Cavaliers Ready for Top-10 Road Test at Clemson

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (4-2, 2-1) faces its first ranked opponent of the season Saturday (Oct. 19) when it travels to No. 10 Clemson (5-1, 4-0). Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for noon on ACC Network and the Virginia Sports Radio Network. 

GAME DETAILS
Date: Saturday, Oct. 19
Time: Noon
Location: Memorial Stadium (81,500)
Television: ACC Network • Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), Coley Harvey (sideline)
Radio: Virginia Sports Radio Network, Virginia Sports Mobile App, TuneIn App, SiriusXM Channel 371 

INSIDE SATURDAY’S MATCHUP 

• Four of UVA’s next five opponents are currently inside the AP top-25 – No. 10 Clemson, No. 12 Notre Dame, No. 20 Pitt and No. 21 SMU. Three of the four contests against currently ranked foes will take place away from Charlottesville. 

• Beginning with the Tigers, the combined record of UVA’s final six opponents is 27-10 (.729). According to ESPN.com, Virginia’s remaining strength of schedule is No. 19 among FBS teams and No. 2 in the ACC. 

• Virginia and Clemson meet for the first time since 2020, a 41-23 victory by the then-No. 1 ranked Tigers at Memorial Stadium. The contest is also a rematch of the 2019 ACC Championship Game, which CU won in Charlotte, N.C. 

• The Hoos are seeking their first win over Clemson since 2004 and first win at Death Valley since 2001. Clemson has won five straight meetings against the Cavaliers dating back to 2008. 

• Virginia is off to a 4-2 start, its best under head coach Tony Elliott and best by a UVA team since the 2021 team that got off to a 6-2 start. 

• The Cavaliers are 2-1 in ACC play and looking to improve to 3-1 for the first time since 2019. Virginia has won three of its first four ACC games twice since 2009 – 2018 (3-1) & 2019 (3-1). 

• Elliott is looking to join former UVA head coaches Mike London (def. Richmond in 2010) and Bill Elias (def. Maryland in 1961) to defeat their alma maters in their first meeting as UVA head coach. 

• Clemson has committed only three turnovers all season (2 INT, 1 fumble). In its three ACC games this year, Virginia has forced six turnovers (4 INT, 2 fumbles). For the first time since 2019, Virginia has not turned the ball over in three consecutive games. 
• The Hoos are coming off a 24-20 loss at home to Louisville. The UVA defense held the Cardinals to season lows in both points scored (24) and passing yards (231). Prior to last Saturday’s meeting, Louisville was averaging 303.4 passing yards per game. 

TOP STORYLINES 

• Saturday marks the first time head coach Tony Elliott returns to his alma mater, where he also spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach, including the last seven seasons as an offensive coordinator. During his 11-year tenure on staff with the Tigers, Elliott won six ACC Championships, earned six berths to the College Football Playoff, including four national title games, and won two national championships in 2016 and 2018 as co-offensive coordinator/running backs coach. 

• Originally a walk-on wide receiver for head coach Tommy Bowden, Elliott earned four letters and played in 44 career games at Clemson. He was named a team captain his senior year (2003). Elliott was 3-2 against UVA as a player. His senior year he hauled in a 50-yard reception in Clemson’s 30-27 overtime victory against the Cavaliers. 

• For the second straight year, the Hoos take on a top-10 opponent on the road. Last season, Elliott led UVA to its first win over a top-10 opponent on the road in program history, when it defeated then-No. 10 North Carolina in Chapel Hill, 31-27. UVA came into the game 0-30 all-time in road games against top-10 opponents. 

• Kobe Pace and Sage Ennis both transferred from Clemson to Virginia and played under Elliott in from 2020-21, when he was the Tigers’ offensive coordinator. Pace is currently second on the team in rushing and has two touchdowns this season. Ennis is sidelined for the remainder of the season due to injury. UVA has five players on its current roster from the state of South Carolina – Suderian Harrison (McCormick), Myles Brown (Columbia), Payton Bunch (Pendleton) Houston Curry (Fountain Inn) and Landon Danley (Irmo). 

• On the Virginia football staff there are several Clemson ties, including head strength & conditioning coach Adam Smotherman, offensive analyst Maverick Morris, offensive recruiting coordinator Adam Choice, Director of Recruiting Justin Speros, Director of Equipment Room Operations Eddie Chavez and Director of Football Operations Lindsey Morris, all of whom spent time on staff with Elliott at Clemson. 

NUMBERS TO KNOW 

1 – Number of fourth quarter touchdowns yielded by the Cavaliers in three ACC games this season. UVA is outscoring opponents 45-27 in the fourth quarter this season. 

3 – Number of double-digit leads erased by the Cavaliers this season. UVA overcame 14-point deficits to beat Wake Forest & Boston College. UVA took a fourth quarter lead after trailing by 10 points against Louisville but a late Cardinal TD negated UVA’s comeback effort. 

5.0 – Average solo tackles per game for Jonas Sanker, the second most in the ACC. He has 6 double-digit tackle efforts in his last 10 games. 

9 – Receiving yards needed by WR Malachi Fields to enter UVA’s top-15 career leaders list. 

ON THE HORIZON
Virginia returns home for Family Weekend to host North Carolina (3-4, 0-3). Kickoff from Scott Stadium is scheduled for noon on The CW.  TICKETS