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UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Pittsburgh

Breaking down who you should look out for when the Virginia Cavaliers travel to face the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday night.

Aidan Baller

The Cavaliers will look to bounce back after three straight losses.
The Cavaliers will look to bounce back after three straight losses. / Peter Casey-Imagn Images
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Virginia football looks to bounce back after suffering three straight losses as the season has taken a turn for the worst. Fresh off a bye week, the Cavaliers turn their attention to a road matchup against Pittsburgh that should be treated as a must win for the Hoos if they want to make a bowl game.

With that said, here are three players from each team to look out for during Saturday night's matchup between Virginia and Pittsburgh:

#10 Eli Holstein - Quarterback, Pittsburgh 

The Alabama transfer has lived up to the hype for Coach Narduzzi and the Pittsburgh offense. Holstein has electrified the college football landscape in his first season playing, reinvigorating the Pitt offense, throwing for 2,053 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Holstein is the key to the Panthers offense and is still only a redshirt freshman, so it will be necessary for the Cavaliers to get him out of rhythm, similar to the defensive performances by Cal and SMU. Holstein also has 305 yards rushing this season, posing as a dual threat who the Cavaliers must contain if they want to win on Saturday.

#90 Ben Sauls - Kicker, Pittsburgh 

Kickers are people, too, and Ben Sauls is one of the best kickers in college football. The senior from Tipp City, Oklahoma, has been quintessential to Pittsburgh’s 7-0 start, with Sauls going 13/14 on field goals this season, including 4/5 between 40-49 yards and an impressive 4/4 from beyond 50 yards, which included a 58-yard field goal. I understand this is the first kicker we’ve highlighted this season, but you should be watching if Sauls is on the field. Further, the Panthers play half of their games at Acrisure Stadium, one of the most challenging places to kick in the NFL. 

#9 Kyle Louis - Linebacker, Pittsburgh 

Louis has been an absolute star on the Panthers defense this season, leading the team with 68 tackles and three interceptions, one of those going for a touchdown. Louis is also tied for most sacks on the team with four in addition to one forced fumble. The sophomore linebacker is an absolute disruptor for opposing offenses and will look to give the Virginia offense problems on Saturday night. 

#8 Malachi Fields - Wide Receiver, Virginia 

The best offensive player for the Cavaliers; if Virginia wants to win on Saturday, Fields must have a big day. Fields must take on an even more significant workload with Trell Harris still out. With the Pitt defense expected to have an eye on Fields throughout the game, it will be interesting to see if Fields can still have a big game for the Cavaliers. Side note: when Fields is a wide receiver on an NFL offense where he has single coverage, he is going to be fun to watch next fall. 

#20 Jonas Sanker - Safety, Virginia 

The best player on the Virginia defense has been Jonas Sanker in 2024. The senior from Charlottesville leads the Cavaliers with 64 tackles this season, in addition to a fumble recovery touchdown against Boston College. Look out for #20 to be involved in almost every play for the Cavaliers on Saturday night. 

#16 Tyler Neville - Tight End, Virginia 

With Trell Harris out, Neville is Anthony Colandrea’s number-two receiver this season. Neville’s breakout game came against Wake Forest, where the Harvard transfer recorded his only two touchdowns of the season in a magical comeback victory over the Demon Deacons. If Virginia wants to pull off an upset, look for Neville to make an impact in the passing game, especially with all the attention the Pitt defense is likely to pay to Fields.

More Virginia Football News

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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.