Previewing Notre Dame football's trip to Charlottesville for battle with Cavaliers
Michael Wanbaugh
Coming off a win against traditional rival Navy, the seventh-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (No. 9 CFP) head to Charlottesville, Va. Saturday night for a primetime matchup with the Virginia Cavaliers. Notre Dame (8-1) has won four in row and looks to keep its path to a New Year's Six bowl game clear against the nation's top-ranked offense.
Notre Dame and Virginia (6-3) have met three previous times, with the Irish winning all three.
AP No. 7/CFP No. 9 Notre Dame (8-1) vs. Virginia (6-3)
Kickoff: Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EST
Where: Scott Stadium; Charlottesville, Va.
TV: ABC
Radio: WSBT (AM 960), WNSN-FM (101.5)
Line: Notre Dame by 5 1/2
Preview coverage
► Players to watch as No. 7 Notre Dame travels to Virginia
► Kelly vows Hamilton will return to ND lineup — just not in time for Virginia
► How Notre Dame LB Drew White continues to play through a torn PCL in his left knee
Irish items
♦ Saturday will be just the fourth meeting between Notre Dame and Virginia, and the second in Charlottesville. The Irish have won all three meetings (35-20 in 2019, 34-27 in 2015 and 36-13 in 1989’s Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.)
♦ In the last meeting at Virginia in 2015, backup Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller with 12 seconds left to win the game.
♦ Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong has thrown for 300 yards in four straight games and has accumulated 3,828 yards of total offense this season to lead the nation. To date it’s the fourth-highest single season total in program history.
♦ Notre Dame’s defense is tied for eighth nationally with 12 interceptions, its most since picking off 12 passes in all of 2018.
♦ The Cavaliers will be the sixth opponent this season that Notre Dame will face coming off its bye week. The Irish are 4-1 in those games with the lone loss coming to Cincinnati in South Bend.
♦ The Irish have won 40-straight games when they have scored 30 or more points in a game and are 73-9 overall in 11-plus seasons under head coach Brian Kelly when doing so.
♦ Excluding shutout victories against William & Mary and Duke, Virginia is giving up an average of 32.4 points per game this season and has allowed more that 30 points a game five times.
Who's going to play?
