November 2, 2009

The Virginia football team has gone 26 years without consecutive losing seasons, but now finds itself in danger of seeing that happen. After a 5-7 season in 2008, the Cavaliers are 3-5 with four games remaining and must win at least three of their final four to avoid a second straight season of sub-.500 football.

The Cavaliers are looking to snap a two game losing streak. The latest setback came on Saturday with a 28-17 loss to Duke. Virginia led 17-12 until the Blue Devils scored the go-ahead touchdown with 3:45 remaining in the game. Just 23 seconds later Duke's Charlie Hatcher recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown to slam the door on Virginia. The Cavaliers fell to 1-4 at home with the loss.

November is a big month for Al Groh and Virginia. All four of the teams the Cavaliers face have winning records and it all starts on Saturday in Miami. Virginia will face a Hurricanes team that is ranked 16th in the country and is coming off a dramatic 28-27 victory over Wake Forest this past weekend. Miami is 3-2 in the ACC, 6-2 overall, and topped Virginia last season, 24-17, in overtime.

The Cavs will try to win on the road on Saturday and will be traveling to a state in which they have only won one game in program history. That win-- a 48-0 win over the Hurricanes in 2007 in Miami's final game at the historic Orange Bowl. This year the Cavaliers and Miami will battle at Land Shark Stadium, a venue that Virginia will be playing in for just the fourth time.

November proved to be a rough month for Groh and the Wahoos last year and the downhill slide began with the overtime loss to Miami. That contest was the first loss in a month that saw the Cavs finish 0-4, as they finished the season 5-7.

Click on the above video link to hear Al Groh's thoughts on coaching the team despite the rumors regarding his future. Cavalier long snapper Danny Aiken comments as well.