Outmanned Again (This is Getting Old)

For the second time in three weeks, Virginia fought gamely for a half against a superiorly talented foe.  The Hoos pulled out all the stops -- a little Wildcat, a QB throwback, and even a gutsy and exhilarating go on the last play of the first half.  Unfortunately, Virginia didn't seem to have any tricks left for the second half, when things returned to form for Atlantic Division champ Clemson in a 34-21 result.

Some thoughts on the Cavs' eighth loss of the season, their most since 1986:

• The offense to open the game looked like it probably should have all season.  All thirteen of the Hoos' offensive plays in the first quarter were on the ground.  It didn't matter that the first drive ended in a fumble, or that the second ended in a punt.  The score after the first quarter was 7-7, and just as important the time of possession was 8-7 Virginia. 
• Like the Virginia Tech game last season when Vic Hall got the surprise start at QB, Virginia broke out a new toy with Mikell Simpson in the wildcat formation.  Groh was quoted as saying that they didn't just put that in this week; they just hadn't used it in a game.  Um, as many of us were thinking last season when they finally took the wraps off Hall, what took so long?
• The end of the half go for it was one of those no-no-no-yes! moments.  You have a chance to cut it to one score with a FG, and you're facing the ACC's best pass rush with 8 seconds left from the 23-yard line.  A short pass, which is all they had time for if they still wanted to preserve time for a FG, doesn't get you in the end zone, so why risk it?  Instead, Virginia calls a wheel route to Simpson, which if incomplete leaves the Cavs with no time for a FG.  But the play worked.  24-21 into halftime.  Gutsy, even if foolhardy, call.
• Unfortunately, that was the last play of Simpson's afternoon.  Without their star runner in the second half, Virginia gained only 40 more yards, and didn't score again.
• On the other side of the ball, there was only so much Virginia could do to slow down a clicking Clemson offense.  But UVA still held the Tigers under 400 yards for the first time in five games.  The Hoos actually kept star C.J. Spiller (19 carries, 60 yards) in relative check.  They had a little more trouble with speedy wideout Jacoby Ford, who had 6 catches for 106 yards and a TD.  
• The last time the Cavs lost eight games was 1986.  It will have to beat Tech to avoid its worst season since 1982.  Ouch.