Notre Dame (8-1) plays its final 2024 regular season home game on Saturday as the Fighting Irish host the Virginia Cavaliers (5-4). The Senior Day matchup will feature a pregame curtain call for numerous players, although several of them have another year of eligibility remaining. NBC will provide national television coverage for this contest beginning at 3:30 PM Eastern Time. The pregame festivities featuring the Irish seniors and their families can be viewed on Peacock starting at 3:00 PM.

Among those whose college careers will end are Rylie Mills, Howard Cross, Riley Leonard, Jack Kiser, Tosh Baker, and Beaux Collins. Those who could return in 2025 but are unlikely to do so include Xavier Watts, Benjamin Morrison, Kevin Bauman, and Mitchell Evans. Other seniors with remaining eligibility such as Rocco Spindler, Pat Coogan, Gabe Rubio, Jayden Thomas, and Deion Colzie are undecided regarding their 2025 plans as of now.

Virginia Head Coach Tony Elliott is in his third season in Charlottesville after spending 11 seasons as an offensive assistant at Clemson. His record is 11-20, although the program is moving in the right direction after a pair of three-win seasons. The 2024 Cavs lineup is stocked with seniors and graduate students. They are 3-1 in road games including a win at Pittsburgh last week.

A key player for the Cavs is slot receiver Chris Tyree, who played for the Irish from 2020-23 and participated in Notre Dame’s Senior Day last year. Tyree earned his degree before opting to end his college football career in his home state. Irish Coach Marcus Freeman responded to a question regarding Tyree earlier this week.

“I love Chris”, he replied. “Obviously going against him, you know the talent he is. He’s a really good football player. I’m so happy for him that he got his Notre Dame degree. That’s big. That’s important.”

The most significant injury news for Notre Dame is that Cross will not be available due to a sprained ankle suffered against Florida State. Left tackle Anthonie Knapp missed time last week due to a leg injury but subsequently returned to action. He should be ready to play on Saturday.

 Virginia reports that two starters are considered questionable and will be game time decisions. These players are center Brian Stevens and linebacker James Jackson. Both are expected to see action at least a limited basis. On the negative side, strong safety Antonio Clary is out for the season with a partially torn ACL. Finally, wide receiver Trell Harris has missed the last few weeks and remains out.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE vs. VIRGINIA’S DEFENSE

Virginia’s 4-2-5 defensive alignment starts with three graduate students up front. Ends Kam Butler and Chico Bennett are joined by tackle Jahmeer Carter to form a strong nucleus. At linebacker, Jackson will attempt to go after missing three weeks with a knee issue. His backup on the weak side will be graduate Dorian Jones. Trey McDonald, who replaced Jackson during his absence, will miss the first half following a targeting violation last week. Sophomore Kam Robinson, a rising star, operates in the middle.

This group has been competitive against the run given a fairly weak schedule. Its two best opponents to date, Clemson and Louisville, averaged 190 rush yards in their victories.  Despite the veteran presence in the trenches, the Cavs have not been especially successful at reaching the quarterback.

Notre Dame has struggled to run the ball early in recent contests. Riley Leonard can loosen up this defense with run-pass option plays, especially if his throws are on target. Jeremiah Love and Jadarian Price should then be able to find creases as the afternoon progresses.

The Cavalier secondary is also loaded with veterans. Senior free Safety Jonas Sanker is the team’s best defender. He leads UVA in tackles for loss despite playing on the back end. Nickel back Corey Thomas moved to strong safety after Clary went down. Kendren Smith was elevated to take his place. Virginia’s pass defense has been inconsistent this year, although they played well against Pitt. The Irish should find success as long as Leonard has time in the pocket.

VIRGINIA’S OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

Sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea is small in stature but has a strong arm and quick feet. As is true with most young signal-callers, poor decisions have proven costly in the team’s losses. Wide receiver Malachi Fields is by far the most productive target with 45 receptions.  Tight end Tyler Neville and Tyree are also integral parts of the Cavalier passing attack. Neville has 27 catches for 325 yards while Tyree has hauled in 22 passes for a surprisingly low 124 total yards. This includes a 25-yard reception last week at Pitt.

