Virginia came out here looking like a team expecting to win. Duke looked like a team that was prepared to take the win.
A slow, inefficient start sunk the Cavaliers in their 27-20 overtime loss to the Blue Devils.
It was the little things that sunk the Cavaliers. Duke converted three fourth downs in the first half. One via a penalty. One via a fake punt. And this the last was on a run up the middle. Duke was also 4-9 on third down.
The Cavaliers on the other hand missed a first half 45-yard field goal after Chandler Morris was sacked on third down.
Do the math. You could argue that Virginia was fortunate to only be down seven at halftime, but they didn’t look like a team that was ready to take the game back from Duke. They looked more like a team wondering why Duke was trying so hard.
It continued in the second half. Virginia got the ball first and drove to the Duke 2 and had to settle for a field goal. Instead of grabbing some momentum and a much-needed kick in the butt, the Cavaliers settled for a field goal. All that work and Virginia was still down 14-10.
The Blue Devils did what they did in key moments. Make a play. The Blue Devils marched down the field on their first possession and matched Virginia’s field goal.
Early in the fourth quarter, Virginia passed on a field goal and went for it on fourth down and failed to convert. Later there was a miscommunication between Morris and his receiver that caused an interception that led to Duke going up by 10.
Virginia fought back and scored the game-tying touchdown with 22 seconds remaining in regulation, but overtime wasn’t kind.
Duke scored a touchdown on the first possession but what made it worse was on the touchdown pass, the Cavaliers was guilty of roughing the passer. That was applied to the Cavaliers’ possession.
On the first play of overtime, Tony Elliott called a trick play and despite his receiver being double-covered, Morris threw it anyway. Duke interception. CFP dreams dashed.
So, what seemed to be the “perfect” season came to an end one game short of the College Football Playoff. The Cavaliers will be playing in a bowl game and with a win, it would put a bow on the season but there will always be that “what if”.
What if this team came out focused? What if this team didn’t make crucial mistakes on special teams in the first half?
What if a perfect season that was aided by a favorable conference schedule ended with a College Playoff berth?
We will never know.
