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UVA Football: Five Keys to a Virginia Victory Over Notre Dame

Five things the Cavaliers need to do to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday in an effort to become bowl eligible with three games remaining.

Aidan Baller

The Cavaliers are one win away from bowl eligibility with three games remaining.
The Cavaliers are one win away from bowl eligibility with three games remaining. / Amber Searls-Imagn Images
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Virginia football is set to travel to South Bend, Indiana, to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this Saturday at 3:30 pm at Notre Dame Stadium. Last time out, the Cavaliers earned a season-altering 24-19 win over Pittsburgh on the road to put Virginia back into bowl contention, snapping a three-game losing streak for the Hoos. The last time the Cavaliers faced the Fighting Irish, Notre Dame crushed Virginia 28-3 in 2021.

The Fighting Irish face Virginia with a new quarterback, Duke transfer Riley Leonard, who has proved to be a dual-threat quarterback that has powered the men in the golden helmets to an 8-1 record. With that said, here are five keys to the Cavaliers leaving South Bend with bowl eligibility and the best win of the Tony Elliott era:

Contain Riley Leonard as a Runner

Suppose Virginia is going to pull of a miraculous victory in South Bend. In that case, it will start with containing Riley Leonard as a runner, forcing him to be exclusively a passer. In Notre Dame's one loss to Northern Illinois, the Huskies contained Leonard, limiting him to 16 yards on 11 carries. Forcing the Irish to rely on their passing game solely proved to be a struggle, so if the Hoos can find ways to disrupt Leonard, it could prove advantageous to achieving a program-defining win for Virginia. This starts with linebackers Kam Robinson, James Jackson, and Trey McDonald making key tackles to contain the former ACC quarterback Leonard.

UVA Offense Produces Explosive Chunk Plays

If the Cavaliers want to defeat Notre Dame, they need to do something they have not done in recent weeks: create massive chunk plays that will turn the game's tide. Silencing the Notre Dame crowd will be difficult. Still, if Virginia can make big-time plays, such as the Xavier Brown 75-yard run against Coastal Carolina or the Jack Griese 57-yard touchdown against Richmond in week one, the Cavaliers have a shot at upsetting the Irish. Virginia has set up its offense to have a lot of underneath and short passes in recent weeks; why not change it up in a game where the Cavaliers genuinely have nothing to lose? Let Chris Tyree, in his homecoming game, showcase that outstanding speed Virginia fans were raving about before the season started.

Win the Turnover Battle

The Cavaliers may have won last week against the Panthers, but the offensive turnovers committed were inexcusable. The Malachi Fields tip interception and the Anthony Colandrea interception straight to a Pittsburgh linebacker can not happen if Virginia even wants to have a chance to stay in this game. Notre Dame will ensure those turnover mistakes are converted into points. Alternatively, the defense showed up last week, producing two interceptions; if the Hoos' secondary, led by Jonas Sanker, can continue to create turnovers, it will be highly beneficial.

Defensive Line Steps Up

The Cavaliers got three sacks last week, led by Anthony Britton, who recorded 1.5. The name of the game for the Hoos defensively will be disrupting Riley Leonard in every way possible. Virginia has a shot to win if this defensive line can contain Leonard as a runner, keeping him in the pocket while also racking up sacks. Virginia had six sacks against Wake Forest to pull off a massive road victory early in the season, although it will be more difficult against a stout Notre Dame offensive line.

Xavier Brown Continues to Dominate

Xavier Brown is the Cavaliers' most explosive threat; if Virginia is going to win, he needs to have a good game. Getting Brown involved early with screen passes, check downs, and runs will give Brown the best chance to get into the flow of the game and hopefully break off a couple of massive plays for Virginia. Brown averages 15.4 yards per catch and 6.4 yards per carry; the stats say it all.

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Published
Aidan Baller
AIDAN BALLER

Aidan has been writing for Virginia Cavaliers On SI since January of 2023 and covers UVA football, basketball, men's soccer, and men's lacrosse. He is from New York and is currently in his fourth year at the University of Virginia, enrolled in the M.S. in Accounting program.