BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
CHARLOTTESVILLE
--The last time the Virginia football team ventured west of the Mississippi River, first-year head coach Mike London was the Cavaliers' defensive coordinator.Virginia was prepared for a quick start to the 2007 season against Wyoming.
But the Cavaliers were thumped 23-3, as they failed to account for the frantic atmosphere that comes in another team's home opener.
Virginia (1-0) will get another chance out West on Saturday at 10:30 p.m. when they visit No. 16 Southern California (1-0) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
"We've talked to the players about that already," London said of being able to handle a hostile environment. "We'll continue to educate them on the fact it's a 100-yard field just like at Scott Stadium. Whatever happens outside of that, that's out of our control. We can control how we play."
The Cavaliers are 4-10 in games west of the Mississippi. This will be their first game in California and just their second all-time on the West Coast. They lost 38-17 at Washington in 1976.
The lack of experience on the West Coast has forced London to make some inquiries. He's asked colleagues about the proper amount of hydration needed, and how to get acclimated to a new time zone, among other issues.
The Cavaliers will leave for Los Angeles on Thursday. That means they have part of Thursday, all of Friday and plenty of time on Saturday to get accustomed to their surroundings.
"You just have to get used to it," London said. "We've talked to different people about nutrition, about sleep, about what you can do and how you can minimize the effects of traveling like that. We'll try everything we can to make sure the guys have the best opportunity to perform."
The Cavaliers would have a hard enough time with USC on the East Coast. They lost to the Trojans 52-7 in the 2008 season-opener. The Trojans may not be as powerful as they were then, but they're still formidable.
Southern California was hit with major sanctions by the NCAA because former star running back Reggie Bush accepted improper benefits while playing there.
The Trojans were stripped of their 2004 national title and had their 2005 season vacated. They were also banned from the postseason for the next two years and they lost more than 20 scholarships.
But since most of the implications are long-term, USC still has a team that may be difficult for the Cavaliers to contend with.
"They're very physical and fast," Virginia junior defensive tackle Matt Conrath said. "We're going to have to play a great game against them."
The Cavaliers are eager for the opportunity.
Senior quarterback Marc Verica said he's excited to play in the Trojans' historic venue. Verica was thrilled to travel to the Orange Bowl against Miami a few years ago, but said Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum "takes the cake."
"It's a ton of excitement right now," Verica said. "It's a great opportunity to go on the road and play a very prestigious program. It's in the Coliseum, so it doesn't get much better than that."
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com