Cavaliers surprising ACC foes

Maryland’s players shared a common sentiment Saturday.

Using a smoke-and-mirror approach, Virginia had stolen a victory in College Park, Md., the Terrapins believed.

It was Maryland’s season that likely went up in flames as the Cavaliers used 17 unanswered points over the final 17 minutes to win 20-9.

It dropped Maryland to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the ACC and gave Virginia its third straight win.

“I feel like we’re better than Rutgers, I feel like we’re better than Middle Tennessee, I definitely feel that we’re better than UVa,” Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith told reporters.

The final scoreboard and the league standings tell a different story — regardless of the bounces that went Virginia’s way in a sloppy, rain-filled contest — the Cavaliers (3-3, 2-0) are in first place.

It started with ball protection. Maryland had four fumbles, losing two, and threw two interceptions.

“I don’t think these teams that are winning are better than us,” Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said, “but we just keep shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Meanwhile, Virginia was exposing a host of heroes.

• Defensive end Nate Collins had a tipped ball land in his hands and he rumbled into the end zone for a 32-yard interception return.

“Sometimes there is a little bit of good fortune there, but those things happen to you when you lose games, too,” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “So we’re not about to send it back.”

Collins also added a team-high eight tackles.

• Running back Rashawn Jackson was asked to work overtime with fellow senior Mikell Simpson (neck) unable to play.

It took time for Jackson to pile up yardage, gaining almost half of his game-high 90 rushing yards in the fourth quarter, but his impact was noticeable.

“It was tough in the conditions to pull and to get your footing for blocks, but we knew that [Jackson] would wait for the holes,” Virginia guard B.J. Cabbell said. “He ran hard at the end of the game. It was amazing.”

• Placekicker Robert Randolph connected on a pair of field goals, managing the wet conditions.

Credit Mother Nature and the work the special teams units put in during the days leading up to the game.

“In practice it has been the same exact weather all week,” said Randolph, who is perfect on the season. “My toes felt the same about every day —they were really cold and I could barely feel them.

“I am just fortunate to have the weather back in Virginia the same as it was here so I could be acclimated to it.”

• Quarterback Marc Verica was summoned off the bench in the third quarter when Jameel Sewell was hurt.

Verica admitted that he was far from warm after standing in the chilly temperatures almost motionless, but he did not make a mistake.

“My job was pretty simple,” Verica said. “It was just to manage the ball and keep my eye on the clock.

“When a quarterback comes in midgame, you say he’s going in cold. Well, I was literally going in cold.”

Virginia will likely need stars to emerge Saturday to remain in first place.

Georgia Tech (6-1, 4-1 ACC) enters Scott Stadium ranked No. 11 in the country and on the heels of an upset victory over Virginia Tech.

“We know that it will be a challenge,” Collins said. “They have a great football team and they are playing great this season.”