Will thrilling win silence Groh critics?

As expected, Virginia did not earn a spot in the first edition of the BCS standings when they were released Sunday evening.
The Cavaliers did not receive a vote in either national poll, either.
That did not seem to diminish the memorable feeling enjoyed by the Cavaliers on Saturday after a 16-13 overtime victory was all but stolen from 18th-ranked North Carolina at Scott Stadium.
Trailing by seven with just over two minutes left, Virginia quarterback Mark Verica directed a game-tying, 82-yard drive that ultimately led to the Cavaliers’ third straight win.
John Phillips, who had a pivotal 19-yard catch in overtime, hopes the win and Virginia’s resurgence will silence the critics that longed for coach Al Groh’s departure after a 31-3 loss at Duke.
“It seems like everybody is always bashing coach Groh for some reason,” said Phillips, a team captain. “He has a tremendous knowledge and passion for this game.
“I think Chris Long said it a couple of years ago, ‘If there could be 11 coach Groh’s playing a game we would probably never lose.’ He just brings a passion.”
Virginia running back Cedric Peerman, who scored both of the Cavaliers’ touchdowns on 2-yard runs, echoed those sentiments with his actions following the game, delivering Groh with a game ball.
“I just felt like coach Groh had been through so much in the early part of the season,” Peerman said. “He has put so much time and effort into football and to us kids, and he has to put up with all our mess.
“I know that he has to deal with a lot so anytime we can bless coach Groh, we are going to. That’s what we are all about. We are all about a team.”
Peerman was one of a handful of players that were not able to play or participated at less than full strength during the two road losses that drew the program’s future into question.
“At that stage we just weren’t playing with a very strong deck at that time,” Groh said. “We had some issues offensively. We had some new kickers. We had some issues with a lot of new kids on defense.
“We probably weren’t equipped to be pretty good at that stage, quite frankly.”
The just-expired three-game homestand, which included wins over Maryland and East Carolina, may have showcased what type of team Virginia can be the remainder of the season, Groh said.
The Cavaliers (4-3, 2-1 ACC) now need just two wins to become bowl eligible and they control their own destiny in the race for a spot in the league’s annual championship game.
“That was an awesome win for our team,” Groh said. “Every team throughout the course of the year has to find its identity. We clearly think over the last three weeks we’re starting to find our identity, which is a tough-minded, stick-together, purposeful team with a lot of resolve.”
That was also the case in 2007 when Virginia won nine games, six of which were in thrilling fashion and by six points or fewer. 
“This win [over UNC] is different though,” Phillips said. “A lot of these guys were there but they weren’t in the game. And for the veterans to feel that emotion again … there’s nothing like it.
“It is hard to explain if you have never felt the emotion like that.”
Virginia, which is 0-2 on the road, will play Saturday at Georgia Tech, which did earn a spot in the BCS standings. The Yellow Jackets debuted at No. 18 and were ranked No. 21 in the AP poll.
The Cavaliers may be forced to tackle Georgia Tech and first-year coach Paul Johnson’s option-based offense without inside linebacker Antonio Appleby.
The senior left with a foot injury on his third defensive play of the game and did not return.
Cornerback Ras-I Dowling also injured his back on the opening drive and did not return.
“I will get more information on that long-term when all these different facilities open up, but any time a guy leaves the game that early and doesn’t come back, we have to be suspect to what his participation might be,” Groh said Sunday evening.