The Virginia Cavaliers experienced a rollercoaster of a game against the Maryland Terrapins on September 15.
From taking an early lead to ultimately getting buried under 42 consecutive points by the Terrapins, the game was a mixed bag of opportunities, flashes of brilliance, and lessons to be learned.
This article aims to delve into key takeaways from Virginia’s frustrating 42-14 road loss. Despite the Cavaliers also facing North Carolina last week, they lost 24-21 and are now 0-4 on the season.
Thus, these takeaways still stand for where the Cavaliers stand this season. Let's take a look.
Anthony Colandrea’s Promising Start
In the realm of college football, young quarterbacks often take time to find their rhythm. That wasn’t the case—at least initially—for Virginia’s true freshman quarterback, Anthony Colandrea.
He showed impressive poise and accuracy in the opening minutes of the game. This section will explore his commendable early-game performance that put Virginia on the map in the first quarter.
True Freshman Showcases Talent in Early Drives
With 4:16 left in the first quarter, Anthony Colandrea fired a well-placed 19-yard touchdown pass to Kobe Pace, propelling Virginia to a 14-0 lead.
The true freshman quarterback appeared poised and ready to seize the moment. He completed 6 of his first 7 passes, amassing 108 yards and two touchdowns within the game's first two drives.
Colandrea’s early performance gave Cavaliers fans a glimmer of hope, as he demonstrated his ability to execute even complex plays, like a 49-yard flea-flicker to Malik Washington on the first play of the game.
The Unraveling in the Fourth Quarter
Sports are unpredictable, and momentum can shift in an instant. Unfortunately for Virginia and Anthony Colandrea, the fourth quarter was a testament to this unpredictability.
It was as if the air went out of the proverbial balloon, leading to a series of events that could only be described as catastrophic for Virginia’s offense.
Here we’ll delve into the devastating fourth-quarter interceptions thrown by Colandrea.
A Series of Unfortunate Interceptions
While Anthony Colandrea flashed potential in the first three quarters, the fourth quarter painted a different story. With the game still within reach, Colandrea threw three consecutive interceptions that shattered Virginia’s momentum.
These weren’t mere statistical anomalies; each one occurred under unique circumstances that highlighted the quarterback’s inexperience.
The first interception came when Virginia was dangerously close to tying the game, only for Colandrea to force a pass into a tight window. By the time Colandrea completed another pass, the scoreboard read 42-14 in favor of Maryland.
Defensive Struggles
Defense is often said to win championships, but it can also lose games. Virginia’s defensive secondary, which showed early signs of competence, collapsed under pressure as the game progressed.
This section aims to shed light on the breakdowns that allowed Maryland to gain the upper hand and dominate in the second half.
Secondary Meltdown
While offense typically steals the headlines, a game is often won or lost in the trenches and the secondary.
Early on, Virginia’s secondary was holding its own against Taulia Tagovailoa and Maryland’s receiving corps. However, the unit began to falter as the game wore on.
Malcolm Greene got beat on a double move that resulted in a 64-yard touchdown, and from that point forward, the defense seemed to lose its rhythm.
Tagovailoa ended the day with 342 passing yards, and the Terps averaged a worrying 11 yards per play on his dropbacks.
Questionable Game Management
While players on the field have the most direct impact on the game’s outcome, decisions made on the sidelines can be equally consequential.
Virginia’s game management by Head Coach Tony Elliott, particularly towards the end of the first half, left many fans scratching their heads.
This section will examine the missed opportunities that came from conservative play-calling when the team could have seized momentum.
A Missed Opportunity Before Halftime
When delving into the post-game analysis of Virginia’s recent clash with Maryland, it's worth noting that BetMGM Virginia and other sportsbooks had the Cavaliers as 15-point underdogs. Yet, they ended up losing by 28 points.
One glaring issue was Virginia’s conservative approach at the end of the first half. With 1:18 remaining and three timeouts, the Cavaliers chose to run the ball and waste precious time instead of attempting to add points before halftime.
The choice to defer the opening kickoff should have opened an opportunity to “sandwich” two scores around the half, but instead, the Cavaliers missed a chance to change the game’s momentum.
A Series of Missed Opportunities
Big plays in crucial moments can change the outcome of a game, elevating a team from defeat to victory. Sadly for Virginia, they seem to have a knack for squandering these game-altering opportunities.
In this section, we’ll explore specific instances in the game against Maryland where Virginia failed to capitalize, adding to a growing list of missed opportunities that have plagued their season thus far.
Failure to Seize the Moment
Last week, Virginia was inches away from completing a miracle comeback against JMU. This week, history repeated itself with a series of missed opportunities that could have turned the tide. Malachi Fields dropped what could have been a huge gain on third down.
A potential pick-six was left on the field. These miscues might not have cost Virginia the game, but they certainly didn’t help their cause.
When you’re sitting at 0-3 for the season, every play matters, and unfortunately for Virginia, too many of those plays went in favor of the opposition.
As the Cavaliers regroup and prepare for the rest of their season, the lessons from this 28-point loss must be dissected, absorbed, and applied moving forward.
With room for improvement on both sides of the ball and in-game management, the upcoming weeks will be crucial for Virginia as they seek to turn their season around.
