Virginia Football: Players to Watch in UVA's Road Matchup Against Wake Forest

Providing analysis of the key players to watch in Virginia's week two matchup against Wake Forest.

Anthony Colandrea will look to build on his impressive week one performance. / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

After a solid performance against Richmond, Virginia football drives down to Winston-Salem to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Here are our players to watch as the Cavaliers look to go 2-0:

#10 Anthony Colandrea - Quarterback, Virginia

In his first game of the season Colandrea played a near perfect game against Richmond throwing for 297 yards and two touchdowns with a 73.9 completion percentage in a game that was easily won. Against Wake Forest, Colandrea is going to need to be even sharper as the Wake defense will be a big step up in competition. The Demon Deacons return only one of the five members of their secondary from last season so it will be important for the Cavaliers to take advantage of that unit still discovering their chemistry. Watch to see if Colandrea throws the ball down the middle more as that was something the Cavaliers did not do much last week. 

Read more on Colandrea's performance vs. Richmond here: Anthony Colandrea Shines in First Game as Virginia's Full-Time QB1

#15 Chico Bennett Jr. - DE, Virginia

The defensive line struggled last week against Richmond, only recording one sack. We’ve said it a bunch on this website that in 2022, Chico Bennett Jr. had seven sacks, which was momentous for the Virginia defense. The Wake Forest offensive line ranked 8th in the FBS last year and if the Cavaliers are going to win, Bennett Jr. and the other UVA pass rushers needs to disrupt the flow of the slow mesh offense. 

#8 Malachi Fields - WR, Virginia

The senior from Charlottesville put on a show last Saturday night with five catches for 100 yards to achieve his first-ever 100-yard game in the blue and orange. If Colandrea and this offense want to continue to have success, Fields will need to assert himself early in this game to allow the Cavaliers to keep pace with a talented Wake Forest offense. 

#9 Hank Bachmeier - Quarterback, Wake Forest

Bachmeier leads the charge for the Demon Deacons after playing a year at Louisiana Tech and four years at Boise State, a true product of the transfer portal. In his debut against North Carolina A&T, he went 18/28 for 263 yards and three touchdowns. Bachmeier is a pocket passer with an impressive arm and quick release which will be a step up from facing Kyle Wickersham last week against Richmond. To add, Wake Forest had the fourth highest rated offensive line in the power five last year according to Pro Football Focus and with three starters returning to that group Bachmeier should have plenty of time in the pocket. 

#1 Demond Claiborne - Running Back, Wake Forest

Claiborne is once again the starting tailback for Wake Forest after leading the team with a career-high 620 rushing yards and five touchdowns. In the season opener, Claiborne further solidified his talent in the backfield with 135 rushing yards, one touchdown and a 48-yard rush. Claiborne also serves as a kick returner for the Demon Deacons and recorded one touchdown last year against Virginia Tech. 

#2 Taylor Morin - Wide Receiver, Wake Forest

Pairing the explosive running back in Claiborne, Morin is a speedy wide receiver who recorded 41 catches for 617 yards and two receiving touchdowns last season. In his first game in 2024, Morin recorded six catches for 100 yards in addition to a 73 yard punt return touchdown.

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