Tailback is shared by a pair of capable ball carriers. Kobe Pace is a solidly built inside runner with pass catching ability. Xavier Brown is smaller in stature and more explosive. These two and Colandrea have rushed for approximately 450 yards each this season. Colandrea’s sack yardage (204) reduces his net result significantly though. The Irish must be prepared to defend all three.

The offensive line has been the greatest variable for the Cavs this season. Injuries have been an issue but they played well last week when the starters were finally healthy. Right tackle Blake Steen is a quality performer while Stevens’ presence in the middle is vital to their success. Pass protection remains a concern, however, which forces Colandrea to keep his throws short.

Notre Dame needs a disciplined pass rush as Colandrea will exit the pocket at the first sign of danger. He is prone to mistakes under pressure, and the Irish have the personnel to apply it. One concern is Notre Dame’s propensity to start slowly on defense while getting gashed in the running game. Losing Cross this week will not help that situation.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker Mitch Jeter returned to action last week but did not boot the ball with his usual authority. Long field goal attempts may not be possible again this week. Meanwhile, James Rendell continues his up and down ride as the Irish punter. Jayden Harrison remains the primary kick returner for Notre Dame while Max Hurleman has been handling punts. Hurleman has been nursing a sore hamstring so we may see Jordan Faison back in that role.

Cavalier kicker Will Bettridge is extremely accurate. His longest field goal is 47 yards and he has not attempted one beyond 50 this year. Punter Daniel Sparks has a strong leg and sports a 44-yard average.  Tyree serves as both the punt and kick returner. Reserve wide receiver Ethan Davies is the primary alternate in these roles. Neither has broken off any significant gains to date.

SUMMARY

The Irish continue to work on their offensive efficiency. Run blocking is an obvious area that needs improvement. Leonard’s accuracy and timing with his receivers is another work in progress. He has a full complement of healthy wideouts now in Faison, Beaux Collins and Jaden Greathouse, among others. Tight end Mitchell Evans has put himself back in the mix with strong performances in the last two weeks. Leonard has been sharp at times in recent games but also had stretches of ineptitude. These inconsistencies need to be cleaned up this month for what may lie ahead.

The Cavaliers have led in every game this season, so they are competitive within the ACC. A deep core of veterans makes them a solid team but there are very few difference-makers. Neither group of linemen is a dominant force. Fields is their best offensive player while Sanker has earned that title on defense.

Virginia’s cumulative team statistics have all the earmarks of a .500 team. Key measurables such as total points, total yards, turnovers, time of possession, and third down efficiency are virtually the same as their opponents. I noted only two significant disparities. The Cavs have recorded 15 sacks against 31 surrendered and have scored touchdowns on just 39% of their red zone trips against 54% by opponents. Notre Dame’s defense should not surrender many points to the Cavs unless the offense turns over the ball.

Here are a few questions that will help determine the outcome:

• Will the Irish cornerbacks be able to neutralize Fields?
• Which team’s running game will provide production and balance to its attack?
• Can the Irish pass rush create havoc for Colandrea?
• Will Notre Dame’s offense avoid multiple three and out series?
• Which special teams will contribute impact plays?
• Will DT Donovan Hinish hold up inside while filling in for the injured Cross?
• Which team will win the turnover battle?
• Can Tyree break loose for big plays against his old teammates?

PREDICTION

Virginia’s maturity and previous success on the road will afford them a measure of confidence. Although the Cavs don’t possess the raw talent of Florida State, they are more cohesive and disciplined. They will not quit or panic if they trail early. Notre Dame must be focused and play well to win comfortably. Fortunately, Freeman and his staff have made consistent play a point of emphasis since the debacle against NIU.

The Cavaliers like to run trick plays on offense, so look for something creative involving Tyree. That aside, Notre Dame’s margin of victory will depend on its ability to contain Fields and stuff the run. I expect that Virginia will enjoy moderate success in these areas while falling well short of a winning effort.

NOTRE DAME 37  VIRGINIA 17

Tell John what you think in the Comments Section below