ACC Football: Virginia Cavaliers Season Predictions (Part 1)

Well as training camps officially start around college campuses and hope springs eternal. 

Of course, for UVA football, there was far more hope before arrests and suspensions left more questions than answers heading into 2008. 

However, I will now do my best to break down some of these games and look like a complete idiot when I am wrong.

GAME 1: vs. USC: Hello America.

SET-UP: This will be one of the biggest audiences to watch a UVA game in quite some time.  Scott Stadium will be in the spotlight, for better or worse. 

I hope fans will bring a great deal of energy and support for I know many expect this game to get ugly fast.  Even with a USC offense that has 4 returning starters I do not see much chance for Virginia to pull the huge upset. 

PREDICTION: I think Virginia will keep it close in the first half for they are clearly a different team at home than on the road, but they have no real match for the speed of the Trojans.  Vic Hall is a good corner, but not against the tall and athletic wide receivers that Sanchez will be looking for. 

With a completely new defensive line it will be some time before Virginia can get pressure on the QB and so the Cavaliers will have to "fight on" to look for their first victory down the road.

RESULT: USC 38 UVA 17

GAME 2: vs. Richmond. Welcome Back Coach London.

SET-UP: Mike London helped bolster a Virginia defense that Al Golden left when he went to go coach at Temple (how's that working out?). 

London left this January to return to his alma mater, one of the better D-II teams (or whatever they're called) in the country. 

Richmond has given Virginia coach Al Groh fits in the past, including a 17-16 nail-biter the last time the Spiders came to Charlottesville in Groh's first year at the helm.

PREDICTION: The Spider offense is centered around their running game with returning QB Eric Ward only averaging less than 170 yards from the air last season. 

Virginia has done well historically against the run and I think the linebacking corps of Jon Copper and Sintim should shut down Richmond enough for Virginia's own running back tandem of Mikell Simpson and Cedric Peerman to gut out a too close for comfort game.

RESULT: UVA 24 Richmond 17

GAME 3: @ UConn. Road Warriors?

SET-UP: Allow me to show you the following records: 1-5, 2-4, 1-4, 3-2, 1-4, 1-5, 4-2. 

No that's not Duke's ACC record, but it is Virginia's road record every season under Coach Groh. 

Just last year the Cavaliers were humiliated by Wyoming, needed a final minute mini-miracle against Middle Tennessee State and gave N.C. State their lone ACC win. 

PREDICTION:

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