The Virginia Cavaliers lost the doubles point for only the third time all season, and before they could attempt to chip away at Southern California’s lead, the teams were forced off the court by lightning.

How well those retro uniforms remain their natural color may depend on the amount of rainfall absorbed in the hours prior to and during today’s contest with the University of Richmond.

“If you are scared to take a hit you are not going to play well,” said Lalich after the Cavaliers’ 52-7 loss to USC on Saturday. “If you don’t like that kind of stuff, you are not going to be a good quarterback.”

It didn’t take long for the naysayers to come out of the woodwork and declare the 2008 Virginia football season officially over.

The third-ranked Trojans methodically dismantled Virginia, 52-7, delivering the Cavaliers their worst season-opening setback since 1984.

Lalich, the golden arm from West Springfield High School, the kid who was groomed to be a passing quarterback from early on, launched his ownership of the Virginia quarterback job under the sternest test on Saturday. Southern California’s veteran defense threw everything it had at the young right-hander and he survived.

“This was a little bit different than high school,” said Minnifield, after Trojans quarterback Mark Sanchez had torched Virginia’s secondary for 338 yards and three touchdowns. “There were some big guys out there and they could run, too.”

Sanchez threw for a career high 338 yards, completed 74 percent of his passes and tossed three touchdowns in the rout, proving that his left knee isn’t suspect and that his No. 3 Southern Cal squad certainly belongs in the national title discussion. At least until they face fellow powerhouse Ohio State in two weeks at home.

Reyering made his first kick, an extra point, and had two good kickoffs. The first wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it was only returned to the 13-yard line. The second, at the start of the second half, went five yards deep into the end zone, had nice hang time and resulted in a touchback.

Virginia’s ground game, touted as a strength in the offseason, certainly didn’t impress in the season opener — but that might be misleading for a couple of reasons considering the opponent.

When Virginia took the field for its first offensive possession, sophomore Pete Lalich entered the huddle and collected the first snap from center Jack Shields.

For the past eight months, as players came and went for varying reasons, Virginia’s football program had a true attention-getter to prepare for: a season-opening date with vaunted Southern California.

In perhaps the biggest home opener in nearly a quarter of a century, the nation’s best football program over the past six years will bring a national spotlight to Charlottesville. While the oddsmakers and the naysayers don’t give Groh’s Cavaliers a snowball’s chance, don’t tell the Wahoos.

At this point, a total of 410 media credentials have been issued, a figure that includes television personnel for the national broadcast and 15 NFL scouts.

Point is, football is a lot more fun when teams are competing against the best and that’s what this Saturday is all about. Southern California, the best college football program in the country this decade, comes to town for a 3:30 p.m. showdown with Al Groh’s Wahoos.