Support MTC Media by subscribing. Follow MTC Media on X, IG, and Threads
Tony Elliott has spent two years building the Virginia Cavaliers program into his vision.
Elliott’s first two seasons have shown progress in the record (6-16), but Saturday’s 31-30 win at Wake Forest might have been the watershed game that signaled future success.
It didn’t start that way. The Demon Deacons’ all-everything running back, Demond Claiborne, came out carving up the Cavaliers’ defense. Virginia’s offense has shot itself in the foot with a dropped touchdown pass by Trell Harris, the failure to get a touchdown inside the five, and a bizarre interception by Anthony Colandrea. With 13:01 left in the second quarter, Virginia was down 17-3, and it looked very much like a “here we go again” game for Elliott.
After Wake’s touchdown, Virginia responded with an eight-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a Colandrea touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Neville. Colandrea put the ball high enough to get it over the defender’s head, and Neville made an athletic play to bring it down.
Wake would get down and get a field goal, but Virginia responded again. This time, Elliott showed some guts by going for it on fourth-and-one. On the play, Elliott trusted Colandrea to throw the ball. In the play after the conversion, Colandrea hit Neville, who was streaking down the middle for a touchdown.
After the Demon Deacons’ fast start, the Cavaliers responded and punched back, getting to within three by halftime.
The second half didn’t start in a way that made anyone think that the Cavaliers were about to stage a comeback.
On the first drive of the second half, Wake continued to pound Claiborne. The Demon Deacons took up almost half of the third quarter with a drive that ended with a touchdown. That was the stark opposite of Virginia’s first drive, which started positive and finished with a Colandrea interception.
The most critical moment of the half came after the interception. Wake quickly moved down the field and got into the red zone, where it looked like the Demon Deacons would cash in with a touchdown, but that’s where Virginia’s defense stood tough. On the first play, Wake inexplicably tried a trick play that the Cavaliers’ defense had smoked out. After a short run, the Cavaliers’ defense went zone, forcing an incompletion.
The fourth quarterback produced more twists and turns than the college football video game.
The quarter started with the Cavaliers getting a stop on defense. Virginia’s next drive got going with a third-down conversion. The Cavaliers were 2-10 on third-downs prior to that one. After a holding penalty made it 1st and 20, back-to-back wide receiver screens gave Virginia a first down. On the next play, Colandrea found a wide-open Harris for a touchdown. The play call was perfect because Harris was open because of the two previous plays.
Virginia’s defense stacked a stop after the score. After Wake had some success, the Cavaliers recorded their fifth sack of the night, setting up a 3rd and nine a fourth down. The Demon Deacons would go for it and convert it, but there were offsetting penalties. Wake would go for it again, but this time, the Cavaliers’ defense recorded their sixth sack of the game and forced a turnover on downs.
Virginia would have their own fourth down on the next possession, but unlike Wake, the Cavaliers would deliver on a Colandrea short pass. Once again, Virginia faced a fourth down. This time it was in the red zone. Malachi Fields made a beautiful catch at the two-yard line with a defender draped on him. Grady Brosterhous would finish the drive with a touchdown on the “Grady Bunch” package.
Virginia’s defense was a stop away from completing the comeback, and it came in exciting fashion. Wake’s Bachmeier had completed a pass to Taylor Morin. Morin would fumble the ball, but it initially looked like Donavan Greene would recover the ball, and Antonio Clary’s extra effort would pay off as he ripped the ball away from Greene. The Cavaliers would have to punt it away, but Daniel Sparks would have his best punt of the day, pinning Wake at its own five-yard line.
Notes:
* The top receivers on both teams had big days. Virginia’s Malachi Fields had 11 receptions for 148 yards. Wake’s Donavan Greene had 11 receptions for 166 yards.
* Last season, Virginia had 11 sacks. In today’s win, the Cavaliers had six sacks.
* Virginia was 3-3 on fourth downs
