Virginia vs. Central Michigan: Everything you need plus the GAME THREAD

Virginia Cavaliers vs. Central Michigan Chippewas

Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, NY
TV: Regional Sports Networks (Affiliates)
Online Streaming: This game will be broadcast on WatchESPN.
Radio: Online Audio Stream or Sirius 113 or XM 194
Latest Point Spread: Central Michigan is favored to win by 3.5 points.

Everything you need to know.

Look at it this way, if you were convinced that Virginia was going to pull out a win in Storrs up until they did not, it means you had faith. The kind of optimistic faith that has been forged by watching the men’s basketball team cheat death so often over the last three years. The kind of faith that comes from seeing a baseball team limp into the NCAA Tournament, only to be the only team left standing at the end. The kind of optimistic faith that Bronco Mendenhall is trying to instill in the players donning the V-Sabres today.

If you look at the matchup against Central Michigan and experience some deja vu, you’re in good company. Non-power 5 school, well-oiled machine, playing with confidence - is this Richmond again? The potential is certainly there, and if the result is similar it will not shock the pessimists among us.

But there are the faithful optimists who believe that this team has another gear. That the sums of the parts they have displayed so far can come together Voltron-style into a much greater whole if only that last piece would just click into place. Maybe this week, with some seasoning, and in front of the home crowd, the Hoos will get this car out of the ditch on headed down the road into ACC play.

Beverage: It’s technically fall, but it’s still too warm for the fall drinks. We’re going to split the difference here and go with a Potter’s Craft Double Simcoe. Yeah, it’s cider, but it’s a hopped cider so it doesn’t leave that pucker in your mouth. A taste of apple to remind you fall is coming, but light enough that you can handle the heat.

Go go gadget game thread!!