Cavaliers Open ACC Play at Noon Saturday at North Carolina

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Game 4 • Oct. 3 • Noon ET
Kenan Stadium • Chapel Hill, N.C.

Game Details
Playing Surface: Grass
Series vs. UNC: UNC leads, 56-53-4
Television: Raycom (affiliates)
P-b-P: Steve Martin
Analyst: Rick ‘Doc’ Walker
Sidelines: Mike Hogewood
Radio: Virginia Sports Network (affiliates)
P-b-P: Dave Koehn
Analyst: Frank Quayle
Sidelines: Chris Slade
Webcast: ESPN360.com
Satellite Radio: XM Radio 190, Sirius 211

Live Stats: Click here for the link to the LiveStats page. Note: Link available 30 minutes before kickoff. Allow 1-2 minutes for it to load at the start.
Twitter: Follow updates live from the press box during the game at UVa’s Twitter Site.

Jeff White‘s Blog: Read Jeff White‘s updates from Chapel Hill.

Rosters: Virginia North Carolina
Game Notes: Virginia North Carolina
Statistics: Virginia North Carolina

Five Things You Need to Know
• Virginia has won six of its last seven games against North Carolina.
• Jameel Sewell had 23 rushes at Southern Miss – second most in school history for a QB and most since 1942.
• Sewell was in on a school-record 69 plays at USM, topping the previous mark of 64, set by Matt Schaub in 2002 vs. Georgia Tech.
• UVa’s defense has allowed just 12 third-down conversions in 45 attempts (26.67%). That is tied for 14th-best in the FBS.
• UVa leads the ACC in net punting (38.53). P Jimmy Howell is second in the league in punt average (42.26).

114th Renewal of the South’s Oldest Rivalry
• North Carolina holds a 56-53-4 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1892. There is a difference in the series record between the two schools because of the game in 1956 that North Carolina forfeited for using an ineligible player.
• The Cavaliers have faced the Tar Heels more times than any other school –
Virginia Tech is next at 90 games.

Cavaliers Have Dominated Series of Late
• The Cavaliers have won six of the last seven meetings and nine of the last 11.
• UVa won 16-13 in OT last year at home.
• UVa used five Chris Gould field goals to squeak out a 22-20 win in Chapel Hill two years ago.
• UNC has not won in Charlottesville since 1981 (17-14), losing 14 straight times; in that time the Cavaliers have won five times in Chapel Hill.

The South’s Oldest Rivalry
• This is the 114th meeting in the long history of the Virginia-North Carolina series, the South’s oldest rivalry.
• The rivalry is tied for the fifth longest in Football Bowl Subdivision history and was the seventh series in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision history to reach 100 meetings with the 1995 game.
• The two schools have met every season since 1919 and there have been only four seasons since 1900 when they did not meet (1906, 1909 and 1917-18, when football was postponed at both schools because of World War I).

Longest Series in FBS History
Minnesota/Wisconsin – 118 games (1890)
Missouri/Kansas – 117 (1891)
Nebraska/Kansas – 115 (1892)
Texas/Texas A&M – 115 (1894)
Virginia/North Carolina – 114* (1892)
Miami (Ohio)/Cincinnati – 114* (1894)
* includes 2009 meeting (this week)

More on the UNC-UVa Rivalry
• Last season, the programs played the first overtime contest in series history, with UVa nabbing a 16-13 win over the nationally-ranked Tar Heels.
• UNC holds a 29-11-3 advantage in Chapel Hill; Virginia is 24-21 all-time against UNC in Charlottesville.
• Since 1982, Virginia is 19-7-1 against the Tar Heels.

Last Five Meetings:
2008 at Virginia 16, North Carolina 13 (OT)
2007 Virginia 22, at North Carolina 20
2006 at Virginia 23, North Carolina 0
2005 at North Carolina 7, Virginia 5
2004 at Virginia 56, North Carolina 24

Virginia in Conference Openers
• Historically the Cavaliers have struggled in their ACC opener, but they have picked things up of late.
• Virginia is just 21-34 in the first ACC game of the season, but has won its opener eight of the last 11 years.

Groh’s Tar Heel Connection
• Virginia head coach Al Groh was the linebackers coach at North Carolina from 1973-77.
• While there, he coached future NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, among others.

The Most Offense Typically Wins
• One of the factors that can be used to predict a winner of this game is looking at the team with the most rushing yards and total offense.
• Since 1940 the winning team has outrushed the loser 53 of 66 times, with one game featuring the same yardage for both. (UNC outrushed UVa, 166-58 last year).
• Similarly the winning team has had more offense 54 times and been outgained just 13 times since 1940.
• The loser has outgained the winner just six times since 1975, but it has happened four times in the last nine years, including the last two years. (In both instances above the 1956 (forfeit) and 1984 (tie) games aren’t included.)

