Senior wide receiver Malachi Fields is a massive (6-4, 220) matchup nightmare for opposing defenses (photo by virginiasports.com).

Finally: the game that never was … will be.

The SMU Mustangs and Virginia Cavaliers have never met, despite one previously scheduled matchup: the teams were set to square off in the 2021 Wasabi Fenway Bowl, but the game was cancelled because of COVID-19 issues

The Virginia team the SMU Mustangs will face at 11 a.m. (Central time) Saturday at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville can be viewed in more than one way.

On one hand, the Cavaliers enter the game having lost four of their last five, including a 35-14 loss at Notre Dame Saturday that was more lopsided than the score. The game against SMU, after previous games at Pitt and Notre Dame marks the third straight game in which UVA will face a team ranked among the nation’s top 25.

(photo by PonyFans.com).

The Cavs are 2-5 against ranked opponents under third-year head coach Tony Elliott; the wins came at North Carolina in 2023 and at Pitt in 2024. UVA has not beaten a ranked team at home since topping UNC October 31, 2021, 44-41.

On the other hand, the Cavs are hoping to pick up their sixth victory of the season to become bowl-eligible, and are welcoming the Mustangs (9-1 overall, 6-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference games) to town on Senior Day.

“We’ve got two games, left, right?” Elliott said after the loss at Notre Dame. “We’ve got Senior Day coming up (Saturday against SMU) in Scott Stadium —that’s extremely important — and then we’ve got an opportunity to play in a rivalry game (against Virginia Tech) in the last game. Man, we’re fighting … we’re scrapping for postseason play. That’s been a huge goal of ours as a team.”

Statistically, the Cavaliers — or “Wahoos” — have put up numbers that would be expected of a middle-of-the-pack team with a .500 record, and many of which are almost even with those posted by their opponents.

UVA (5-5 overall, 3-3 in ACC games) has been marginally outscored by its opponents by an average of 27.5 to 24.8 points per game. Like so many college teams, the Virginia offense attempts more passes than rushing plays, although not by a huge margin: they average almost 34 pass attempts, for an average of 388.4 yards per game, while running the ball 27.5 times per game for an average of 142.2 yards per game.

The Wahoos have turned the ball over 17 times, throwing 12 interceptions and losing five of 12 fumbles, while taking it away from opponents 13 times, on eight interceptions and five recovered fumbles.

Virginia free safety Jonas Sanker has been named ACC Defensive Back of the Week four times this season (photo by virginiasports.com).

But they also are getting more efficient in converting scoring chances into points: UVA has scored on its last six trips into the red zone, including four touchdowns. Elliott and his staff also have prioritized finishing strong, and it appears to be paying off: the Cavs have outscored their opponents, 84-46, in the fourth quarter this season.

Sophomore Anthony Colandrea (6-0, 183) has started all 10 games for UVA this season, completing 180 of 293 passes (62.6 percent) for 1,958 yards, nine interceptions and 13 touchdown passes. Colandrea was benched after completing just 8 of 21 passes for 69 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions against the Irish in favor of graduate student Tony Muskett (6-2, 213) as Elliott tried to jumpstart the stagnant Virginia offense. SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee said Tuesday that the Mustangs might see both Saturday in Charlottesville, but he anticipates Colandrea getting the starting nod again. Muskett is not just a garbage-time fill-in: in seven games, he has completed 26 of 40 passes (65 percent) for 367 yards, an interception and three scores.

Elliott indicated that Colandrea likely will start Saturday, but stopped short of saying the job remains his and his alone. “If we were to play [SMU] today,” Elliott said, “obviously, [Colandrea] would run out there first,” but also said both passers have taken practice reps this week with the first-team offense.

When in short-yardage situations, the Cavaliers sometimes turn to junior quarterback Grady Brosterhouse (6-2, 211) for the Virginia version of the play made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles as the “Push Tush” or the “Brotherly Shove.” Brosterhouse has just 10 carries for 14 rushing yards this season, but leads the team with four rushing touchdowns.

