fourth quarter. As Groh said in the postgame press conference, he chose to be aggressive, giving the ball to Lundy, who pushed the ball into the end zone, giving the Cavaliers a two-touchdown lead.

Kevin Jones, who was held to only 75 yards on Saturday, scored from one yard out on the next Hokie possession, setting up Virginia’s pivotal possession, in which they would attempt and succeed on the fake field goal. For Schaub and company, it was important to be more aggressive in the second half.

“We came out and made some big plays to open up the game after halftime,” Schaub said. “We were able to spread the ball around and come up with some big plays when the game was on the line.”

The Cavaliers got off to a great start as well, as Lundy, who finished the game with 92 yards on 24 carries, scored his first touchdown from one yard out to give Virginia a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. It was all Virginia Tech for the rest of the first half, as Jones ran it in from one yard out and Bryan Randall connected with Mike Imoh for a 43-yard score to give the Hokies a 14-7 advantage going into halftime.

When the game was over, however, it was all Virginia, as every one of the senior starters contributed to bring the Commonwealth Cup back to Charlottesville. With the locker room becoming extremely emotional after the game, Coach Groh said it was a win that all of his players would not soon forget.

“This was very important for these kids,” Groh said to reporters after the game. “To see the emotion involved with them, and camaraderie, feeling that they accomplished something; this is what team sports is all about. But we’ve got one more to play in and we plan to win.”