2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team The 2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The team ' s coach is coach Al Groh . They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville , Virginia . Preseason . The Cavaliers and coach Al Groh face a pivotal season in 2007 as they attempt to overcome their losing record in 2006 . While the defense made improvements under new coordinator Mike London , the offense struggled all season . In November 2006 , Groh indicated that he was not ready to " anoint " Jameel Sewell , who started the final nine games of 2006 , as the unquestioned quarterback for 2007 . The Cavaliers were a young team in 2006 , leading Groh to joke that the 2007 team was playing the 2006 season . While Groh had frequently played true freshman in earlier seasons , sometime for very limited action , he redshirted the entire freshman class in 2006 except for defensive lineman Nate Collins . Several players from that class are expected to be contributors in 2007 , in particular running back Keith Payne has generated excitement among fans . Several talented true freshmen , such as quarterback Peter Lalich , joined the team in 2007 . Players . Recruiting . The Virginia Cavalier 2007 recruiting class consisted of 24 signed players . The class is headlined by quarterback Peter Lalich , outside linebacker J ' Courtney Williams and wide receiver Dontrelle Inman . Overall the 2007 Virginia recruiting class was ranked # 25 by rivals . com and # 32 by scout . com . Roster . Virginia ' s first official depth chart for the 2007 football season was announced August 28 , prior to the Cavaliers ' season opener against Wyoming on September 1 . Click here to see depth charts for each individual game . Game notes . Wyoming . With only 110 yards of total offense and just 7 yards on the ground , the Cavaliers were outmatched by a better - prepared Wyoming team . Duke . Tight end Tom Santi scored two touchdowns and tailback Cedric Peerman ran for 137 yards with 1 touchdown . Quarterbacks Jameel Sewell and Peter Lalich platooned for 191 yards through the air and one touchdown . North Carolina . Place kicker Chris Gould tied the school record held by Rafael Garcia ( versus Virginia Tech , 1994 ) and Connor Hughes ( versus Georgia Tech , 2003 ) by making five field goals and Cedric Peerman set a career high in rushing for 186 yards and 1 touchdown on 30 carries . It represents the first road triumph since 2006 ' s Sept . 30 victory at Duke and just the second since a Sept . 17 , 2005 , win at Syracuse . Georgia Tech . Virginia survived Georgia Tech erasing a 14 - point deficit and hung on to win their third straight ACC game 28 – 23 . Tailback Cedric Peerman ran for 138 yards and scored a touchdown while punter Ryan Weigand averaged 47 . 5 yards on 8 punts with a long of 58 to keep Georgia Tech ' s offense at bay . Two key turnovers , an interception and fumble led to Virginia touchdowns . Defensive end Chris Long anchored the Cavalier defense with nine tackles including one for loss as well as two batted balls , one returned for a touchdown by fellow lineman Jeffery Fitzgerald , and a game - saving sack on 4th down late in the 4th quarter . Virginia quarterbacks combined to go 20 for 35 with one interception and one touchdown . Pittsburgh . Virginia dominated the first quarter jumping out to a 27 – 0 lead . Pittsburgh ' s offense sputtered throughout the contest allowing the Cavaliers to take advantage of excellent field position . Jameel Sewell went 16 of 31 for 169 yards and three touchdowns while Cedric Peerman continued excelling on the ground with 87 yards on 24 carries . Middle Tennessee State . Place kicker Chris Gould kicked a 34 yard field goal with 8 - seconds left to secure a last second victory . Virginia running backs combined for 151 yards on the ground while quarterback Jameel Sewell threw for 223 yards with an interception and a touchdown . Despite being huge underdogs , Middle Tennessee hung around the entire game and led by one late due to a blocked extra point . Virginia ' s decisive scoring drive started from their own 20 with less than two minutes to go and no time outs . Connecticut . With a strong defensive effort , the Virginia Cavaliers held off the previously undefeated Connecticut Huskies 17 - 16 . Despite a very poor outing from Jameel Sewell , the Cavs drove the length of the field with Chris Gould chipping in a 19 yard field goal to win the game . The win propelled Virginia to be ranked # 24 in the Coaches Poll and # 19 in the first BCS rankings for the first time in 3 years . Maryland . In another last minute victory , tailback Mikell Simpson scored the game - winning touchdown with 16 seconds left . The play had to be reviewed by the officials due to the ball leaving Simpson ' s hands as he dove across the line , but the touchdown stood giving Virginia their seventh victory in a row . Defensive end Chris Long tackled Maryland quarterback Chris Turner in the end zone for a critical safety late in the third quarter bringing the Virginia deficit down to five . N . C . State . N . C . State quarterback Daniel Evans threw for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns while wide receiver Donal Bowens was on the receiving end of 202 of those yards . Despite a poor performance from the Virginia defense , the Virginia offense still scraped together 24 points on a streaky night by quarterback Jameel Sewell . Wake Forest . Virginia running back Mikell Simpson scored the go ahead touchdown with 2 : 18 left in the 4th quarter and Wake Forest kicker Sam Swank missed a 48 yard field goal with 2 seconds left sealing the Virginia victory . The Virginia defense was anchored by defensive end Chris Long who recorded 10 tackles and a sack . The win was Virginia ' s 5th win this season by two points or less breaking the NCAA record set by Columbia in 1971 . Miami . On an emotional night for the Miami Hurricanes as they played their last game in the historic Miami Orange Bowl , the Cavaliers dominated all facets of the game shutting out the home team 48 - 0 . Quarterback Jameel Sewell completed 20 of 25 passes for 288 yards , threw for a touchdown and ran for one as well . Tailback Mikell Simpson contributed 93 yards and two one - yard touchdown carries . The Cavalier defense posted three interceptions , four sacks , two fumble recoveries , seven tackles for loss and a touchdown . The win set up a Thanksgiving match - up versus cross - state rival Virginia Tech playing for the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division title and the chance to play in the 3rd Annual Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game . Virginia Tech . In a game with a trip to the conference championship game on the line , the Cavaliers fell flat against their in - state rivals Virginia Tech . Poor clock management and poor defense allowed Virginia Tech to exploit Virginia en route to an easy 33 – 21 win .