Junior running back Xavier Brown (5-9, 196) and grad Kobe Pace have been similarly productive, running for 488 and 473 yards, respectively, but Brown has been far more explosive, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, compared to 4.5 for Pace. Pace has reached the end zone three times, compared to once for Brown.

Wide receiver Malachi Fields is a big — literally — part of the UVA offense. The 6-4, 220-pound senior is among the best receivers in the ACC, if not the country. His 49 receptions, 746 yards (15.2 yards per catch) and four touchdowns lead all Virginia passing targets. He is one of 29 FBS receivers with a streak of at least 25 consecutive games with at least one reception, and his average of 74.6 receiving yards per game is third-best in the ACC. His efforts have earned him an invitation to the 2024 East-West Shrine Game and a spot on the Biletnikoff Award watch list, as well as inclusion on The Athletic’s “Freaks” list.

The No. 2 target in the Virginia passing game this season has been grad tight end Tyler Neville (6-4, 248), who has 31 receptions for 352 yards and a pair of scores. He also is an outstanding blocker for the running game. The transfer earned first-team All-Ivy League honors at Harvard, where he earned first-team AFCA FCS All-America honors.

The UVA offensive line is a big, veteran unit, led by grad center Brian Stevens (6-2, 300), who earned spots on the preseason watch lists for the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the Rimington Award, given annually to the nation’s best center. Like Fields, Stevens also earned a sport on The Athletic’s “Freaks” list.

Linebacker Kam Robinson has been battling a shoulder issue for much of the season, but UVA head coach Tony Elliott said he expects Robinson to play Saturday against SMU (photo by virginiasports.com).

The Virginia defense operates out of a 4-2-5 formation. Graduate defensive end Kam Butler (6-3, 267) has 35 tackles, two tackles for loss and a pair of sacks; sophomore nose tackle Anthony Britton (6-3, 311) is close behind with 33 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. But the most dangerous threat of the group is grad defensive end (called the “Bandit” in the Virginia defensive vernacular) Chico Bennett (6-4, 262), who has a sack and 6.5 tackles for loss among his 31 tackles, despite frequent double-team blocking.

Sophomore MIKE linebacker Kam Robinson (6-2, 234) has evolved into a force in the middle of the defense, with 54 tackles, five tackles for loss and a team-leading four sacks. He earned multiple Freshman All-America honors a year ago and was one of two linebackers listed on Pro Football Focus’ All-Freshman Team. He grabbed his first interception of the season October 19 against Clemson. Robinson has been battling a shoulder injury all season, but Elliott said Tuesday he expects Robinson to play.

But the unquestioned star of the defense, and arguably the best player on the entire roster, is senior free safety Jonas Sanker, who has a team-high 82 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a team-leading nine tackles for loss. He has been so dynamic this season that he has been named The ACC’s Defensive back of the Week four times this season, earned an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl and is on the watch lists for the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the Chuck Bednarik Award (given annually by the Maxwell Football Club to the top defensive player in college football), the Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player, from the Football Writers Association of America).

The ’Hoos will find themselves filling a large void in the absence of one of the largest safeties in the country in strong safety Corey Thomas, the 6-4, 221-pound grad who Elliott said will be out this week after suffering a head injury last week at Notre Dame. He likely will be replaced by sophomore Caleb Hardy who is “only” 6-3, 207.

The game will feature a matchup of two exceptional placekickers. While Collin Rogers continues to rewrite the SMU record book, Virginia junior Will Betteridge (5-10, 180) also is having a strong season, nailing all 23 extra points he has attempted and connecting on 17 of 19 field goals, with a long of 47 yards. Graduate Daniel Sparks is a big (6-6, 214) punter with a big leg, averaging 43.5 yards on 46 punts this season, including a season long of 66 yards, earning a spot on the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation’s top punter.