Five Keys for UVA to Beat NC State, plus all Game Week story links

By Jerry Ratcliffe

UVA opens year five of the Tony Elliott era on Saturday against ACC rival NC State at Scott Stadium, and here are Five Keys for the Cavaliers to get a victory.

Game time: 3:30. TV: ESPN. Odds: Virginia is a 5.5-point favorite. (Also, note all Game Week articles and podcast links appear below along with our Wahoo Preview).

Key No. 1: If you’ve got a big cannon, shoot it. Virginia boasts the most experienced offensive line in the nation and needs to take advantage. This is what UVA’s O-Line presents across the board: Left tackle, fifth year; left guard, sixth year; center, seventh year; right guard, sixth year; right tackle, seventh year.

Seriously?

Elliott wants his running game to be dominant, and with this kind of wide bodies, plus capable backups, combined with a stable of proven running backs and a quarterback, whose strength is – you guessed it – running the ball, there’s no reason the Cavaliers shouldn’t be able to dictate the pace of the game, move the chains, eat the clock and keep Wolfpack QB CJ Bailey on the sidelines.

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Key No. 2: State’s defense will likely crowd the tackle box early to see how Virginia quarterback Beau Pribula handles the pressure. The ‘Pack will make him throw to see if he has truly improved as a passer. In those situations, Pribula must answer the bell. He has worked on his presence and patience in the pocket. Keep in mind he is working with receivers that he’s never played with in a real game, so those receivers must step up and get open, make plays against State’s secondary. Look for Beau to connect with tight end Dak Twitty to help take some pressure off.

Key No. 3: John Rudzinski’s safeties and linebackers must do a good job of disguising their coverages in pre-snap to keep the veteran Bailey guessing what he’s facing. The defense can’t afford to accidentally tip off the dangerous dual-threat QB about how it’s going to line up. If the defense can accomplish that and throw his timing off, even a little bit, it can make a difference. Don’t be surprised if Coach Rud throws some exotic looks at Bailey in an effort to slow down his reads.

Key No. 4: UVA’s defensive front seven has to do two things: keep running-lane integrity and not allow Bailey to have escape routes if he decides to take off. That goes for limiting the Wolfpack’s other backs as well. Hollywood Smothers had a field day gashing the Cavaliers last season. Smothers is gone (Texas), but UVA can’t give up the ‘A’ gap and certainly can’t allow State backs to get outside the edge. If Bailey does run it, UVA needs to put a lick on him as many times as possible in hopes to eventually wear him down.

Key No. 5: No Special Team gaffes. The easiest way to lose a football game is to give up a cheap score or field position with a special-teams mistake. With so many experienced players on UVA’s roster – remember, the Cavaliers are the most experienced team in America from top to bottom – there’s no excuse for bungling any special team assignments. Punter Daniel Sparks and place-kicker Will Bettinger must bring their ‘A’ games to Scott Stadium today.