VIDEO: Virginia Football Players Preview SMU, Senior Day

Matt Newton | Nov 20, 2024

Virginia Cavaliers On S

Ahead of the final home Virginia football game of the season on Saturday against No. 13 SMU at Scott Stadium, select UVA players were made available to the media following practice on Tuesday morning. Senior wide receiver Malachi Fields, graduate defensive end Chico Bennett Jr., and graduate center Brian Stevens spoke to the media about the upcoming game against the Mustangs, their feelings about their time at Virginia and about playing their last game at Scott Stadium, and what beating SMU to clinch bowl eligibility would mean for this team.

Watch the video below to hear what Malachi Fields, Chico Bennett Jr., and Brian Stevens had to say on Tuesday:

A native of Charlottesville, Malachi Fields has played in 34 career games at Virginia and has been a starter in every game for the last two seasons. This year, Fields has 49 receptions for 746 yards and four touchdowns. He has recorded at least one catch in his last 25 games and is now ninth on UVA's career receiving list with 1,787 receiving yards and is tied with Terrell Jana for 13th-most career receptions in program history with 123 career catches.

Chico Bennett Jr. started his career at Georgia Tech, but transferred to Virginia in 2021 and has played the last three seasons of his collegiate career in the orange and blue. Bennett has played in 46 career games, 31 of which have come at UVA. His best season came in 2022, when Bennett recorded seven sacks and earned an All-ACC honorable mention. This season, Bennett is on pace to set career-highs in tackles (31) and tackles for loss (6.5) also has one sack, one forced fumble, one pass defended, and one interception. For his career, Bennett had amassed 130 total tackles, 66 solo stops, 20.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks.

A former Dayton transfer, Brian Stevens has excelled since transitioning to the center position early in the 2023 season, a campaign which ended with Stevens earning an All-ACC honorable mention as he was graded as the fourth-best center in the country by Pro Football Focus and the top-graded run-blocking center in the ACC. Stevens had started in 30 consecutive games until he missed the North Carolina game this season due to an illness. For his career, Stevens has started 41 games, 21 of which have been at Virginia.

Virginia (5-5, 3-3 ACC) is set to host No. 13 SMU (9-1, 6-0 ACC) on Senior Day and the final home game of the season on Saturday, November 23rd in Charlottesville. Kickoff between the Cavaliers and Mustangs is set for 12pm ET at Scott Stadium and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

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