The evolution of the Virginia football program under coach Bronco Mendenhall continued this weekend with Virginia’s 16-13 victory over the 16th-ranked Miami Hurricanes. Virginia has buried a lot of issues over the last two seasons. Finally winning a road game in the Atlantic Coast Conference, having a non-losing regular season, getting to a bowl game for the first time since 2011 and this week, beating a ranked opponent for the first time since 2014.

Three things stood out to me in this victory.

After pounding this group all season in the grades, special teams finally served as a difference maker in a UVA football game. The kickoff return unit was solid and Virginia executed another onside kick defense and returned the ball deep into Miami territory to put the game away. Though the numbers weren’t spectacular, I thought the efforts on punt returns were improved and punt coverage notably improved with two downed punts inside the Canes’ 20-yard line (more on this in Special Teams – Quick Takes & Notes).

Second, an element that is always evident in championship teams, the Hoos displayed an ability to win when they did not play their best. If anyone had told me Virginia would score 16 points, commit three turnovers, throw for 92 yards and go 3 for 10 on third downs against Miami, I would have said the Hoos lost. But they did play that poorly and won. Championship teams need to learn to win when they don’t play well. Pitchers must learn to grind it out when they don’t have their best stuff. Virginia did not have its best stuff Saturday night; but they won. And their struggles came against a good Miami football team. That would not have happened between 2012 and 2017.

...