KYLE GREEN The Roanoke Times

Because of ACC scheduling, UVa coach Al Groh (left) says today's game against Wake Forest is almost like playing a non-conference foe.

One of the understated consequences of ACC expansion is that a football team like Virginia can go six years without playing at Wake Forest.

"This is an interesting match-up," said UVa coach Al Groh, whose Cavaliers are in Winston-Salem, N.C., for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. "We played there in 2002 and haven't been back since. Now, we've played in '07 [at Virginia] and '08.

"We played Pittsburgh home and away, we played Connecticut home and away; now, we're playing Wake Forest home and away. It's almost like you're playing another non-conference opponent."

Wake Forest (5-3 overall, 3-2 ACC) is in the Atlantic Division and Virginia (5-4, 3-2) is in the Coastal Division. Teams in the same division meet every year and each has a "cross-divisional" rival from the other division that it plays annually.

Virginia's cross-divisional opponent is Maryland, which means the Cavaliers can go years without playing Wake, Florida State, Boston College, Clemson and North Carolina State.

The format, which is also used by the Southeastern Conference, requires teams to meet at least once every three years. Virginia and Wake actually did not play between 2003-2007 but some jockeying became necessary following expansion in 2004.

"You know what's going on with their games," Groh said. "Outside of that, you don't have a great familiarity with them. You really have to study them when you play them the first time."

In this case, the Cavaliers have the experience of having played the Deacons last year, when All-ACC place-kicker Sam Swank missed a 47-yard field-goal attempt as time expired and Virginia prevailed 17-16.

It was Virginia's 20th victory in its last 21 games with Wake Forest, and the Cavaliers have won 10 straight games in Winston-Salem, N.C., none more improbable than a 38-34 triumph in 2002.

UVa ventured into what was then known as Groves Stadium with a 2-2 record, fell behind 27-10 at the half, then rallied for a 38-34 victory behind three Matt Schaub touchdown passes. Wake had rushed for 251 yards in the first half.

"There wasn't a whole lot of compunction to hold onto the plan we had at that time," Groh said. "It was one of those few times when we completely scrapped everything we were doing on defense."

A lot has changed at Groves Stadium, now called BB&T Field, since that day. The facing of the bleachers was re-done with 89,000 bricks in 2005, artificial Field Turf was installed in 2006 and a seven-story Deacon Tower went up prior to this season.

Mostly, fans started coming to the games, resulting in season attendance records in four of the past five seasons.

One thing that hasn't changed in the Virginia-Wake Forest series over that time is the identity of the coaches, Groh and fellow UVa alumnus Jim Grobe.

With the departure of Clemson's Tommy Bowden earlier this, only Florida State coach Bobby Bowden ranks ahead of Groh and Grobe in ACC seniority. Like Groh and Grobe, Ralph Friedgen is in his eighth season at Maryland.

Groh is 36-29 at Virginia, compared to Grobe's 29-35 mark at Wake, but the Deacons are 25-10 over the past three seasons and won the ACC championship in 2006.

Both teams have walked a fine line. Virginia has gone to overtime in two of its past three games, and the Deacons held off visiting Duke in overtime last week, 33-30.

"Wake Forest and Virginia are the two teams during the course of two-plus seasons, almost three seasons now, who have played in the most games in the conference that were decided at the end," Groh said. "Last year substantiated that because, clearly, it was decided on the play."

Swank injured his right quadriceps muscle in practice Oct. 6, and has not played since. He is listed as questionable for today's affair but the Deacons expect to regain the services of leading rusher Josh Adams, who had an ankle injury that prevented him from playing against Duke.

Wake's playmakers include fifth-year senior wide receiver D.J. Boldin, who has an ACC-high 47 receptions. Boldin is the younger brother of Arizona Cardinals' and former Florida State receiver Anquan Boldin.

Conspicuous on Virginia's injury list is junior cornerback Vic Hall, who has cemented two UVa victories with late-game interceptions but was beaten for the winning touchdown pass in a 24-17 overtime loss to Miami that ended a four-game Cavaliers' winning streak. Hall has a shoulder injury and is listed as questionable (50-percent chance he will play).

Hall and running back Cedric Peerman, who fumbled in overtime, were among the UVa players hardest hit by the loss to Miami.

"He and Vic and myself, we all kind of made a little pact Sunday," Groh said. "Look, the three guys who were in the middle of everything [Saturday] are the three guys who have to come back the fastest. Each one of us has been working to hold up our end."