First, some team notes provided by UVA:
- With its sixth win of the season, Virginia is bowl eligible for the first time since 2007.
- Virginia last became bowl eligible in 2007, also against current Maryland head coach Randy Edsall when he was the head coach at Connecticut.
- With the win, UVa snapped a 13-game losing streak in the month of November. UVa's previous November triumph was a 48-0 victory at Miami in 2007.
- Virginia has won three road games in 2011, the most since winning four in 2007.
- Virginia is now 13-20-2 at Maryland, including winning three in a row at Byrd Stadium.
- UVa's three-game winning streak at Byrd Stadium stands as UVa's second-best in program history.
- Virginia rushed for 220 yards against Maryland, giving the Cavaliers a 23-8 all-time record over the Terps when rushing for at least 150 yards.
- Virginia held Maryland to 353 yards of total offense. It was the 18th time since 1988 that UVa held the Terps below 380 yards of total offense. UVa is 16-2 in those games.
- Virginia racked up 527 yards of total offense, the highest game total of the season and the most since UVa torched Duke for 643 yards in 2010.
- Maryland's first quarter field goal makes the Terps only the second team in nine games this season to score against UVa in the first frame. The Cavaliers have given up a total of 10 points in the first quarter this season, which is now tied with Stanford for fewest in the nation.
- Virginia's 13-play 94-yard drive was the longest drive (yardage) since going 97-yards for a TD against William & Mary in week one.
- Perry Jones' 47-yard TD run on the game's first play from scrimmage was a career ling run. Jones' rushed for 139 yards, giving him his third career 100-yard rushing game (all occurring in 2011).
- Khalek Shepherd's 48-yard kickoff return to start the game matched a career long set against NC State this season.
- With 112 receiving yards, Kris Burd passed Patrick Jeffers (1,785) for No. 6 all-time at UVa in career receiving yards. Burd currently has 1,886 career yards, trailing No. 5 Germane Crowell (2,142).
- With nine receptions, Burd passed Alvin Pearman (138) for No. 3 all-time at UVa in career receptions. He now has 142 career receptions, needing three to pass No. 2 Heath Miller (144).
- It was the seventh 100-yard game of Burd's career (tied for fourth on the all-time UVa list of 100-yard games).
- Michael Rocco passed for a career-high 307 yards against Maryland. It was his fourth time in his career (and season) that he has reached the 200-yard plateau in passing yards. It is the first time he has done so in back-to-back games after tossing 226 at Miami (Oct. 27).
- Rodney McLeod's third quarter was the fourth of his career and the second of the season. UVa now has forced a turnover is all nine games of 2011.
- McLeod added two more INTs to give him six for his career and a team-best four for the season. McLeod becomes the first Cavalier to intercept three passes in a game since Anthony Poindexter against NC State in 1996.
- Robert Randolph scored seven points against Maryland, giving the senior kicker 210 for his career and placing him in a three-way tie for No. 6 all-time in UVa program history. He shares the spot with Frank Quayle (1966-68) and Tiki Barber (1993-96).
Now, some thoughts and tidbits from me:
- I'm not going to lie about it. I hate literally almost everything about Maryland. However... While admitting that all of their new uniforms are horrendous and the combinations make them look like clowns... I'm not going to lie... I kinda liked their helmets today. It appealed to the 13-year old boy inside of me, I guess.
- I thought Mike Rocco played a whale of a game today. 23-for-36, 307 yards, 2 TDs, and one interception (that wasn't his fault at all). David Watford saw some time here and there, rushing for minus seven yards and coughing up an ugly fumble. In my mind, we have a QB1 now, and it is Mike Rocco. And he looks more like Matt Schaub with every game he starts without having to look over his shoulder. I suddenly feel very good about our starting QB.
- I think the red zone fumble surrendered by Clifton Richardson had the potential to be a "turning point" type of play that led us to a loss. Credit the team for not allowing that to happen. But still, Richardson needs to get that shit under control. He fumbles way too much.
- Kris Burd is breaking some pretty heady UVA receiving records. He's been a quietly good player for us. But the receiver I'm really excited about right now is Tim Smith. Aside from his one bad drop per game, he's explosive, gets open, runs good routes, and has serious run-after-catch ability. Plus, he's only a sophomore.
- Max Milien is deadly as a receiver in the flat. We need to go to that well more often than we do.
- I'm guessing we're installed as 8-point favorites over Duke next Saturday. Now that we have win #6 under our belts, we're playing with house money... but I'm feeling greedy. I want #7!
- Morgan Moses limped off the field with assistance late in the game. I'm hearing now that it's a bruised calf. No biggie.
- KP also left the game early. He's just generally banged up, nothing specific to worry about.
- God it feels good to beat the hated Terps, get bowl eligible, end their bowl chances, humiliate them with so many of the area recruiting targets watching, and cement our status as an up-and-coming program.
- Suddenly, the Southern Miss and NC State losses don't look (or feel) so bad.
- It's officially a good year. A turn-the-corner type of season. I love it.
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