Scouting The Competition: Rebuilding Virginia Will Be Upset Minded Saturday
A young, inexperienced Virginia Cavaliers Football Team will have a win on their mind Saturday against the Oregon Ducks, but have history against them.
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The Virginia Cavaliers are not the same team that met Oregon four years ago. 2013 saw Virginia go 2-10 on the year under then Head Coach Mike London. Entering 2016 the team has a new leader in Bronco Mendenhall. The team has not had a winning season in four years, and it will likely take a few seasons.
Virginia comes into Eugene licking their wounds after a bad loss to Richmond. The final was 37-20, but a lot of the damage from the Spiders was done in the first three quarters as they built at 37-7 lead. The team saw enthusiasm as a hurdle in their first game according to VirginiaSports.com.
Entering a game with a Top 25 team is quite the motivation to turn things around, but I’m not sure that the Virginia Cavaliers have the firepower to come into a hostile Autzen Stadium and pull off the upset, but they will certainly try. Against Richmond, Viriginia broke in 14 players who had never set foot on a College Football field. They will have to learn quickly in practice this week.
The game Saturday could be a glorified tune-up the rest of the way for the Oregon Ducks. The hiccups from UC Davis are now in the rear view mirror. Earlier this week in Practice, Tight End Pharoah Brown said this week following Practice, the Ducks could put 50 on the Virginia Cavaliers.
Time will tell that tale, but I expect Oregon to be in control, pushing the tempo and having backups in longer than last week. In saying that we should get a better look at Backup Justin Herbert, a local from Sheldon High School in Eugene.
Next: Oregon Ducks Will Be Prime Time In 2016
History is not on the side of Virginia. The Cavaliers have not won a road game since 2012. It will almost be four years when they face Oregon at Autzen Stadium on Saturday.(7:30pm Pacific Time, ESPN)