Three-List Game Preview 2019: Virginia’s First Trip To Notre Dame

By: Nick Grossman |
Virginia is 4-0.
Charles Snowden and the Hoos will try to pull off an upset of No. 10 Notre Dame. ~ Kris Wright

For the first time since 2004, the Virginia football team is off to a 4-0 start. As a result of this hot start, the Cavaliers climbed three spots in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll, checking in at No. 18. This marks the first time since the final week of the 2007 regular season that the Hoos have been ranked inside the top 20.

This high ranking will immediately be put to the test as Virginia travels up to South Bend, Indiana, this week to take on 10th-ranked Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish were undefeated and ranked seventh in the nation before falling on the road to third-ranked Georgia by only six points last week.

While Notre Dame fought hard to only end up losing, the Hoos partook in an exhausting and demanding game last week as well. After falling behind 17-0 to Old Dominion, Virginia regrouped and rallied to score 28 unanswered points and defeat the Monarchs, 28-17. ND may have had the more difficult test by going up against a top five team on the road, but at the same time, the Cavaliers had to show resiliency and come into this matchup more battle tested than before.

The Fighting Irish look to bounce back following a tough loss and keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Cavaliers look to keep their undefeated season intact and continue to shock the college football world. While none of the players participated in this game, this Virginia team can also avenge the painful 2015 loss at home against the No. 10 Fighting Irish. The Cavaliers blew a one-point lead in that one with just 12 seconds to play following a 1:42, 80-yard touchdown drive orchestrated by DeShone Kizer that drove a stake through the heart of Wahoo Nation.

It’s time to preview this week’s road game.

Essentials

Three Questions

1. Can the Hoos get off to a fast start?

While Virginia is 4-0 this season, they would not be undefeated if the game ended at the half. Not including the William & Mary game, the Cavaliers have been outscored by their opponents in the first half of the other three games by a total score of 45-30. The Hoos have relied upon big second halves to either come back or pull away from the other team, but they cannot count on doing this again this week. The Fighting Irish are by far the most talented team Virginia will have faced at this point in the season. Additionally, the game is taking place on the road in an extremely hostile environment that will only feed off of a slow Cavalier start.

2. Will Ian Book be contained on the ground?

Notre Dame starting quarterback Ian Book has a tremendous arm, but this is not the only way he beats teams. Book has been just as much of a threat, if not more of one, than the Fighting Irish’s starting running back on the ground this season. On the year, Book has averaged 5.6 yards a carry on 26 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Notre Dame’s starting running back Tony Jones Jr., on the other hand, has averaged 4.9 yards a carry on 30 carries for 148 yards and only one touchdown. As the Virginia defense looks to constantly pressure Book, they cannot let him escape the pocket and beat them with his legs. Book extends drives with his running, and there is very little that is more demoralizing to a defense than letting the quarterback achieve this.

3. Can Virginia succeed where others have failed?

Since losing to Georgia by one point in 2017, Notre Dame has won 13 consecutive games played at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. Four of these victories have come against teams ranked inside the top 15. When ranked in the top 25, the Irish have never lost a home game to an ACC opponent. Plus, Saturday’s contest will involve an atmosphere that most of the Cavaliers may have never experienced before. As a result, the Hoos come into the game as double-digit underdogs. The odds are stacked against them, but that may just be how the Cavaliers like it.

Three Opponents to Watch

1. Ian Book, Quarterback, #12

The 6’0”, 212-pound senior is the unquestioned leader of this offense and Notre Dame team as a whole. As Book goes, so do the Fighting Irish. Book has thrown for 828 yards this season, completing over 61 percent of his passes. He has not struggled with turnovers this season, only throwing two interceptions, while throwing eight touchdowns. As mentioned above, he also serves as a threat on the ground. It is no secret that to beat Notre Dame, you have to keep Book in check.

2. Chase Claypool, Wide Receiver, #83

The 6’4”, 229-pound senior has been Book’s go-to target this year. Claypool leads the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns this season with 15 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns. The Bryce Hall and Claypool matchup is one to watch for as both players will most likely end up playing on Sundays next year. Who wins this matchup could be crucial in determining who wins the game.

3. Cole Kmet, Tight End, #84

The 6’5”, 250-pound junior was not much of a factor last season, only catching 15 passes for 162 yards without a touchdown in 11 games played. This season, however, Kmet has transformed into a security blanket for Book. Through just four games played, he is up to 108 receiving yards on nine catches with a touchdown. This production places Kmet second on the Notre Dame offense in terms of receptions and receiving yards this season. As the Cavalier defense looks to pressure Book throughout the afternoon, look for him to target Kmet when he is in distress.

Three Statistics

1. 20 Sacks

The Virginia defense has racked up 20 sacks on the season. That places the Hoos at the top of the FBS with Florida. Leading the way for the Cavalier defense, linebacker Jordan Mack has totaled five sacks, placing him sixth in the nation. Eight different players have at least one sack this season. To pull off the upset, the Virginia defense needs to continue to put pressure on and get to the quarterback at this impressive rate.

2. Third Down Conversion Percentage

While the Hoos have not struggled with scoring points on offense this season, the offense struggled with converting on third down last week and that sent them plummeting in the rankings. After going 1 of 11 on third down against ODU, the Hoos now rank 53rd nationally with a 42.3% conversion rate. Prior to last week’s issues, they had been converting 51.3% of the time. Facing a much more talented team, Virginia cannot afford to have the offense struggle like this again on third down.

3. 38 Yards Per Kickoff Return

There is no better way to set up your offense to succeed than a big kickoff return and Virginia’s Joe Reed has been one of the best in the nation at accomplishing this. Reed is second in the FBS in average yards per kickoff return, averaging just below 38 yards a return. He even took one all the way to the house for six in a 100-yard return against William & Mary earlier this season. Look to see if teams start to try to avoid Reed by utilizing more directional or pooch kicks. If Notre Dame does not do this, the Cavalier offense will hope that Reed can set them up with good field position. That won’t be easy even if the Irish kick it his way – they rank 19th nationally by allowing just 15.57 yards per return so far this season.

Remember when …

The 2015 loss against Notre Dame has already been mentioned, and the Cavaliers are 0-2 against the Fighting Irish all-time in football. There is no need to dwell any more on past struggles, so let us talk about some dominance Virginia has shown over Notre Dame in basketball. The Hoos are 13-2 all-time against the Fighting Irish in hoops. Here are highlights from the Cavaliers dismantling Notre Dame on the road this past season in an 82-55 victory. Hopefully that creates some road mojo for the football Hoos this week.

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