I don't see this UVA team as good as I thought I originally did. Wins over William & Mary and Illinois are hardly impressive, but are frankly more impressive than our wins over App State and the high school from Connecticut. Both teams are 2-2. Virginia is the more desperate Coastal team at 0-2 in the ACC with blowout losses to both UNC and Wake. Obviously, our blowout losses to Bama and Michigan State are well noted. IMO, Miami fans feel good about beating UVA, and UVA fans feel good about beating Miami.
We are 4-1 last 5, and 7-3 last 10, against UVA. We lead the all-time series 11-7. Remarkably, Manny is 2-0 against Bronco Mendenhall.
Offenses (FCS opponents are not counted)
Points Per Game:
Miami - 18.1 PPG (104th)
Virginia - 32.3 PPG (T-39th)
Yards Per Play:
Miami - 4.6 YPP (T-101st)
Virginia - 6.6 YPP (20th)
3rd Down Conversion %:
Virginia - 50.00% (T-17th)
Miami - 36.26% (73rd)
Defenses (FCS opponents are not counted)
Points Per Game:
Miami - 35.0 PPG (T-100th)
Virginia - 36.3 PPG (T-110th)
Yards Per Play:
Miami - 5.7 YPP (84th)
Virginia - 6.9 YPP (T-117th)
3rd Down Conversion %:
Miami - 47.87% (110th)
Virginia - 48.78% (112th)
Misc:
Turnover Margin:
Miami - -1.7 (121st)
Virginia - -1.0 (T-101st)
Penalties Per Game:
Miami - 7.7 PPG (105th)
Virginia - 9.3 PPG (123rd)
Strength of Schedule (To Date):
Miami - 6th
Virginia - 36th
Tonight's game is about 2 mediocre teams with 2 mediocre defenses playing in arguably the worst Division in College Football. Bronco Mendenhall has a losing record at Virginia (32-24), but improved the Cavaliers' win total every year for 4 straight years prior to Covid. He is also 131-77 as a head coach, has a winning Bowl Record, and has finished ranked 6 times, with most of that success coming at BYU. He is CLEARLY a better head coach than Manny, but this Miami team remains FAR more talented than Virginia.
Originally, I was leaning towards a snoozefest slugfest game, but I think the poor defenses by both teams, coupled with Miami having some fresh, new juice at QB with TVD and Garcia, will make for an entertaining higher scoring game.
First Quarter - New QBs come out looking more polished in the passing game, and Rhett has a good gameplan with them. We start strong and score a TD early. UVA responds with a TD. We respond with another drive and FG. 10-7 First Quarter.
Second Quarter - I think the back-and-forth continues with both teams marching down the field on each other and each getting a TD and FG. 20-17 Halftime.
Third Quarter - We get an early stop on Virginia, and score on our opening 2nd Half Drive to take a 10-point lead. Virginia gets a FG to cut to a 7 point game. We score a FG right before the 3rd Quarter ends. 30-20 Third Quarter.
Fourth Quarter - Our Offense commits a turnover and Virginia scores a TD to make it a nervy 3-point game. Our Offense bounces back and scores another TD, a Cam Harris long TD run, to make it a 37-27 game. We get 1-2 stops late, and kick a late FG as we conservatively run out the clock.
Flawed, but higher scoring, rather entertaining game that temporarily gets the heat of Manny and gets us started at 1-0 in the ACC. QB debate becomes a threshold topic moving forward.
Miami 40 - Virginia 27
We are 4-1 last 5, and 7-3 last 10, against UVA. We lead the all-time series 11-7. Remarkably, Manny is 2-0 against Bronco Mendenhall.
Offenses (FCS opponents are not counted)
Points Per Game:
Miami - 18.1 PPG (104th)
Virginia - 32.3 PPG (T-39th)
Yards Per Play:
Miami - 4.6 YPP (T-101st)
Virginia - 6.6 YPP (20th)
3rd Down Conversion %:
Virginia - 50.00% (T-17th)
Miami - 36.26% (73rd)
Defenses (FCS opponents are not counted)
Points Per Game:
Miami - 35.0 PPG (T-100th)
Virginia - 36.3 PPG (T-110th)
Yards Per Play:
Miami - 5.7 YPP (84th)
Virginia - 6.9 YPP (T-117th)
3rd Down Conversion %:
Miami - 47.87% (110th)
Virginia - 48.78% (112th)
Misc:
Turnover Margin:
Miami - -1.7 (121st)
Virginia - -1.0 (T-101st)
Penalties Per Game:
Miami - 7.7 PPG (105th)
Virginia - 9.3 PPG (123rd)
Strength of Schedule (To Date):
Miami - 6th
Virginia - 36th
Tonight's game is about 2 mediocre teams with 2 mediocre defenses playing in arguably the worst Division in College Football. Bronco Mendenhall has a losing record at Virginia (32-24), but improved the Cavaliers' win total every year for 4 straight years prior to Covid. He is also 131-77 as a head coach, has a winning Bowl Record, and has finished ranked 6 times, with most of that success coming at BYU. He is CLEARLY a better head coach than Manny, but this Miami team remains FAR more talented than Virginia.
Originally, I was leaning towards a snoozefest slugfest game, but I think the poor defenses by both teams, coupled with Miami having some fresh, new juice at QB with TVD and Garcia, will make for an entertaining higher scoring game.
First Quarter - New QBs come out looking more polished in the passing game, and Rhett has a good gameplan with them. We start strong and score a TD early. UVA responds with a TD. We respond with another drive and FG. 10-7 First Quarter.
Second Quarter - I think the back-and-forth continues with both teams marching down the field on each other and each getting a TD and FG. 20-17 Halftime.
Third Quarter - We get an early stop on Virginia, and score on our opening 2nd Half Drive to take a 10-point lead. Virginia gets a FG to cut to a 7 point game. We score a FG right before the 3rd Quarter ends. 30-20 Third Quarter.
Fourth Quarter - Our Offense commits a turnover and Virginia scores a TD to make it a nervy 3-point game. Our Offense bounces back and scores another TD, a Cam Harris long TD run, to make it a 37-27 game. We get 1-2 stops late, and kick a late FG as we conservatively run out the clock.
Flawed, but higher scoring, rather entertaining game that temporarily gets the heat of Manny and gets us started at 1-0 in the ACC. QB debate becomes a threshold topic moving forward.
Miami 40 - Virginia 27
