The Result: UVa blew out Duke 48-14 to snap a two-game losing skid and move to 5-2 on the season with a 3-1 record in ACC play.
The Turning Point: This one is tough since UVa led throughout, but the first touchdown drive in the second quarter with Bryce Perkins diving in from a yard out was a breakthrough moment for an offense that desperately needed a touchdown.
The Stat That Tells the Story: Duke went 0-for-0 in the red zone on the day and only crossed the 50-yard line once against Virginia’s starting defense.
Wahoo of the Week: It’s Wayne Taulapapa, who rushed 14 times for 77 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the best rushing game of his young career. It’s hard to not give this honor to a defensive player (especially in light to the injury to Bryce Hall) but they were all outstanding as a unit rather than one or two players carrying the group.
Bronco’s Winning Formula:
24+ Points?: Yes (48)
+1 Turnover Margin?: Yes (+3)
+5 Average Starting Field Position?: Yes (+25)
Keys to Victory
1) Stop the run.
The option wrinkles Duke added to its offense this season made yesterday’s clash a very interesting one for the Virginia defense. The Blue Devils had scored at least 40 points in every win but had struggled against the two best defenses they played, Alabama and Pittsburgh. UVa managed to keep the option run game from getting going early and once the Hoos were out in front, Duke was forced to go to the air more. The Devils finished the game with 125 yards on the ground and no rushing touchdowns. Quentin Harris had just 37 yards on eight carries and he led his offense in rushing for the day. Virginia’s coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for getting the defense up to speed on Duke’s option looks and having the team prepared to dominate.
Grade: A
2) Score touchdowns in the red zone.
The Cavaliers did a much better job in this regard than they did against Miami but there is still room to grow. They finished the game 7-for-9 in the red zone, with an interception on their first drive and one late in the fourth quarter, thrown by Lindell Stone. Of their seven scores, five were touchdowns and two were field goals, which is a solid ratio. All five of UVa’s touchdowns inside the 20 came on the ground and while things weren’t always easy in short-yardage situations, the offense got the job done and punched it in more often than it failed to do so. Virginia’s best red zone drive came in the third quarter when the Cavaliers went under center two out of three plays, and eventually punched it in with Taulapapa. UVa may need to be a little more creative with the passing concepts in the red zone going forward but did enough to roll past an overmatched Duke team last night.
Grade: B+
