1) I am 68 years old and have been tailgating and attending home games for a long time, season ticket holder since the 90s. How much longer can we go without good winning seasons (7-10 wins, with an occasional really good season and 11-12 wins) until we lose a big portion of the fan base that just won’t come back? I still make most home games, but I am not as enthusiastic as I used to be about attending. I hope it’s my age, but it just could be the thought of watching bad to mediocre football. – Tech76G

Chris Coleman: It’s a fair question. My best friend from high school went to UVa, so I used to go to Charlottesville every now and then for football games when I was in college. There are three games specifically that I remember going to — matchups with Colorado State, South Carolina, and Florida State.

UVa lost the first one in a thriller (back when Colorado State was good) but won those games against the Gamecocks and Seminoles. They were all in the early-to-mid portions of the Al Groh era, when the Cavaliers were recruiting well, winning games and looked to have a good future in football. Scott Stadium was packed for those games, and while it wouldn’t be close to accurate to say that the crowds were as loud as Lane Stadium, it would be fair to say that the atmosphere was solid, and even the tailgating scene around the stadium was pretty good.

The UVa fanbase was excited about the program, and while it was never as hardcore as Virginia Tech fans, it was still one of the better fanbases and atmospheres in the ACC. Even their students were lined up at the entrances to Scott Stadium well before the gates opened so they could get the best seats. Football in Charlottesville was a big deal back then.

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