Huddle up! Here’s a look back at this weekend on the gridiron, with three key takeaways from the state’s football scene -- and a glimpse at what’s to come next week.
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Cavaliers earn feel-good upset win
If there was a team that ever deserved a moment like this more, it was the Virginia Cavaliers.
After all the program has been through in the past year with the tragic shooting that left three players dead and starting the year off 0-5, it’s hard to understate what this Saturday’s performance at North Carolina meant.
Entering as a 24-point underdog at North Carolina, the Cavaliers improbably pulled out a 31-27 win to knock North Carolina off of the list of upbeatens.
It was the largest upset in ACC play since 1998 when N.C. State won at Florida State as 26.5 point underdogs.
Virginia, which entered averaging 99.5 rushing yards per game, ran for 228 yards.
Quarterback Tony Muskett went 20-of-30 passing for 208 yards and a touchdown in the win for Virginia, which has won two straight after an 0-5 start.
More importantly, the Cavaliers finally have some reasons to smile after a rough year.
James Madison enters national rankings
The skyrocketing ascent of James Madison into national prominence continues.
In the second year of a transition to an FBS program from FCS, the Dukes are now really on the national map after cracking the latest Associated Press top-25 poll.
James Madison is now ranked No. 25 in the country after an impressive 20-9 win at Marshall that improved the Dukes to 7-0 on the season.
Next up for James Madison is a home game against in-state foe Old Dominion at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Commanders offense downright offensive against Giants
There have been a lot of lows for the Washington Commanders in recent years, but Sunday has to rank among that list of disappointments.
Facing a New York Giants team that entered with a four-game losing streak, the Commanders could only muster one touchdown of offense in a 14-7 defeat.
Washington amassed just 46 yards of offense in the first half and was 1-of-15 on third down.
Now 3-4, the Commanders continue to be mired in the state of mediocrity that has plagued them for years.
Washington hasn’t enjoyed a season of fewer than seven losses since 2012.