Virginia Football Aims for New Heights Against Rival
The Cavaliers seek to remain undefeated in 2024 with a matchup against Maryland on Saturday.
After overcoming a multi-score deficit late in the fourth quarter to defeat Wake Forest, Virginia brings its 2-0 record back to Charlottesville. The Cavaliers (2-0, 1-0 ACC) had an exciting but inconsistent game in Week Two, amassing over 400 yards of total offense thanks to a potent passing attack. A standout was graduate tight end Tyler Neville, who tallied 68 yards and two crucial touchdowns. If Neville and the receiving corps continue to excel, a third victory seems likely for the Cavaliers.
Conversely, the Terrapins (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten) were close to victory in their Week Two match but suffered a defensive collapse, losing 27-24 to Michigan State. Despite a strong team performance, issues establishing the running game and a missed field goal were costly. Notably, Maryland defeated Virginia 42-14 in 2023 and will look to bounce back from their recent loss.
A key storyline in this matchup will be the quarterbacks. Virginia sophomore Anthony Colandrea and Maryland junior Billy Edwards Jr. are both dual-threat quarterbacks, but Colandrea has more of a “gunslinging” style, while Edwards is more reserved. Both quarterbacks, however, have shown tendencies to throw interceptions.
The receiving units are also crucial to watch. Each team has an electric lead receiver—Malachi Fields for Virginia and Tai Felton
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