weekend review

Nothing happened and yet it was a great weekend.  Duke made some history by winning in Atlanta, which they hadn't done since 1994, so that's one streak gone; in doing so, they helped UVA make a little history too.  GT was the last other unbeaten team that was tied with the Hoos, which, as probably didn't escape your notice, gives UVA top billing in the Coastal Conference, and nobody to share it with.

Little history quiz: Last time that was the case, by my best guess (which I think is pretty good) the standings looked like this:

UVA 3-1
GT 3-2
Miami 2-2
UNC 2-2
VT 2-2
Duke 1-2

Guess the date?  Take your time...

.....

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If you picked 2008, grab a cookie.  October 25, 2008, to be exact, a month which cemented this month's temporary reputation as Groh-tober, and following an upset win over then-ranked GT.  The calendar would flip to November the next week, and UVA wouldn't win a game til the next Groh-tober (the last-gasp 2009 version) nor return to this particular perch until, erm, just now.

This year actually marks the third time for this - the Hoos briefly held the top spot in 2007 as well, after beating Maryland to go 4-0 and then watching VT lose to BC to drop to 3-1 the following Thursday.  That lasted two days; UVA lost to NC State that Saturday.

The path to the ACC championship is clear and obvious.  Start this week by beating Duke, which is coming off an emotional high and ripe for a letdown.  Then knock off Carolina, whose defense deserves to be an MST3K special feature.  Miami should be no problem; the school claimed 44,000 in attendance this week against Cincinnati, probably by counting each fan 20 times.  I figure the Canes will be thoroughly intimidated once they see a crowd of more than 5,000 or so.  ESPN says this is as good a year as any for VT to finally go down.  Then a massive upset in the ACC CG against a Jameis Winston-less FSU - the guy has so many investigations going on from sexual assualt to autographs that I give it an honest 50/50 chance he's still playing for the Noles by the end of November.  Might be less, but FSU only levels any discipline when they're dragged to it kicking and screaming.

Or we can just take it one at a time and see what happens against Duke before scheduling any parades.  Boring.

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Senior Seasons continues for now, with every one of UVA's commits in action this weekend.

Hun School 46, Blair Academy 14: Chris Sharp had a 99-yard touchdown run to give his team a 32-0 halftime lead.  Hun is 3-1.

Greater Johnstown 48, Westmont Hilltop 24: Kareem Gibson's 35-yard TD reception gave Johnstown a 21-17 lead that they never relinquished.  Johnstown is 5-0.

Kettle Run 38, Fauquier 14: David Eldridge caught a 27-yard touchdown, Kettle Run's first of the game.  Kettle Run is 4-2.

American 29, Charlotte 12 (Grant Polk) - Charlotte is 4-1.
West Orange 63, Cypress Creek 6 (Brandon Wilson) - West Orange is 7-0.
Buford 56, North Hall 0 (David Curry) - Buford is 6-0.
Barnegat 24, Manasquan 14 (Tanner Cowley) - Manasquan is 3-2.
Lakota West 27, Sycamore 13 (C.J. Stalker) - Lakota West is 4-3.
Cathedral Prep 49, St. Francis 14 (James Trucilla) - Prep is 7-0.
Upper Dublin 34, Plymouth-Whitemarsh 28 (Ryan Bischoff) - P-W is 4-3.
St. Joseph's Prep 35, La Salle 31 (Olamide Zacchaeus) - St. Joseph's is 3-3.
Philadelphia Northeast 38, Abraham Lincoln 0 (Gladimir Paul) - Northeast is 1-5.
River Bluff 23, South Aiken 13 (Rasool Clemons) - South Aiken is 2-5.
Gonzaga 49, Archbishop Carroll 8 (Nick Johns) - Gonzaga is 5-1.
Woodrow Wilson 44, Calvin Coolidge 6 (Kareem McDonald) - Wilson is 3-4.
Liberty 45, Culpeper County 6 (R.J. Proctor) - Liberty is 5-1.
Good Counsel 45, Bishop McNamara 21 (Myles Robinson) - OLGC is 5-1.
Patrick Henry 27, J.R. Tucker 13 (Eli Hanback) - Patrick Henry is 2-4.
Ocean Lakes 55, Cox 21 (Jahvoni Simmons) - Ocean Lakes is 6-0.
Indian River 34, Hickory 0 (Richard Burney) - Hickory is 1-5.
Altavista 14, Dan River 0 (Juan Thornhill) - Altavista is 6-0.