After rescuing its season with an incredible upset at No. 23 Pittsburgh Nov. 9, Virginia is just one win away from its first bowl game since 2019. It was not a pretty performance from the Cavaliers (5-4, 3-3 ACC), but the win is potentially season-altering — gauze for a program that had been bleeding out since October. That victory over the Panthers was Virginia’s second road win versus a ranked opponent in the Coach Tony Elliott era.
Now, the Cavaliers seek their third as they face No. 8 Notre Dame Saturday. The Fighting Irish (8-1) were stunned in South Bend once this season, losing 16-14 to Northern Illinois as 28.5-point favorites. Virginia enters this one a 23-point underdog. Facing a College Football Playoff contender is a daunting prospect, but Elliott’s bunch has shown that they have what it takes to shock the world — especially on defense.
Since getting upset in week two, Notre Dame has transformed into a buzzsaw averaging 44 points per game. The Fighting Irish snuck out a seven-point win versus Louisville, but every other matchup since Northern Illinois has been decided by three or more possessions. What’s more, the Fighting Irish are motivated to hold on to their spot in the 12-team playoff. Simply put, this is the worst time for the Cavaliers to have to play Notre Dame.
Against that potent offense, Virginia’s talented defense will need to have a strong outing. The unit has tightened up its pass defense, averaging more sacks and interceptions per game than a season ago. The Cavaliers are still allowing 282 pass yards per game, ranking 127th in the country, but the run defense has been stout, allowing less than four yards per carry and ranking ninth in the ACC in yards allowed.
The defense will be put to the test against a Notre Dame ground attack that gashes teams for 214.8 yards per game. The Fighting Irish have a dominant traditional run game captained by sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love. A smaller back at 6-foot-0 and 206 pounds, Love is explosive and capable of rattling off big-time runs. Notre Dame also relies heavily on senior quarterback Riley Leonard in the designed quarterback run game. Leonard leads the team in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. His rushing ability combined with his elite offensive line might prove overwhelming.
However, the expected return of Virginia junior linebacker James Jackson is well-timed. Jackson will be key both for added physicality and his ability to diagnose Notre Dame’s complex ground attack.
If there is one reason for Cavaliers fans to be optimistic, it is that Notre Dame’s passing attack has been uninspiring this season. The Fighting Irish rank 95th nationally in passing yards per game and 73rd in yards per pass. All of the Cavaliers' blowout losses have come at the hands of aerial attacks, so there is a chance Notre Dame is unable to apply stress on Virginia’s greatest weakness.
On the other side of the ball, the Cavalier offense must step up. Sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea has not eclipsed 200 passing yards in a game in over a month. Unfortunately, this is not the week to try and change that. The Fighting Irish have allowed the lowest completion percentage in the nation. Junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison and senior safety Xavier Watts are the headliners on a defense peppered with future NFL players.
Quick passing and timely deep shots will be the key to an effective day for Colandrea, and graduate receiver Chris Tyree is a man who could help him. It will likely be an emotional day for Tyree, who spent three seasons with the Fighting Irish before transferring to Virginia. Tyree was recruited to Notre Dame back in 2020, underwent a position change there from running back to receiver and put together a solid career. Tyree likely has not had the season he hoped for with the Cavaliers, but a strong performance Saturday could make it all worthwhile.
There is a lot for Elliott to consider heading into South Bend, but there is a proven path to victory. Virginia should refer to Notre Dame’s loss to Northern Illinois as the blueprint. The Huskies were able to rush for 190 yards, control time of possession and win the turnover battle. The Cavaliers’ ground game has been somewhat hit-or-miss so far this year, but last week against Pittsburgh was one of their best outputs of the season.
The Cavaliers rushed for 170 yards versus the Panthers, led by the efforts of junior running back Xavier Brown. His usage has been trending upwards this season and if Virginia hopes to win, they will likely need some heroics from the X-man.
This is the first game in a three-game stretch that will reveal what the 2024 Cavaliers are made of. After this, they take on No. 13 Southern Methodist and Virginia Tech. The team is playing for a bowl game, their coach potentially for his job. Virginia needs just one more win to finally reach a bowl game under Elliott. No opponent is too daunting for this team, and there is a lot on the table. Saturday, they will face their biggest challenge yet.
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