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Holy crap, we won.
Many Virginia fans had forgotten what that felt like after the past month, but the Hoos managed to get back in the win column this week with a 30-13 win over the Canes at Scott Stadium.
On senior night, despite losing senior RB Kevin Parks to an apparent concussion, it was a couple of seniors who led the team to the win. Parks' backup, Khalek Shepherd, ran for 95 yards and the game icing TD on 22 caries, and senior LB Daquan Romero blocked a FG with under a minute remaining in the first half.
It wasn't just the seniors, though. Junior WR Canaan Severin had perhaps the play of the season, with this TD catch late in the first half, which gave the Hoos a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Fly paper baby!
That TD gave the Hoos the lead, and defense did the rest. Holding Miami's star RB Duke Johnson to just 88 yards, and forcing 3 Miami fumbles, the Hoos defense did enough to win. The big special teams play was also key, although the special teams gave one back late in the game, as Miami blocked a punt and retured it for a score. That was too little, too late, though, for the Canes.
The win brought the Hoos to 5-6 on the season. Coincidentally, that matches the record of the Hoos next matchup, the Hokies. Virginia Tech lost 6-3 today in double overtime. If you didn't see that game, consider yourself lucky, because it was one of the worst football games ever played. The winner of next week's rivalry game will reach a bowl, and the loser will not. That is all the Hoos could've asked for at this point in the season. A win not only knocked the Hokies out of a bowl, but gets the Hoos into a bow, and likely saves Mike London's job.
It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win, and the Hoos badly needed a win.
Wahoowa!