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UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Notre Dame

Breaking down who you should look out for when the Virginia Cavaliers travel to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Aidan Baller

Xavier Brown will look to build on his two touchdown game against Pittsburgh.
Xavier Brown will look to build on his two touchdown game against Pittsburgh. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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Virginia football will look to build on its upset win over Pittsburgh in hopes of upsetting another ranked opponent as the Hoos face off against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The Cavaliers earned their first road victory against a top ten opponent last season, can Virginia do it again this year?

With that said, here are three players from each team to look out for during Saturday’s matchup between Virginia and Notre Dame:

#13 Riley Leonard - Quarterback, Notre Dame

The Duke transfer has molded seamlessly into the Notre Dame offense, leading the Fighting Irish to an 8-1 record. Leonard is a dual-threat quarterback, throwing for 1,575 yards this season and nine touchdowns while rushing for 609 yards and 13 touchdowns. To add, Leonard only has three interceptions this season as defenses have struggled to disrupt the senior from Fairhope, Alabama. It will be crucial that the Cavaliers place a linebacker spy on Leonard to attempt to contain him as a runner.  

#0 Xavier Watts - Safety, Notre Dame

As the Cavaliers have Jonas Sanker, the Fighting Irish have Xavier Watts. The graduate student has 35 tackles, three interceptions, six pass breakups, and one forced fumble this season. Watts is Notre Dame's x-factor on the defensive side of the ball and will be a player to watch on Saturday. Watts had seven interceptions in 2023. 

#6 Jordan Faison - Wide Receiver, Notre Dame 

Two sport collegiate athletes deserve to be highlighted more, and Jordan Faison not only plays two sports but is a star on both the lacrosse and football fields. Faison was an Inside Lacrosse All-American this past spring and, this fall helped spark a touchdown on a botched punt in addition to ten catches for 106 yards this season. Faison scored one goal and registered three assists against the Hoos last time out on the lacrosse field, and will look to have a similar impact on the gridiron. 

#3 Corey Thomas Jr. - Safety, Virginia 

With Antonio Clary set to miss the remainder of the season, its next man up for the Cavaliers as Corey Thomas Jr. slots into the starting safety position alongside Jonas Sanker.

Clary has battled through a knee injury this season, missing three games, but still is in the top three in tackles for the Hoos this season. Despite his grit, Clary is now set to have season-ending surgery, a huge loss for the Hoos.

Despite the loss of Clary, Thomas Jr. has already proven he can step up, recording the game-sealing interception last week against Pittsburgh and he will be one to watch on Saturday.

#0 Xavier Brown - Running Back, Virginia 

Xavier Brown has emerged as the x-factor for the Virginia offense. Last week against Pittsburgh, Brown had a receiving and a rushing touchdown as the junior leads the Cavaliers in yards per carry with 6.4 yards per attempt this season (minimum ten rushing attempts). If the Hoos are going to defeat Notre Dame, they will need a consistent running game, which will start with Brown. An explosive rush, similar to the 74-yard run against Coastal Carolina, wouldn't hurt. 

#4 Chris Tyree - Wide Receiver, Virginia 

It's a homecoming for Chris Tyree this week as the graduate student returns to his alma mater for his final game in South Bend in his collegiate career. Last week against Pittsburgh, Tyree had his best game in the blue and orange with four catches for 42 yards, which included a crucial 25-yard catch on a 3rd and 15 in the fourth quarter. Tyree was recruited to Charlottesville for his explosiveness and game-changing ability; the question is whether returning home will revitalize Tyree's qualities. 

More Virginia Football News

Virginia Football Depth Chart vs. Notre Dame | Takeaways, Analysis

Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 12 Power Rankings

UVA Football Report Card: Handing Out Grades for Virginia vs. Pittsburgh

By the Numbers: Breaking Down Virginia's Win Over Pittsburgh

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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.