Cavaliers Hold UNC Offense in Check …
• One of the keys to UVa’s recent success has been an ability to keep the Tar Heel offense in check.
• Since 1979, North Carolina has scored more than 27 points just twice (1997, 2001). In contrast, the Tar Heels topped 27 points seven times between 1970-78.
• Also since 1979, the Tar Heels have managed to score more than three touchdowns only twice (when they scored six in 1997 and four in 2002).

… On the Ground, In Particular
• North Carolina’s rushing offense is another telltale sign of predicting a winner. The Tar Heels have averaged 238.8 yards in their last six wins dating back to 1983 but have averaged just 124.6 yards in their 19 losses since then (a tie in 1984 is not included).
• The Virginia defense has been even better against the run since 1993, holding the Tar Heels to an average of 117.7 yards rushing per game, while winning 12 of the last 16 meetings.
• Since 1996, UNC has scored just six rushing touchdowns with two coming in 1997. In contrast, Virginia has scored 24 times on the ground since then.
• In the last 13 games, UNC’s offense has scored 22 touchdowns, with nine coming in two games (1997, 2002), while the defense has scored five touchdowns (all on interceptions).

Turnovers Also Make Difference
• Since 1982, the Cavaliers are 14-2-1 when committing fewer turnovers than the Tar Heels. (The losses occurred in 1995 and 2001, while the tie was in ‘84).
• Last year, North Carolina committed three turnovers, while UVa did not turn the ball over.
• On the other hand, North Carolina is 4-2 when committing fewer turnovers.
• There have been four games since 1982 where each team committed the same number of miscues and Virginia has won three (1985, ‘88, 2003).

Former NFL Coaches Square Off
• Former NFL head coaches Al Groh and Butch Davis face off for the third time in college Saturday.
• Groh is 7-4 at UVa vs. former NFL head coaches.
• Groh coached the New York Jets (2000), while Davis coached the Cleveland Browns (2001-04).
• Groh’s Cavaliers played two teams led by former NFL coaches last year – North Carolina (Davis) and USC (Pete Carroll).

Twenty Cavaliers Earn First Playing Time
• True freshman LaRoy Reynolds saw his first career game action at Southern Miss.
• He is the sixth true freshman to play for UVa this season.
• Redshirt freshmen Kyle McCartin and Bill Schautz saw their first action on special teams, becoming the 19th and 20th UVa players to earn his first playing time this year.
• Here is a list of the 20 players:
• True freshmen (6): Will Hill, Quintin Hunter, Perry Jones, LaRoy Reynolds, Tim Smith, Dominique Wallace.
• Redshirt freshmen (11): Landon Bradley, Javaris Brown, Steve Greer, Torrey Mack, Kyle McCartin, Matt Mihalik, Aaron Van Kuiken, Colter Phillips, Bill Schautz, Ausar Walcott, Devin Wallace.
• Others (3): sophomore Matt Snyder, juniors Patch Duda and Daniel Childress.

Nineteen Also See First Road time
• Nine Cavaliers also played in their first career road game at Southern Miss (all listed above except Hunter).
• Just over a third of the UVa players that competed in the game (19 of 56) were playing on the road for the first time.

True Freshmen Get Chance to Shine
• Al Groh is not afraid to use true freshman, as evidenced by the six he already has played this year.
• Since Groh started as UVa’s head coach in 2001, 59 true freshmen have seen playing time for the Cavaliers.

Sewell Sets School Record for Plays in a Game
• Jameel Sewell was involved in a school-record 69 plays against Southern Miss.
• He threw 46 passes and was credited with 23 rushes.
• The previous record was 64, set by Matt Schaub in 2002 against Georgia Tech.

Sewell Racks Up Rushes
• Jameel Sewell had 23 rushing attempts against Southern Miss – second most by a UVa QB in school history.
• It was the most since Bill Dudley had 23 vs. Virginia Tech on Nov. 11, 1941.
• Sewell now owns two of the top four QB rushing attempts games in UVa history – he had 21 vs. TCU (fourth).

Most QB Rushes in UVa History
1. Bill Dudley (11/1/41 vs. VT) 24
2. Jameel Sewell (9/19/09 at USM) 23
3. Bill Dudley (11/15/41 vs. Lehigh) 22
4. Jameel Sewell (9/12/09 vs. TCU) 21
5. Shawn Moore (11/19/88 vs. MD) 20

Sewell Eclipses 300 Yards Passing
• Jameel Sewell passed for a career-high 312 yards vs. Southern Miss, topping his previous best of 288, set at Miami in 2007.
• Marques Hagans was the last UVa QB to throw for 300 or more yards; he tossed for 358 yards vs. Minnesota in the 2005 Music City Bowl.

