By Jay Jenkins
DailyProgress.com UVa football blogger

Blog is the only four-letter word I can use after today. Dreams of going to a B-O-W-L game have been flushed down the drain for Cavalier fans. There is always next year, right? I will be the first to go out on a limb and predict a Peach Bowl appearance next year for the Cavaliers. Yes, I know they changed the name of the Atlanta-based bowl but I am boycotting. I am not a fan of the cows having been hit with one in the head the last time I was in the Georgia Dome to watch the Cavaliers play Georgia.

The Cavalier-based message boards are having a field day with Virginia’s play calling. Nothing has seemed to work for the Cavaliers. Need proof? The first 29 plays totaled only 66 yards. Give Tech’s defense credit. This group looks solid. Virginia fans should be happy that three of the starters are graduating.

How many days until the Jameel Sewell vs. Peter Lalich debates crank up? Perhaps they have already started. Sewell has won only one road game in his career and that was at Duke. Today, Sewell is 5 of 10 for 33 yards through three quarters. That includes a 25-yard pass to Kevin Ogletree. Not exactly something to write home about.

Whitelaw Reid failed to answer his phone at halftime. He probably knew that I was going to bring up the fact that Fontel Mines failed to catch a pass through three quarters. If only Fontel had been part of the offense from the opening kickoff. I wonder which player Reid will have a fixation with next year. My early prediction is Chris Dalton. That kid is fast.

During the fourth quarter a banner was unveiled in the Virginia Tech student section that read: Al Groh untuck your sweater.” I think he is actually wearing a sweatshirt, but we get the point. Hopefully that’s not a future engineer in charge of revamping Virginia’s highway system. That’s a scary thought.

This game is moving along fast. It might be the fastest of the season which I will never complain about. Al Groh would probably agree.

Virginia Tech placekicker Brandon Pace missed a 47-yard field goal in the fourth. It was his first miss of the season. Some Virginia fan out there will take consolation in knowing that.

It feels weird saying goodbye to household names like Jason Snelling and Marcus Hamilton. It wasn’t the way the seniors wanted to go out but lets hope they walk away with their heads held high. 

By Jay Jenkins
DailyProgress.com UVa football writer

1. Vic Hall, Virginia – Nothing gets Virginia fans fired up like the mention of Hall. Plus, writers love short names.

2. Sergio Render, Virginia Tech – It’s not Sergio from Rio, but who cares?

3. Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech – You have to love a combination like that. He entered today’s game with 70 tackles on the season. His game-changing sack of Sewell led the only score of the first half.

4. Jon Copper, Virginia – Gold and silver are overrated.

5. Antonio Appleby, Virginia – What’s for dinner?

6. Darien Porch, Virginia Tech – Come on, you know you have heard the jokes about the how to get a guy off the “Porch.” Pay for the pizza. That joke never gets old.

7. Fontel Mines, Virginia – I had to throw Mines in or I would never hear the end of it from my co-hort Whitey Reid.

8. Watson Stelly, Virginia Tech – Sounds like he would be on the polo team at Tech.

9. John Phillips, Virginia – Which one? Pick one. It has to be fun to coach two guys with the same name.

10. Ryan Best, Virginia – What a great story to overcome cancer. His teammates say the former Virginia soccer player gives it his “Best” at everything he does. Few players can say they played college soccer and college football.

Note: Virginia true freshman Keith Payne did not make the trip. If he had, he would have been a lock for the poll.

By Jay Jenkins
DailyProgress.com UVa football blogger

A boring first half changed on one play. Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell dropped back with five wide receivers spread out only to lose the ball as Virginia Tech linebacker Xavier Adibi made contact from the right side. The play was reviewed but Sewell gets charged with the fumble. Adibi gets the sack. Carlton Powell gets a fumble recovery. More importantly, Virginia Tech gets the momentum heading into the half after running back George Bell plunged into the end zone for a touchdown.

Should Sewell have been in shotgun formation on that play? He wasn’t, but that’s a good question.

It must be tough to play defense for Virginia. Play your heart out, fly around looking for tackles and get stuck in tough situations thanks to your offense. Sign me up for that.

