There’s nothing like adding a little fire to the second-oldest rivalry in major college football and that’s exactly what Virginia’s Mandy Alonso and former Wahoo Chris Long did this week.

The biggest question about Virginia’s football team headed into the season was how far had the Cavaliers’ defense come, and specifically could the secondary come through in the clutch.

The North Carolina coach had plenty of praise for Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall, his staff and the Cavalier team this week as the “South’s Oldest Rivalry” cranks up on Saturday night at UNC.

Chris Glaser still remembers a photo from the season-opening game at Pitt two years ago and how it helped inspire him and his offensive line mates to come together as a unit.

It’s the biggest game to this point of the ACC season. Jerry Ratcliffe and Chris Graham break down the X’s and O’s for Virginia-North Carolina.

Taysom Hill was the origin of Virginia’s offensive madness, but it didn’t stop there. Bronco Mendenhall and his offensive coaches, blessed with an abundance of playmakers, expanded the schematics to what Cavalier fans have witnessed the past two weeks: 85 points, 1,101 total yards.

Last year’s shootout between Virginia and North Carolina came down to a mere three points as the Cavaliers won their fourth consecutive game over the Tar Heels.

Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Quarterback of the Week for the second time in as many weeks, center Olusegun Oluwatimi won ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week and tight end Jelani Woods was recognized as the ACC Wide Receiver of the Week on Monday.

Jelani Woods told us during training camp that he chose the number “0” because there are zero defenders that can stop him.

Brennan Armstrong stood in the postgame interview room, still wearing his sweat-stained eye black, full of energy, even though he had just become only the third quarterback in UVA history to throw for more than 400 yards.

Notes, stats and quotes from Saturday’s Virginia-Illinois game.

When you’re a Cavalier football player, you’re part of a family from the cradle to the grave, and never forgotten.

The big news coming out of Illinois football on Thursday was that backup quarterback Art Sitkowski will start for the second week in a row, but with an asterisk.

UVA football legend Frank Quayle joins “The Jerry Ratcliffe Show” to reminisce about football in the 1960s and his career in broadcasting.

Illinois coach Bret Bielema said he was a little nervous that the Illini’s game at Virginia on Saturday might have been scheduled at night.

Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong wasn’t totally pleased with his performance last Saturday night in the Cavaliers’ lopsided win over William & Mary, but his numbers certainly impressed the panel of voters for ACC Player of the Week honors.

“Coach’s Corner with Bronco Mendenhall” is back tonight at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse located off Route 29, Seminole Trail at 3924 Lenox Ave. in Charlottesville.

Saturday morning’s early kickoff at 11 o’clock shouldn’t be a big deal for host Virginia when its hosts Illinois (ACC Network).

Bronco Mendenhall learned early in his coaching career to put the best 11 players on the field, regardless of the configuration on any given week.