After suffering another gut wrenching loss in the Queen City, the Virginia Cavaliers have turned the page, and will close their non-conference slate with Delaware. Kickoff is slated for Saturday at 6:00 pm at Scott Stadium.
The Blue Hens are a primary example of a successful FCS-to-the-FBS transition, securing a bowl game appearance and victory in their first season in 2025. Delaware’s first three games of 2026 have further reinforced that they are a legitimate contender in Conference USA. They currently
sit at 2-1, with a blowout win over FCS Merrimack, a competitive loss at Vanderbilt, and a home victory over an improved Coastal Carolina team.
The ‘Hoos are a bookmaker-consensus 19.5 point favorite. The expected total lies at 52.5, implying about a 35-17 ballgame. Delaware does have some playmakers and may come out firing with confidence. With that said, only two Group of 6 schools have defeated Power Conference institutions this season, with a few other close calls. If UVA wants to remain a serious contender in the ACC landscape, they should take care of business here.
Here are our three keys to victory, and a more positive outlook heading into conference play:
Dominate in the trenches
It is well-established that the identity of this Virginia team was going to revolve around the offensive line. The season opener against NC State provided a clear-as-day example of that, with the ‘Hoos running the ball relentlessly, and occasionally mixing in the play action. West Virginia was able to match up more effectively with UVA from a personnel standpoint, but more notably, they exposed some of Virginia’s holes schematically, loading the box and causing confusion with exotic blitz packages.
Delaware is a team that, similarly to NC State, UVA should overwhelm physically to such an extent that there is not much that the opposing defensive coordinator could counter with. Left guard Noah Josey (ankle) may be ready for the weekend, and that would be massive. Even if Ben York has to play in Josey’s absence, offensive line coach Joey Orck’s group should have a significant edge in this department. If all goes as planned, they will be able to revert to running the ball efficiently.
Instill confidence in the passing game
Factoring out the Norfolk State game (where the Cavaliers could have done whatever they wanted to at will), Virginia’s offensive staff has not displayed much confidence in quarterback Beau Pribula’s passing ability. In the WVU contest in particular, Pribula was not utilized consistently as a pocket passer until the Wahoos were chasing multiple scores; offensive coordinator Des Kitchings continued to double down on the running game, even when the Mountaineers keyed against it.
Quite frankly, Virginia’s conservative play calling has been more revealing as to where Pribula currently fares as a passer, compared to anything he has or has not shown through two FBS games. The wide receivers have not exactly helped either, especially regarding their ability to create separation. Outside of a few select moments, primarily Rico Flores’ contested fourth down grab in the third quarter against the Mountaineers, nobody has stood out in that room.
With that said, opponents are going to utilize similar defensive strategies to West Virginia, and at some point, the ‘Hoos are going to need to air the ball out to win games. Delaware likely has among the weaker secondaries that UVA will see this season, so the volume of passing success has to start now in Week 4.
Yes, Kitchings should stick with a run-first game plan, but it should be used to set up the passing game, rather than just his exclusive mode of attack.
Clean up the back end of the defense
Virginia’s defensive performance was certainly not up to par in the WVU game. We saw things that were resemblant of early last season – assignment breakdowns, missed tackles, and the lack of enough backfield pressure to mask those deficiencies.
Delaware’s biggest strength is their passing game. Quarterback Nick Minicucci threw for over 3,500 yards in 2025, and is on a similar track to start the new season. Wideout Sean Wilson is widely regarded as one of the best receivers in the Group of 6, and former Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech wide receiver Da’Wain Lofton is typically good for an explosive play or two.
Virginia has defensive playmakers of their own, but the Blue Hens pose a legitimate challenge in the vertical passing game. Brandyn Hillman should presumably return to a full workload at strong safety, which is critical.
Will we see steady improvement in defensive coordinator John Rudzinski’s secondary as the season progresses? This game may be a major indication of that.
Prediction: Virginia 31, Delaware 17