The first quarter stats were impressive. Virginia Tech had one first down. Virginia had one first down. For me, that’s like watching golf on television.

The first half stats are about as bad. The two teams combined for nine punts. Virginia Tech has ran 28 plays for 85 yards. Virginia’s 24 plays have produced only 54 yards, and 25 of those came on a pass play from Sewell to Kevin Ogletree.

The loudest cheers of the first half came when Virginia Tech honored former great Bruce Smith on the field. (Note: That changed when the Hokies scored their touchdown).

The Cavaliers’ offensive players got an earful from assistant coach Anthony Poindexter as they trotted into the locker room. 

Virginia Tech’s senior class was honored before the game. The fans had a lot to cheer about. This group is 38-12 over the past four years. Impressive.

San Francisco is not looking quite as pretty now as it was 30 minutes ago. And I really wanted to hang out with Barry Bonds. Considering his affection for the media, I expected him to pick me up at the airport.

By the way, the winner of today’s game gets two points toward the Commonwealth Challenge. UVa currently leads by a half-point (4.5 to 4). 

By Jay Jenkins
DailyProgress.com UVa football blogger

According to the public address announcer in the press box, the temperature at kickoff was 50 degrees. Temperatures are expected to reach 60 degrees. There is no wind at the moment.

I’m not sure why, but there are empty seats at Lane Stadium. Most of those, however, are near the top of this massive facility. Does anybody else think this stadium has a Bristol Motor Speedway-type feel?

The seniors from both teams shook hands at midfield after the coin toss. It was a nice gesture for a game that should be heated from the start.

A good friend of mine, Scott Ratcliffe, is trying to bring the Cavaliers a bit of luck today. He elected to wear his Aaron Brooks jersey to the contest. The last time Scott was at Lane Stadium, Brooks led Virginia to a win. No mention if he would pick up Brooks at quarterback for his fantasy football team if Virginia pulls out the victory. To think Brooks was actually drafted in the 8th round in one of my drafts.

The Hokies won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Virginia will take ball first.

Virginia tailback Jason Snelling got the carry on Virginia’s first offensive play. The senior rumbled for 4 yards as he dragged defenders with him. Snelling got the ball on third down as Virginia appeared scared to go to the air.

Virginia Tech’s first offensive possession stalled when Clint Sintim recorded a sack on third down. It was the first sack for the Cavaliers since the North Carolina State game.

The respective punters are going for Player of the Game honors. Virginia Tech has the early edge.

By Jay Jenkins
DailyProgress.com UVa football blogger

Welcome to what could be the final edition of Virginia football 2006. We come to you today from the plush, new press box at Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium. This is my first trip inside the stadium since the renovations and to say the least, it rocks.

The weather is almost perfect in Blacksburg. The traffic on the way to the game was not.

It’s official - Virginia Tech running back Branden Ore is out for this game. The tailback suffered a high ankle sprain against Wake Forest.

Virginia’s dress list for today’s game includes only one true freshman, nose tackle Nate Collins. In a number of games, UVa has dressed other rookies for various reasons (mainly winning the Scout Team Player of the Week honors).

Many will remember the look of the field from last year’s contest in this rivalry. Somebody painted a ‘T’ next the the “V” on the grass at Scott Stadium. Here’s a shocker. It looks that way again today as it reads: “VT.”

Virgina quarterback Jameel Sewell looked good in pre-game activities. The southpaw has struggled early in a number of the noon games but should be accustomed to the routine having played several in a row.

The Roanoke Times offered a prediction for today’s game in its issue. It was Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 0. Ouch. That would be two straight scoreless games on the road for the Cavaliers. That would make for a rough interview session afterwards.

Congratulations to Virginia men’s soccer coach George Gelnovatch. His squad beat Notre Dame last night to advance to soccer’s Final Four, or whatever they call it now.

Whitelaw Reid, The Daily Progress’ basketball writer, is not at the game today. Something called vacation kept him from making the road trip. I plan on calling Mr. Reid at halftime to get his impressions of Fontel Mines, his favorite Cavalier. 

The meal for the press prior to the game included barbeque and potato salad. I stayed away from the brownies. Not my kind of breakfast. I give it a B.