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Under-dogs

Virginia football is so afraid of getting upset on Saturday that they’re banning Old Dominion’s service puppy from the sideline

If you’re an FBS struggler at the moment, you gotta be careful. You can’t take anything for granted. You gotta be on upset alert at all hours of every day. Just ask Nebraska. Just ask Texas A&M. Just ask Notre Dame. Nothing is a given. No one is safe. Upsets are in the air.

Enter the Virginia Cavaliers. Not exactly a pigskin juggernaut to begin with, but a program that shouldn’t be sweating the arrival of FCS Old Dominion this weekend. But here’s the thing: Old Dominion already took down the Hokies in Week 1 and Virginia would rather not repeat that field-storming spectacle. So to be safe they've banned Old Dominion’s secret weapon—an adorable service puppy by the name of Hudson—from their sideline on Saturday for [gestures wildly] reasons.

An all-time yellah move from Virginia here. The explanation they’re giving Old Dominion is that although Hudson is accredited to the highest standard available by Assistance Dogs International, he’s still technically in training and they don’t allow dogs in training on the sideline. The actual reason is they want no part of this smoke.

Honestly can you blame them? Lil’ Huddy, as he’s known throughout the ODU locker room, will steal your ball and then your girl, and not in that order. Still though, it’s time for college football’s, ahem, top dogs to start acting like it. No more upsets. No more close calls. No more banning opponent’s puppies from the sideline to get the psychological edge. Go out there and play better. And if you can’t do that, well, that’s just sports. Every dog has its day, after all.

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