NOTRE DAME TWO-DEEP
OFFENSE
Quarterback
17 Jack Coan | 6-3, 223 | Graduate
12 Tyler Buchner | 6-1, 215 | Freshman
Running back
23 Kyren Williams | 5-9, 199 | Junior
25 Chris Tyree | 5-10, 190 | Sophomore
Field receiver
0 Braden Lenzy | 5-11, 182 | Senior
4 Kevin Austin Jr. | 6-2, 215 | Senior
Slot receiver
21 Lorenzo Styles Jr. | 6-1, 195 | Freshman
29 Matt Salerno | 6-1, 199 | Senior
Boundary receiver
4 Kevin Austin Jr. | 6-2, 215 | Senior
16 Deion Colzie | 6-5, 207 | Freshman
Tight end
87 Michael Mayer | 6-5, 251 | Sophomore
85 George Takacs | 6-6, 247 | Senior
Left tackle
76 Joe Alt | 6-8; 305 | Freshman
79 Tosh Baker | 6-8, 307 | Sophomore
Left guard
73 Andrew Kristofic | 6-5, 295 | Junior
52 Zeke Correll | 6-3, 295 | Junior
Center
55 Jarrett Patterson | 6-5, 307 | Senior
52 Zeke Correll | 6-3, 295 | Junior
Right guard
62 Cain Madden | 6-3, 310 | Graduate
56 John Dirksen | 6-5, 306 | Senior
Right tackle
75 Josh Lugg | 6-7, 305 | Graduate
79 Tosh Baker | 6-8, 307 | Sophomore
DEFENSE
Vyper defensive end
7 Isaiah Foskey | 6-5, 260 | Junior
9 Justin Ademilola | 6-2, 255 | Senior
Defensive tackle
57 Jayson Ademilola | 6-3, 280 | Senior
99 Rylie Mills | 6-5, 283 | Sophomore
Nose guard
41 Kurt Hinish | 6-2, 300 | Graduate
56 Howard Cross III | 6-1, 275 | Junior
Big defensive end
95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa | 6-3, 268 | Graduate
31 NaNa Osafo-Mensah | 6-3, 250 | Junior
Mike linebacker
40 Drew White | 6-0, 228 | Graduate
52 Bo Bauer | 6-3, 233 | Senior
Will linebacker
27 JD Bertrand | 6-1, 230 | Junior
32 Prince Kollie | 6-1, 222 | Freshman
Rover linebacker
24 Jack Kiser | 6-2, 224 | Junior
10 Isaiah Pryor | 6-2, 217 | Graduate
Boundary cornerback
6 Clarence Lewis | 6-0, 193 | Sophomore
11 Ramon Henderson | 6-1, 190 | Sophomore
Field cornerback
5 Cam Hart | 6-3, 205 | Junior
28 TaRiq Bracy | 5-10, 177 | Senior
Free safety
2 DJ Brown | 6-0, 200 | Senior
26 Xavier Watts | 6-0, 195 | Sophomore
Strong safety
3 Houston Griffith | 6-0, 202 | Senior
10 Isaiah Pryor | 6-2, 217 | Graduate
Nickelback
28 TaRiq Bracy | 5-10, 177 | Senior
11 Ramon Henderson | 6-1, 190 | Sophomore
SPECIAL TEAMS
Place-kicker
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
91 Josh Bryan | 6-0, 183 | Freshman
Punter
19 Jay Bramblett | 6-2, 197 | Junior
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
Long snapper
65 Michael Vinson | 6-2, 230 | Senior
44 Alex Peitsch | 6-1, 210 | Sophomore
Holder
19 Jay Bramblett | 6-2, 197 | Junior
30 Jake Rittman | 6-3, 210 | Senior
Kickoffs
39 Jonathan Doerer | 6-3, 197 | Graduate
91 Josh Bryan | 6-0, 183 | Freshman
Kick returner
25 Chris Tyree | 5-10, 190 | Sophomore
21 Lorenzo Styles Jr. | 6-1, 195 | Freshman
Punt returner
23 Kyren Williams | 5-9, 199 | Junior
29 Matt Salerno | 6-1, 199 | Senior
VIRGINIA TWO-DEEP
OFFENSE
Wide receiver
3 Dontayvion Wicks | 6-1, 205 | So.
17 Demick Starling | 6-0, 190 | So.
Left tackle
70 Bobby Haskins | 6-7, 295 | Sr.
68 Logan Taylor | 6-7, 320 | Fr.
Left guard
54 Ryan Nelson | 6-6, 315 | Sr.
OR 52 Joe Bissinger | 6-4, 320 | Jr.
Center
55 Olusegun Oluwatimi | 6-3, 310 | Sr.
51 Ty Furnish | 6-4, 240 | Fr.
Right guard
69 Chris Glaser | 6-4, 305 | Sr.
77 Noah Josey | 6-5, 310 | Fr.
Right tackle
72 Ryan Swoboda | 6-10, 325 | Sr.
65 Jonathan Leech | 6-4, 280 | So.
Tight end
0 Jelani Woods | 6-7, 265 | Gr.
85 Grant Misch | 6-4, 245 | Jr.
Quarterback
5 Brennan Armstrong | 6-2, 215 | Jr.
11 Ira Armstead | 6-3, 215 | So.
OR 16 Jay Woolfolk | 5-11, 200 | Fr.
Tailback
21 Wayne Taulapapa | 5-9, 210 | Sr.
7 Mike Hollins | 5-9, 210 | So.
Fullback
99 Keytaon Thompson | 6-4, 210 | Sr.
98 Jacob Rodriguez | 6-1, 215 | Fr.
Wide receiver
4 Billy Kemp IV | 5-9, 175 | Sr.
18 Hayden Mitchell | 5-11, 195 | Sr.
Wide receiver
2 Ra’Shaun Henry | 6-3, 190 | Sr.
89 Artie Henry | 6-1, 190 | Sr.
DEFENSE
Left end
94 Aaron Faumui | 6-1, 300 | Jr.
19 Olasunkonmi Agunloye | 6-6, 280 So.
Nose tackle
90 Jahmeer Carter | 6-2, 315 | So.
OR 76 Jordan Redmond | 6-0, 305 | Jr.
Right end
91 Mandy Alonso | 6-2, 285 | Sr.
45 Nusi Malani | 6-6, 275 | So.
SAM linebacker
7 Noah Taylor | 6-5, 225 | Jr.
30 James Jackson | 6-3, 220 | Fr.
BUCK linebacker
6 Nick Jackson | 6-1, 240 | Jr.
33 West Weeks | 6-2, 220 | Fr.
MIKE linebacker
13 Hunter Stewart | 6-2, 230 | So.
28 Josh Ahern | 6-3, 235 | So.
WILL linebacker
4 Elliott Brown | 6-5, 240 | Sr.
31 Mike Green | 6-4, 225 | Fr.
X
7 Noah Taylor | 6-5, 225 | Jr.
41 D’Sean Perry | 6-3, 225 | So.
Field cornerback
23 Fentrell Cypress III | 5-11, 180 | So.
OR 8 Darrius Bratton | 6-1, 195 | Sr.
Nickle
2 De’Vante Cross | 6-2, 215 | Sr.
9 Coen King | 6-0, 200 | Jr.
Sabre
29 Joey Blount | 6-2, 195 | Sr.
20 Jonas Sanker | 6-0, 210 | Fr.
Free safety
1 Nick Grant | 6-2, 190 | Sr.
14 Antonio Clary | 6-0, 200 | Jr.
Boundary corner
3 Anthony Johnson | 6-1, 195 | Jr.
22 Elijah Gaines | 6-2, 200 | So.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter
16 Jacob Finn | 6-4, 205 | Gr.
53 Brendan Farrell | 5-11, 205 | So.
Place kicker
66 Justin Duenkel | 5-11, 205 | So.
53 Brendan Farrell | 5-11, 205 | So.
Kickoffs
66 Justin Duenkel | 5-11, 205 | So.
53 Brendan Farrell | 5-11, 205 | So.
Holder
13 Jared Rayman | 6-2, 190 | So.
16 Jacob Finn | 6-4, 205 | Gr.
Long snapper
57 Tucker Finkelston | 5-11, 230 | Jr.
59 Danny Caracciolo | 5-11, 230 | Sr.
Short snapper
59 Danny Caracciolo | 5-11, 230 | Sr.
62 Lee Dudley | 6-0, 205 | Jr.
Punt returner
4 Billy Kemp IV | 5-9, 175 | So.
14 Antonio Clary | 6-0, 200 | Jr.
Kickoff returns
7 Mike Hollins | 5-9, 210 | So.
15 Perris Jones | 5-8, 180 | Jr.