Random Musings - The Streak
The Virginia football team has been on the short end of some ignominious streaks
over the years. There were the 15 straight non-winning seasons from 1953-1967; the
28 consecutive losses from 1958-1960; and, of course, the 29 straight losses to
Clemson.

But Virginia also owns one of the most impressive streaks in college football.
Beginning with the Wake Forest game in 1993, the Hoos intercepted at least one
pass in 39 consecutive games – the longest streak in NCAA history.  During the
streak, 20 different players picked off a total of 85 passes, an average of 2.2
interceptions per game.  And the list of players who had interceptions during the
streak reads like a veritable "Who’s Hoo" of all-time Virginia greats. So sit back and
relax while we break down The Streak, HoosFootball-style.
1993: The streak begins.
Date
Opponent
Score
Total INTs
Players Who Intercepted Passes
11/6/1993
vs. Wake Forest
W, 21-9
4
Keith Lyle (2) & Greg McClellan (2)
11/13/1993
at Clemson
L, 23-14
3
Joe Crocker, Keith Lyle & Jamie Sharper
11/20/1993
vs. Virginia Tech
L, 20-17
1
Paul London
1/1/1994
vs. Boston College
(Carquest Bowl)
L, 31-13
2
Percy Ellsworth & Randy Neal
Date
Opponent
Score
Total INTs
Players Who Intercepted Passes
9/3/1994
at #3 Florida State
L, 41-17
1
 Ronde Barber
9/10/1994
at Navy
W, 47-10
2
 Sam McKiver & Jamie Sharper
9/17/1994
vs. Clemson
W, 9-6
3
 Ronde Barber (2) & Joe Crocker
10/1/1994
vs. William & Mary
W, 37-3
1
 James Farrior
10/8/1994
at Wake Forest
W, 42-6
4
 Ronde Barber (2), James Farrior & Joe
Williams
10/15/1994
at Georgia Tech
W, 24-7
1
 Randy Neal
10/22/1994
vs. #15 UNC
W, 34-10
3
 Ronde Barber (2) & James Farrior
11/5/1994
at #23 Duke
L, 28-25
1
 Joe Crocker
11/12/1994
vs. Maryland
W, 46-21
3
 Joe Crocker (2) & James Farrior
11/19/1994
at #14 Virginia Tech
W, 42-23
5
 Joe Crocker (2), Percy Ellsworth (2) &
Randy Neal
11/25/1994
vs. NC State
L, 30-27
3
 Ronde Barber, Percy Ellsworth & Randy
Neal
12/28/1994
vs. Texas Christian
(Independence Bowl)
W, 20-10
1
 Randy Neal
1994: Ronde Barber picks off 8 passes as the Hoos rack up a school-record 28
interceptions in 12 games.
Date
Opponent
Score
Total INTs
Players Who Intercepted Passes
8/26/1995
at #14 Michigan
(Pigskin Classic)
L, 18-17
2
 Ronde Barber & Percy Ellsworth
9/2/1995
vs. William & Mary
W, 40-16
2
 Percy Ellsworth & Jamie Sharper
9/9/1995
at #23 NC State
W, 29-24
1
Joe Crocker
9/16/1995
vs. Georgia Tech
W, 41-14
2
Ronde Barber & Wali Rainer
9/23/1995
at Clemson
W, 22-3
2
Joe Crocker & Paul London
9/30/1995
vs. Wake Forest
W, 35-17
1
Percy Ellsworth
10/7/1995
at UNC
L, 22-17
1
Paul London
10/14/1995
vs. Duke
W, 44-30
3
Joe Crocker, Percy Ellsworth & Paul
London
10/21/1995
at #15 Texas
L, 17-16
1
Ronde Barber
11/2/1995
vs. #2 Florida State
W, 33-28
3
Percy Ellsworth (2) & James Farrior
11/11/1995
at Maryland
W, 21-18
4
Joe Crocker, Paul London (2) & Anthony
Poindexter
11/18/1995
vs. #20 Virginia Tech
L, 36-29
3
Ronde Barber, Paul London & Todd White
12/30/1995
vs. Georgia
(Peach Bowl)
W, 34-27
2
Percy Ellsworth & Skeet Jones
1995: Paul London and Percy Ellsworth intercept 6 passes apiece, and the Hoos finish
with 27 interceptions in 13 games.
Date
Opponent
Score
Total INTs
Players Who Intercepted Passes
9/7/1996
vs. Central Michigan
W, 55-21
2
James Farrior & Stephen Phelan
9/14/1996
vs. Maryland
W, 21-3
2
Ronde Barber & Tony Dingle
9/21/1996
at Wake Forest
W, 42-7
1
Jamie Sharper
9/28/1996
vs. #13 Texas
W, 37-13
4
Ronde Barber, James Farrior, Stephen
Phelan &  Anthony Poindexter
10/5/1996
at Georgia Tech
L, 13-7
2
Ronde Barber & Stephen Phelan
10/19/1996
vs. NC State
W, 62-14
4
Anthony Poindexter (3) & Joe Rowe
10/26/1996
at #3 Florida State
L, 31-24
1
Shannon Taylor
11/2/1996
at Duke
W, 27-3
1
Antwan Harris
11/9/1996
vs. Clemson
L, 24-16
1
Joe Rowe
11/16/1996
vs. UNC
W, 20-17
2
Antwan Harris & Stephen Phelan
1996:  The Hoos pick off passes in their first 10 games before coming up empty
against Virginia Tech.
Season
Games
INTs
Avg.
1993
4
10
2.5 / game
1994
12
28
2.3 / game
1995
13
27
2.1 / game
1996
10
20
2.0 / game
Totals:
39
85
2.2 / game
Average INTs Per Game:
Games with...
Number of Times
Record
Win Pct.
1 INT
14 times
7-7
.500
2 INTs
11 times
8-3
.727
3 INTs
8 times
5-3
.625
4 INTs
5 times
5-0
1.000
5 INTs
1 time
1-0
1.000
   
