Cavaliers Now

UVA Football: Players to Watch Against Boston College 

Breaking down who you should look out for as the Cavaliers prepare to host the Boston College Eagles 

Aidan Baller

Xavier Brown aims to have another massive performance against Boston College.
Xavier Brown aims to have another massive performance against Boston College. / Amber Searls-Imagn Images
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Virginia football exits the bye week with a 3-1 record, the Cavaliers best start since 2019, and will now face its most formidable opponent in Boston College. The Eagles will enter Charlottesville with a 4-1 record, with their one loss coming on the road to No. 9 Missouri 27-21. 

With that said, here are three players from each team to look out for the early Saturday afternoon matchup between Virginia and Boston College: 

#1 Thomas Castellanos - Quarterback, Boston College 

Castellanos was missed last Saturday against Western Kentucky as the Eagles managed to sneak past the Hilltoppers with a 21-20 victory. In Boston College's first four games, Castellanos went 45/70 for 729 yards, ten touchdowns, and only two interceptions, showing significant improvement under new head coach Bill O'Brien. 

Castellanos also poses a threat as a runner, with 43 rush attempts for 112 yards and a touchdown. Against UVa last year, Castellanos struggled throwing for 183 yards, two touchdowns, yet two interceptions, and it will be essential to keep the Eagles gunslinger out of sync on Saturday. 

Castellanos, who missed last week due to injury, was reported as a participant in practice on Tuesday, although his status has yet to be confirmed for the game. 

#6 Donovan Ezeiruaku - Defensive End, Boston College 

Two words to describe Ezeiruaku: Game wrecker. 

The Senior doesn't just lead the Eagles or the ACC but the entire nation with a staggering eight sacks over five games. Virginia only has seven sacks in 2024. Ezeiruaku is a force to be reckoned with as he also leads the team with 32 total tackles and will need to be contained by the Virginia offensive line, which is its biggest test of the season. 

#3 Khari Johnson - Defensive Back, Boston College 

Johnson has had two interceptions this season, with one going for a touchdown. The senior has good hands, meaning any poor throw Johnson's way from Colandrea could be costly. On Virginia Cavaliers on SI, we've emphasized the importance of winning the turnover battle, and not letting Johnson make any momentum-shifting plays will be critical for the Cavaliers. 

#10 Anthony Colandrea - Quarterback, Virginia 

If Virginia wants to earn its second ACC win of the season, it'll start with the performance of sophomore Anthony Colandrea. In the big moments Colandrea has had mixed performances. Against Wake Forest, Colandrea rose to the moment, leading back-to-back touchdown drives to lead Virginia to a 31-30 comeback over the Demon Deacons. Against Maryland, Colandrea was unable to lead the offense to a single point in the second half. 

So what Colandrea will the Cavaliers get on Saturday? 

#20 Xavier Brown - Running Back, Virginia 

Virginia will need a big play if the Cavaliers want to defend their home turf. 

Xavier Brown proved last week that he is more than capable of producing momentum-shifting plays. Against Coastal Carolina, Brown rushed for 171 yards on nine carries; that's 19 yards per carry! Brown is the first Cavalier to rush for 150+ yards since Bryce Perkins against Virginia Tech. If Brown can rip off a long run, similar to the 75-yard rush last week, it would open up the passing game for Colandrea. 

#15 Chico Bennett Jr. - Defensive End, Virginia 

It'll be a battle of edge rushers on Saturday, with Ezeiruaku for Boston College and Chico Bennett Jr. for Virginia. Bennett had seven sacks in 2022 and has one sack in 2024. Could this be the game where Bennett Jr. finally rediscovers his old form? If so, the Virginia defense will reach a new level and head into the rest of the ACC play.

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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.