UVA Football: Five Keys to a Virginia Victory over North Carolina

Five things the Cavaliers need to do to defeat the Tar Heels in a must win game if Virginia wants to be bowl eligible.

The Cavaliers look to inch one step closer to bowl eligibility with a win over North Carolina on Saturday. / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Virginia football is set to host the North Carolina Tar Heels this Saturday at noon at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. Last time out against the Tar Heels, the Cavaliers upset No. 10 UNC 31-27 in Virginia's first ever win over a top ten opponent on the road, adding another chapter to the historic South's Oldest Rivalry.

The Tar Heels arrive in Charlottesville with Omarion Hampton, once again, serving as North Carolina's number one threat for opposing defense's. At the same time, Anthony Colandrea will face North Carolina for the first time in his collegiate career as he watched from the sidelines as Tony Muskett led the Hoos to the upset victory in 2023. With that said, here are five keys to a Virginia victory on Saturday:

Contain Omarion Hampton 

Hampton ranks 4th in the NCAA in rushing yards this season with 901 yards and seven touchdowns. The North Carolina offense starts with Hampton, and it will be critical that the Cavaliers stack the box early and respect his talent. Further, it will be crucial the linebacker tandem of Kam Robinson and James Jackson, if he is able to play after missing the Clemson game with a foot injury, shoot the gaps, preventing Hampton from finding any creases against this Virginia defense. 

Dominate on the Ground

When you look at last year's South's Oldest Rivalry, what was one of the key factors that caused Virginia to upset UNC? 

Answer: The Virginia rushing attack. 

In 2023, against the Tar Heels, Virginia rushed for 228 yards on the ground, with Perris Jones, Mike Hollins, and Tony Muskett all rushing for 60+ yards. In 2024, that trio is now Xavier Brown, Kobe Pace, and Anthony Colandrea. If those three can replicate last year's performance, with the increased maturity from Colandrea as a passer, the Cavaliers will dominate the Tar Heels on Saturday. 

Malachi Fields Rises to the Occasion

The Virginia wide receiver room has been riddled with injuries all season, with Trell Harris expected to miss a few more weeks and Chris Tyree missing multiple games due to injury as well. The constant for the Virginia passing attack has been Malachi Fields. With Harris still out, it'll be crucial for Fields to rise to the occasion, providing Colandrea a surefire target in a game that will be critical for the Cavaliers to win. 

No Mistakes 

The Cavaliers have played relatively clean football in the last few weeks, with Colandrea throwing no interceptions in the last four games. Against the Tar Heels, it needs to be much of the same; if Virginia can play clean football, which means no special teams errors, no fumbles or interceptions, the Cavaliers have a chance to slam the door early on their ACC foe. 

Win the Fourth Quarter 

Four of the last five games against North Carolina have been decided by a touchdown or less. If the trend continues, Virginia will have to win the fourth quarter, something the Cavaliers have done a great job at this season. If Virginia can find a way to win the fourth quarter, the Hoos should be one game away from bowl eligibility after Saturday.

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