The Virginia Cavaliers roll into week two against a much more formidable opponent in ACC foe Wake Forest, who pulled off a 45-13 win over NC A&T. With UVA looking to improve to 2-0, here are our five keys to a Virginia victory on Saturday night.
Hank Bachmeier commands the slow mesh offense for the Demon Deacons, which hinges on the offensive line that ranked 8th last year in FBS football, allowing their plays to develop. If the Cavaliers want to leave Winston-Salem with a win, it’ll be essential for the defensive line to put pressure on Bachmeier, something they struggled with against Richmond last week. The Cavaliers only recorded one sack against the Spiders, and it came towards the end of the game. Against Wake Forest, Virginia needs to get pressure early and often.
Wake Forest loses four of the five members from their starting secondary in 2023, and it will be critical for the Cavaliers to take advantage by exposing one-on-one matchups and testing the integrity and chemistry of this group. This will come down to quarterback Anthony Colandrea seeing openings in this defense, making pre-snap adjustments, and trusting his wide receiver corps to make catches in tight spaces. This involves throwing the ball more in the middle of the field on quick slants, something the Cavaliers showed little of last week against the Spiders.
Winning the turnover battle will be critical for the Cavaliers to get their first road win of the 2024 campaign. Avoiding turning the ball over starts with Colandrea protecting the football and making no careless hero plays that could jeopardize possession. Defensively, it is about making a play similar to the forced fumble by Corey Thomas Jr. last week that shifted the momentum of the game early on in favor of Virginia. Since 2001, teams that have won the turnover battle have won more than 75% of the time, according to the football perspective.
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The Cavaliers rushed for 200 yards against Richmond. To give Colandrea some help, the Virginia backfield, which was outstanding last week, will need to continue to complement the passing game. The lead tailback, Kobe Pace, rushed for 93 yards and one touchdown while averaging over eight yards a carry, and it will be critical the Cavaliers lean on Pace in addition to Jack Griese and Xavier Brown once again against the Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest’s Taylor Morin had a 73-yard punt return last week. The Cavaliers ranked 90th in special teams in 2022, allowed two blocked punts for touchdowns, and had only 58 touchbacks (second-fewest in the ACC) in 2023. Luckily for the Cavaliers, Daniel Sparks looked good during kickoffs, allowing only one non-touchback in game one. If Virginia wants to defeat Wake Forest, reversing the trend from last season and winning the special teams battle will be critical.
Virginia Football vs. Wake Forest Game Preview, Score Prediction
Virginia Football: Players to Watch in UVA’s Road Matchup Against Wake Forest
VIDEO: Virginia Coordinators Preview ACC Opener at Wake Forest
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Virginia Football Injury Report: Hoos In/Out in Week 2 at Wake Forest
Virginia Football Releases Depth Chart for ACC Opener at Wake Forest
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This weekend’s college basketball slate kicks off with a blockbuster showdown between the No. 11 Virginia Cavaliers and the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils. They’ll be playing in Durham, where Duke has been undefeated for over a year. Virginia (25-3), however, has been on point all season and stands a chance at snapping the Blue Devils’ home court winning streak.
At a Glance: How to Watch Virginia vs. Duke Basketball Game
Stream: Sling
TV channel: ESPN
Date, time: Saturday, Feb. 28 at noon ET
The Cavaliers are coming off a big 90-61 win over NC State, and are looking to extend a nine-game winning streak. The Blue Devils are hot off a massive 100-56 victory against Notre Dame. Duke is seeking another shot at the title this year after falling to No. 1 Houston in last year’s Final Four.
If you don’t have a way to watch Saturday’s Virginia vs. Duke game, read on. Ahead is a quick guide on how to livestream Virginia vs. Duke with Sling, plus key details about the matchup.
How to Watch Virginia vs. Duke Basketball Game Online
Saturday’s Virginia vs. Duke matchup will air on ESPN. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the game online using any live TV streaming service that carries the channel. One of our favorites is Sling, which offers flexible packages and a great channel lineup.
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ESPN is included in Sling’s Orange and Orange + Blue packages. The Orange plan carries 30+ channels, including CNN, TNT, HGTV, and ID, as well as ESPN. This plan is available as a monthly subscription, starting at $45.99 a month, but Sling also offers short-term passes that are ideal for catching individual games or tournaments. A one-day pass costs $4.99, a three-day pass costs $9.99, and a seven-day pass costs $14.99.
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If you want more channels, upgrade to the Orange + Blue package. This plan starts at $60.99 a month and carries 50+ channels, including local networks (in select markets), Fox News, NFL Network, and everything in the Orange package.
Virginia vs. Duke Game Date, Start Time
The next Virginia vs. Duke basketball game takes place on Saturday, Feb. 28. Tip-off is at noon ET.
We’re highlighting the many threads that make Virginia so special
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States and Virginia, we’re embarking on a journey to celebrate the rich history of the place we call home. (WSLS 10)
Virginia is filled with so much history just waiting to be explored. As we mark the 250th anniversary of the United States and Virginia, we’re celebrating this milestone with a new series: Patchwork 250.
The series will highlight the many threads that make Virginia so special and celebrate every patch (whether that’s a remarkable person, an unforgettable location or a memorable event).
As this new initiative gets underway, we’d love to hear from you. Share your favorite pieces of history and be a part of Virginia’s ongoing story.
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Using Pin It or the form below, let us know: what’s a unique piece of history from your community that you think more people should know about?
Click here for more details.
Copyright 2025 by WSLS 10 – All rights reserved.
About the Author
Jazmine Otey headshot
Jazmine Otey
Jazmine Otey joined the 10 News team in February 2021.
A fatal collision between a motorcycle and a pickup truck on Thursday evening has claimed a life and prompted a significant road closure in South Reno.
The Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) responded to reports of the crash at approximately 5:29 p.m. on February 26. The incident occurred on northbound South Virginia Street, just north of Damonte Ranch Parkway.
According to the Nevada State Police, the rider of the motorcycle, an adult male, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. The driver of the pickup truck remained on-site, though no further details regarding other injuries or the cause of the crash have been released. Northbound South Virginia Street: Completely shut down from Damonte Ranch Parkway to Bishop Manogue Drive.
Southbound South Virginia Street: Open, but expect “rubbernecking” delays as drivers pass the emergency vehicles. Officials expect the northbound lanes to remain closed until at least 11:30 p.m. as the NHP Highway Patrol Division completes their investigation.
