South Carolina’s talked-about, up-tempo, pass-happy offense will be missing a key piece in Deebo Samuel for Saturday’s Belk Bowl against Virginia Saturday, but the Gamecocks are downplaying the star receiver’s absence.

If you’re not going to be in Charlotte on Saturday morning for the Belk Bowl, then make sure you get warmed up for the noon game by listening to “The Jerry Ratcliffe Show” on ESPN Charlottesville from 9 to 10 a.m. on WVAX radio, 1450 AM and 102.9 FM.

It was 6:30 on a Saturday night a few weeks ago when Virginia’s coaching staff were hosting a recruiting function at the McCue Center football offices. On their way to the gathering, they happened upon one lone Cavalier player in the building studying film.

We are taking the “Way Back Machine” to earlier this century when Virginia won back-to-back bowl games for only the second time in Wahoo football history: 2002 and 2003, the Continental Tire Bowl(s).

Ever since Virginia received its invitation to the Belk Bowl, Bronco Mendenhall has been adamant that the Cavaliers are going to Charlotte to win, not to just show up.

Virginia football has come a long way since Bronco Mendenhall’s first year on the job when a two-win Cavaliers team couldn’t even beat FCS opponent Richmond.

The UVA football program signed 20 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI) for the 2019-20 academic school year.

Wednesday marked the long-awaited early signing period for college football programs, and Virginia had a memorable day, officially inking several new student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.

Former UVa quarterbacking great Shawn Moore recently visited “The Jerry Ratcliffe Show” on ESPN Charlottesville and talked about the bowl, Bryce Perkins and how the Cavaliers need to finish the season.

It was no surprise that Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins won the Dudley Award this week, an award named for arguably the greatest football player that ever came from the state.

Bronco Mendenhall said his Virginia football team is “wildly excited” about the opportunity to face South Carolina in the Dec. 29 Belk Bowl at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, and that he believes the Cavaliers will be well represented by their fan base.

Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins was named the winner of the 2018 Dudley Award as the state’s top Division I collegiate player.

More than two weeks had passed since Virginia’s regular season ending overtime loss to rival Virginia Tech when Bronco Mendenhall met with media Tuesday morning.

Jerry Ratcliffe joins Best Seat in the House to talk football: focusing on Virginia’s Belk Bowl bid and Liberty’s hiring of former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze.

Scattershooting around the ACC, while noting the coaching changes will have Virginia’s Bronco Mendenhall and his staff watching tons of old game tape to get a handle on what these new additions are all about …

Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall was named to the Walter Camp All-America team Thursday during the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Award Show.

In honor of Virginia’s invitation to its 20th bowl game, the 2018 Belk Bowl in Charlotte on Dec. 29, I thought it would be fun to jump into the “Hootie Way Back Machine,” and take a trip to Dec. 31, 1984, the Cavaliers’ first-ever bowl game.

Five Virginia Cavaliers have been named College Award winners by the Touchdown Club of Richmond.

It’s not often that you get to share the stage with a legend like Vince Dooley, Georgia’s legendary Hall of Fame football coach.

Bronco Mendenhall would have been happy with any of the bowls Virginia was under consideration for, but was fired up Sunday night when he talked about facing South Carolina in the Belk Bowl.