Refreshed Cavaliers Head North to No. 23 Pitt

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Coming off its second and final bye week of the season, Virginia (4-4, 2-3) faces its second ranked opponent of the season when the Cavaliers travel to No. 23 Pittsburgh (7-1, 3-1) Saturday (Nov. 9). Kickoff from Acrisure Stadium is set for 8 p.m. on ACC Network and the Virginia Sports Radio Network. 

GAME DETAILS
Date: Saturday, Nov. 9
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Acrisure Stadium (68,400)
Television: ACC Network • Wes Durham (play-by-play), Tom Luginbill (analyst), Dana Boyle (sideline)
Radio: Virginia Sports Radio Network, Virginia Sports Mobile App, TuneIn App, SiriusXM Channel 137 

INSIDE SATURDAY’S MATCHUP 

• The Virginia-Pitt showdown Saturday night marks the 15th meeting in the all-time series that was first contested in 1953. 

• The Panthers have won 10 of the 14 meetings and claimed seven of the nine games as members of the ACC (since 2013). 

• Virginia’s lone win on the road against Pitt came in the season opener of the 2019 season, a 30-14 triumph in which UVA scored the final 17 points and pitched a second-half shutout. 

• Saturday will also mark the Hoos’ 11th game in an NFL stadium since the start of 2018 season. UVA is 3-7 in such contests. Virginia’s last win at an NFL stadium came in 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium over Miami. 

• The Cavaliers play their third night game of the season and second on the road. UVA is 2-1 in night games this season and has won three of its last five night games dating back to 2023. UVA is 3-2 all-time against the Panthers in night games. 

• Pitt, which enters Saturday as the No. 23 team in the country, is UVA’s second AP top-25 team in the last three games. Three of UVA’s final four opponents are currently ranked inside the top-25 (No. 23 Pitt, No. 10 Notre Dame & No. 13 SMU). 

• The combined win percentage of UVA’s final four opponents (.794) is tied for the fourth-highest in all of FBS. 

• Despite losses to Maryland, Louisville Clemson and North Carolina, Virginia has held a lead in every contest this season, including a 20-17 fourth-quarter edge against Louisville. UVA’s early 7-3 advantage against Clemson in the second quarter was the first by UVA against the Tigers since 2004, a span of five games. Virginia’s 31 points in the contest are the second-most ever against Clemson in 50 all-time meetings and most since 1966. 

• At 4-4 on the season, UVA is looking to hit the 5-win mark for the first time since 2020.  

• Virginia is also seeking its third road win of the year, which would be the most in a single season since 2011. 

TOP STORYLINES 

• The Cavaliers are coming off their second bye week of the season. The 2024 schedule is perfectly cut into thirds by the two bye weeks. UVA went 3-1 in its first stretch and 1-3 in its second. The Cavaliers need two wins in their final four games of the season to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2021. 

• Virginia is 3-0 under Tony Elliott coming off a bye week, including last year’s victory over then-No. 10 North Carolina in Chapel Hill. 

• The Cavaliers have been flagged for 40 penalties (5.0 per game), the second-fewest of any team in the ACC. On the opposite side of the ball, Pitt has committed 489 yards worth of penalties, the fourth-most of any team in the league. 

• Malachi Fields is currently sits in 12th place on UVA’s career receiving yards list. His 1,695 career receiving yards are eight yards shy of Heath Miller (2002-04), who finished his career with 1,703. Fields’ 117 career receptions are three shy of Dane Sullivan (1970-72) for the 15th most in program history. 

NUMBERS TO KNOW 

3 – Number of pass catchers on the UVA roster with 1,000 career receiving yards – WR Chris Tyree, TE Tyler Neville & WR Malachi Fields. 

5.4 – Solo tackles per game this season by safety Jonas Sanker, the most in the ACC and ninth-most nationally. 

179 – Career points for kicker Will Bettridge, four behind Bill Dudley for the No. 15 spot on UVA’s all-time scoring list. Bettridge leads the ACC and ranks fourth in FBS, averaging 2.0 field goals per game. 

654 – Receiving yards for Malachi Fields, the third most in the ACC. Fields has caught a pass in his last 23-straight games played. 

ON THE HORIZON
The Hoos continue their two-game road stint at Notre Dame (7-1), which is ranked No. 10 in this week’s AP top-25 poll, Saturday, Nov. 16. Kickoff from Notre Dame Stadium is set for. 3:30 p.m. on NBC.