When Miami visited Virginia on Saturday, one of these massively disappointing squads was going to feel some relief. ONLY because overtime mandated that one team had to win.
Quarterback play for both squads has been shockingly poor. Brennan Armstrong was arguably the most dynamic QB in 2021. Then, all hell broke loose in Charlottesville. Last year, Armstrong threw for an astounding 4,449 yards with 31 TD passes. In 6 games, the talented lefty threw for 400+ yards. However, 2022 has been a different story. Armstrong has had to endure a rebuilt offensive line that was crippled by the defection of 2nd team all-American center, Olusegun Oluwatimi, to Michigan. Bronco Mendenhall surprisingly retired. New coach, Tony Elliott, has not exactly provided the secret sauce. In Armstrong’s 8 games this year, he has thrown more picks (9) than TDs (6). Armstrong is averaging a paltry 202 yards passing per game.
Armstrong must feel beyond frustrated. Against the Hurricanes, tight end Grant Misch dropped a pass in the end zone that would have provided the game’s ONLY touchdown. The Cavalier defense must also be beyond frustrated. For the 2nd consecutive game, Virginia allowed the opponents fewer than 300 yards and ZERO touchdowns.
As disappointing as Virginia’s season, Miami has proved to be an even bigger dud. With all the hoopla surrounding the hire of Mario Cristobal, nobody could have imagined home losses to Middle Tennessee State and Duke even if one was an inhabitant of the Twilight Zone. If one was penciling projected wins for the Hurricanes in August, those two games would have been at the top of the list.
Tyler Van Dyke grabbed Miami’s QB job, mid-2021, and was considered one of the best QB’s entering 2022. The Todd McShays of the world were touting him as a future high draft pick. Mysteriously, the bottom has fallen out for Van Dyke in 2022. He relinquished the QB post to Jake Garcia after some dreadful performances. Van Dyke did not even see the field in Charlottesville.
As if to echo the disappointing QB play, no touchdowns were scored in regulation — or the first overtime — or the second overtime. Miami finally won on a 2-point conversion in the 4th overtime to mercifully end the game. If there was real justice, the game would have ended in regulation as a 6-6 tie.
The lack of offense provided yet another example as to the dangers of betting on college football. At halftime, the score of the snoozefest was 3-0. Condolences to the bettors who sagely took the total of under 21.5 in the 2nd half. The bane of “under” bettors is overtime. It took the fourth overtime for the second half “over” to come home in the 14-12 drama.
Nobody and I mean NOBODY saw the lack of offensive production for either squad in 2022. Some elements of college football will remain an eternal mystery.