Passing Game Shows Big-Play Ability
• UVa has had long touchdown pass plays in each of the last two games.
• Against Southern Miss, Jameel Sewell fired a 69-yard TD pass to Tim Smith.
• Against TCU, Sewell connected on a touchdown pass to Javaris Brown.
• The two passes were Virginia’s longest passing plays and passing touchdowns since 2005.
• Deyon Williams had a 90-yard TD recpetion against Miami on Nov. 26, 2005.

Youth at Wide Receiver
• Youth is the buzzword for Virginia’s receivers this year.
• UVa already has started three freshmen at wide receiver (Matt Snyder, Tim Smith, Javaris Brown).
• 68 percent (34 of 50) of UVa’s receptions have come from underclassmen.
• All four Cavalier receivers on the two-deep are underclassmen, with Snyder, Smith and Brown joined by sophomore Kris Burd.
• Five Cavalier freshmen have recorded catches this year.
• UVa had to replace its three leading wide receivers-Maurice Covington, Cary Koch and Kevin Ogletree-who were 1-4-5 in receptions last season while catching 121 passes among them.

Freshmen Combine for Scores
• Freshman WRs Javaris Brown and Tim Smith each scored TDs vs. TCU.
• It marked the first time two UVa freshmen scored touchdowns in a game since Sept. 30, 2006, when Mikell Simpson and Jeffrey Fitzgerald each scored in a 31-0 win at Duke.
• Simpson scored on a 2-yard run and Fitzgerald on a 23-yard fumble recovery.
• Smith’s touchdown came as part of his first career reception.

Burd Makes Big Impact
• Sophomore WR Kris Burd has started the year strong, with 12 receptions for 133 yards.
• He had a career-high six catches for 79 yards in the Southern Miss game.
• Burd is tied for eighth in the ACC in receptions per game (4.0).
• Coming into the season, Burd had seven catches for 65 yards in his career.

Tight End Returns to Offense
• Virginia TE Joe Torchia caught two passes against Southern Miss – the first receptions by a UVa TE since the last game of the 2008 season.
• UVa TEs have caught 462 passes for 5,090 yards and 39 TDs since Al Groh arrived in 2001, by far the best figures in the ACC in that span.
• The Cavaliers’ returning tight ends have just four career starts combined – all by Torchia.

Buckling Down on Third Down
• Virginia’s defense has been tough on third down opportunities this year.
• UVa opponents have converted on just 12 of 45 attempts on third down.
• That is tied for 14th best nationally.

Defense Learns on the Job
• Six Virginia defensive starters have nine or fewer career starts, with three making their first starts this year.
• Steve Greer, Cam Jenkins and Rodney McLeod each have made their first career starts this year.
• Nate Collins and Nate Jenkins each have nine career starts.
• Seniors Darren Childs (five career starts) also has worked his way into the starting lineup this year.

Mosley Packs a Punch at Safety
• Sophomore S Corey Mosley is off to a good start, tied for the team lead with 24 tackles.
• Against Southern Miss, he recorded his first career interception and also forced a fumble.

Greer Wastes No Time at LB
• Redshirt freshman ILB Steve Greer is tied for the team lead with 24 tackles this year.
• He posted 10 tackles in his first playing time at Virginia against William & Mary.
• Greer is the first UVa freshman to record 10 tackles since Antonio Appleby did so in the 2005 Music City Bowl.
• Greer followed up that effort with an eight-tackle day against TCU and six at Southern Miss, including his first career sack.

Minnifield Makes His Mark
• With Chris Cook missing all but one play of the Southern Miss game with an injury, Chase Minnifield filled in well at cornerback.
• Minnifield recorded a career-high 10 tackles (eight solo, one for loss).
• He also broke up a pass and recorded a fumble recovery.
• Minnifield also returned punts and had one kickoff return.

Howell Booming Punts
• Sophomore punter Jimmy Howell ranks second in the ACC with an average of 42.3 yards per kick.
• He has placed six of his 19 punts inside the 20-yard-line.
• UVa is ranked second in the ACC in net punting (38.5).

Randolph Takes Charge of Kicking
• Robert Randolph has been the starting placekicker this season and hit his first two field-goal attempts at Southern Miss.
• He has hit all six of his PAT attempts this year and is 12-for-12 in his career. He is 5-for-6 career in field-goal attempts.
• Randolph spent the offseason working on his leg strength (much through underwater running) and also competed at an elite kicking camp.
• UVa ranked at the bottom of the ACC in field goals (9), attempts (15) and percentage last year (.600).