Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM NOV. 16, 2024 37 GAME PREVIEW: VIRGINIA who relieved Colandrea and completed 8 of 13 throws for 125 yards with 1 touchdown in a blow- out loss to North Carolina, Virginia head coach Tony Elliott affirmed commitment in Colandrea as QB1. Through Week 10, Colandrea was complet- ing 62.9 percent of his passes for 225.6 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He had also run 90 times for 219 yards and 2 scores. There is only so much Colandrea can do behind an offensive line that ranked tied for 113th in sacks allowed (25) through Week 10. That unit is up against a Notre Dame defense that prides itself on defensive line disruption that leads to talented defensive backs feasting in man coverage. Virginia has a true WR1 in Malachi Fields, who had 43 catches for 654 yards and 4 touchdowns in eight games, but Notre Dame has shown the ability to clamp down or at the least limit a team's offensive production if it's a wide receiver who's the opposition's biggest offensive threat. What defensive coordinator Al Golden's group has done leads us to believe it will have success against the pass despite Fields' presence. Advantage: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. VIRGINIA PASS DEFENSE Remember the Notre Dame offense that took three weeks to amass 200-plus yards in a single game, and that was spread across two quarter- backs in junior Steve Angeli and senior Riley Leon- ard? Notre Dame got to that number in three consecutive games against Stanford, Georgia Tech and Navy. Leonard did not throw for 200 yards in a game on Todd D. Burlage: Notre Dame 45, Virginia 10 After a quick 4-1 start, the Cavaliers hit the rough stretch of their ACC schedule and didn't hold up very well, losing consecutive games to No. 22 Louisville, No. 23 Clemson and unranked North Carolina before its game at No. 18 Pitt Nov. 9. A porous defense has been at the root of this tough stretch for Virginia. Through eight games, the Cavaliers were giving up 27.6 points per game, and 275.1 passing and 408.8 total yards per contest, all marks that ranked in the bottom 25 nationally. The Cavaliers' defense was also allowing opponents to score at a 91-percent clip when they moved inside the Virginia red zone. Notre Dame's vast statistical advantages lead to an easy Irish win. Steve Downey: Notre Dame 41, Virginia 0 After quickly surpassing last year's victory total (3-9) with four wins in their first five games, the Cavaliers have come crashing back down to earth with three consecutive blowout defeats. The 41-14 beatdown at the hands of previously lifeless North Carolina Nov. 2 was especially disconcerting. The Tar Heels — who are on their third quarterback — racked up 428 total yards, including 293 on the ground. Meanwhile, the UVA offense surrendered 10 sacks and ranked 120th in the nation with an average 3.13 sacks allowed per game through Week 10. The Fighting Irish are set up to dominate this game with their rushing attack and their defense en route to another easy Senior Day victory. Kyle Kelly: Notre Dame 49, Virginia 10 In the Marcus Freeman era, the Irish have ended the season at home on a high note against ACC foes, beating Boston College 44-0 in 2022 and Wake Forest 45-7 in 2023. There's no reason to think the Irish don't repeat their success again when celebrating an outstanding senior class. Look for some upperclassmen to end their Notre Dame career in another dominant fashion, giving one last spark of momentum for the final two games of the regular season. Tyler Horka: Notre Dame 38, Virginia 9 Notre Dame is a better football team that Virginia and for the first time in the Marcus Freeman era, the Fighting Irish have come too far in November to let an inferior opponent ruin everything they've worked for since September. The Irish offense keeps humming along as the personnel gets better and better at understanding and executing coordinator Mike Denbrock's system, and the defense led by Al Golden is once again a well-oiled machine. I just do not see any ways the Cavaliers hang with Notre Dame in South Bend unless the home team has a major, major letdown. Of course, that's hap- pened before. But not here. Not on Senior Day. Not in the last game played at Notre Dame Stadium until … December, perhaps? We'll see. But this one should be a rout. Jack Soble: Notre Dame 45, Virginia 10 Notre Dame does not lose on Senior Day. Virginia hasn't been doing much but losing as of late, and the Cavaliers will start to peek at their remaining schedule and think, "Uh, oh." No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 13 SMU is a difficult gantlet to get by. The Irish should handle their final home game without much difficulty, setting up a trip out east and a trip out west to clinch a College Football Playoff berth. Graduate student defensive end Chico Bennett Jr. compiled 27 total stops, a team-best 6 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble in the first eight contests. PHOTO COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS Staff Predictions