After a frustrating 35-14 defeat at the hands of Notre Dame last weekend, Virginia football once again will look to pick up its sixth win of the season Saturday when it hosts No. 13 Southern Methodist at Scott Stadium. This is the penultimate regular season game of 2024 and the home finale, with seniors set to be honored during a pregame ceremony.
There is a lot that Coach Tony Elliott’s squad will have to improve if they wish to become bowl-eligible. Whether it be the five turnovers against the Fighting Irish or a complete inability to have long and meaningful drives, the Cavaliers (5-5, 3-3 ACC) must shape up on offense and get back into their early-season form to win games. If the offense can do this, then a path to victory — and bowl game eligibility — exists.
Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the Mustangs (9-1, 6-0 ACC) are on an absolute tear. After a loss to Brigham Young in week three, Southern Methodist has rattled off seven consecutive wins and sits in the driver’s seat in the ACC. A bid to the ACC Championship game is almost a guarantee for the Mustangs, and their sights are now set on making the College Football Playoff. This incredible season for the Mustangs has come off the back of an incredible rushing attack that is led by senior running back Brashard Smith and ranked second in the ACC.
For the Cavaliers, getting a win will require a much-improved offense that is 100 percent mistake-free. The Southern Methodist defense is incredible at stifling opponents, allowing less than 100 rushing yards per game and 22.4 points per game, numbers that rank first and third in the ACC, respectively. Their safety tandem of junior Ahmaad Moses and junior Isaiah Nwokobia is a lethal last line of defense, combining for six interceptions and over 120 tackles. They will certainly challenge sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who must step up.
If Colandrea has another performance similar to his three-interception game last week, Virginia will be in for another long and disappointing day. While doubts on Colandrea’s status as a starter swirled after last week’s performance, Elliott largely put those to rest in his recent press conference Tuesday.
“If we were to play today, obviously [Colandrea] would run out there first.” Elliott said. “He’s put us in a position to win a lot of football games.”
Colandrea’s ability to make smart decisions and the Cavalier’s success will also rely upon a smooth performance from the offensive line. In the trenches, Virginia will have to be wary of senior defensive end Jahfari Harvey and junior defensive end Isaiah Smith, who have combined for nearly ten sacks and two forced fumbles for the Mustangs.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Cavaliers will have to contain a multi-faceted Mustang offense. Sophomore quarterback Kevin Jennings is sure to test the Virginia defense. Like Colandrea, Jennings is a dual-threat quarterback who has the potential to extend plays and find receivers on the run — but is far less turnover-prone with only six interceptions. In addition to throwing for over 2,000 yards, Jennings is the team’s second leading rusher. The Cavalier defensive front seven will have to contain Jennings through constant pressure if they wish to keep the Mustangs off the scoreboard.
In addition to the high stakes of the game for Virginia, it is also senior day. The Cavaliers have over 20 seniors and graduate students on their roster, including many notable players such as safety Jonas Sanker, wide receiver Malachi Fields and defensive end Chico Bennett Jr. This class has been incredibly impactful on the Virginia team, and Elliott will look to get a win to honor them.
“Those guys will be giants within the program because they laid the foundation,” Elliott said. “There's nobody that wants a win in Scott Stadium more than I do … for the senior class.”
This senior class in particular has been through a lot. They have been through a coaching change, witnessed many teammates hit the transfer portal, played through a pandemic-riddled 2021 season and bore the trauma of losing three of their teammates to a senseless act of gun violence. Yet this senior class has risen through it all to put the Cavaliers just one game away from reaching their first bowl game since 2019 and first eligibility in three years, because their 2021 bowl game was canceled due to a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak.
Elliott has two ranked wins in the last two years, so getting one more in an incredibly impactful game is certainly possible. The Cavaliers are hosting one of the ACC’s finest squads, but Elliott’s bunch has shown they are prone to surprise wins. However, it will require the Virginia team to capitalize on the Mustangs’ mistakes and minimize their own. Kickoff is at noon at Scott Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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