26-13
.667
Wins & Losses:
School
Games
INTs
Avg.
Maryland
3
9
3.0
Virginia Tech
3
9
3.0
NC State
3
8
2.7
Wake Forest
4
10
2.5
Texas
2
5
2.5
Clemson
4
9
2.3
UNC
3
6
2.0
Duke
3
5
1.7
Georgia Tech
3
5
1.7
Florida State
3
5
1.7
Rank
Player
INTs
1
Ronde Barber
15
2
Joe Crocker
11
 
Percy Ellsworth
11
4
Paul London
7
 
James Farrior
7
6
Anthony Poindexter
5
 
Randy Neal
5
8
Stephen Phelan
4
 
Jamie Sharper
4
10
Keith Lyle
3
11
Antwan Harris
2
 
Greg McClellan
2
 
Joe Rowe
2
14
Tony Dingle
1
 
Skeet Jones
1
 
Sam McKiver
1
 
Wali Rainer
1
 
Shannon Taylor
1
 
Todd White
1
 
Joe Williams
1
Player
Date
Opponent
Distance
Outcome
Antwan Harris
11/16/1996
vs. UNC
95 yards
W, 20-17
Randy Neal
10/15/1994
at Georgia Tech
77 yards
W, 24-7
James Farrior
9/7/1996
vs. Central Michigan
55 yards
W, 55-21
Joe Crocker
11/12/1994
vs. Maryland
38 yards
W, 46-21
Randy Neal
11/25/1994
vs. NC State
28 yards
L, 30-27
Tony Dingle
9/14/1996
vs. Maryland
10 yards
W, 21-3
 
 
 
Avg: 50.5 yards
Record: 5-1
Avg Score: 32.7-16
Player
Date
Opponent
INTs
Outcome
Anthony Poindexter
10/19/1996
vs. NC State
3
W, 62-14
Ronde Barber
9/17/1994
vs. Clemson
2
W, 9-6
Ronde Barber
10/8/1994
at Wake Forest
2
W, 42-6
Ronde Barber
10/22/1994
vs. UNC
2
W, 34-10
Joe Crocker
11/12/1994
vs. Maryland
2
W, 46-21
Joe Crocker
11/19/1994
at Virginia Tech
2
W, 42-23
Percy Ellsworth
11/19/1994
at Virginia Tech
2
W, 42-23
Percy Ellsworth
11/2/1995
vs. Florida State
2
W, 33-28
Paul London
11/11/1995
at Maryland
2
W, 21-18
Keith Lyle
11/6/1993
vs. Wake Forest
2
W, 21-9
Greg McClellan
11/6/1993
vs. Wake Forest
2
W, 21-9
 
 
 
 
Record: 11-0
Avg Score: 33.9-15.2
Most Victimized (min. 2 games):
Players Who Intercepted Passes During the Streak:
Interceptions Returned for Touchdowns:
Players with 2 or More Interceptions in a Game:
Name
No. of Times Kept the Streak Alive
Ronde Barber
2
Joe Crocker
2
Paul London
2
Randy Neal
2
Percy Ellsworth
1
James Farrior
1
Antwan Harris
1
Joe Rowe
1
Jamie Sharper
1
Shannon Taylor
1
Players Who Singlehandedly Kept the Streak Alive:
Streaks within the Streak:
Player
Description
Dates
Joe Crocker
INTs in 3 consecutive games
11/5/1994 - 11/19/1994
Randy Neal
INTs in 3 consecutive games
11/19/1994 - 12/28/1994
Ronde Barber
7 INTs in 7 games
9/3/1994 – 10/22/1994
Joe Crocker
5 INTs in 3 games
11/5/1994 - 11/19/1994
Percy Ellsworth
5 INTs in 5 games
11/19/1994 – 9/2/1995
Paul London
6 INTs in 8 games
9/23/1995 – 11/18/1995
Anthony Poindexter
4 INTs in 3 games
9/28/1996 – 10/19/1996
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