The Virginia Cavaliers and the Syracuse Orange will face off on Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
For the Hoos, this game has turned into a must-win after the Cavaliers dropped their last two Power 4 games. Of the losses, Virginia fell to Florida State 38-7 in disastrous fashion and to West Virginia 38-27. As for the Orange, Head Coach Fran Brown has opted for former five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson to start for the first time this season, with Steve Angeli and Amari Odom sidelined with injuries.
Read on for a full preview of Virginia vs. Syracuse with everything you need to know, including game details and notes, an opponent scouting report, what to watch for, and a score prediction.
Virginia vs. Syracuse Game Details
Who: Virginia Cavaliers (3-2, 1-1 ACC) vs. Syracuse Orange (2-2, 0-2 ACC)
When: Saturday, October 10th at 7:30pm ET
Where: Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia
How to watch: ACC Network
All-time series: Tied 3-3
Last meeting: Syracuse defeated Virginia 22-20 during the 2022 season in Syracuse, New York.
Virginia vs. Syracuse Game Notes
- Virginia is undefeated at Scott Stadium this season, boasting a 3-0 record.
- The Hoos look to bounce back after allowing five rushing touchdowns and 10 sacks this past weekend against Florida State.
- Virginia allowed a combined 528 rushing yards against West Virginia and Florida State.
Opponent Scouting Report: Syracuse
2025: 3-9, 1-7 ACC
2026: 2-2, 0-2 ACC
After an impressive 10-3 season in 2024, Syracuse has failed to replicate the success of quarterback Kyle McCord. In 2025, the Orange rode with Steve Angeli (Notre Dame transfer) before he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. In 2026, Angeli returned as the starter but now will miss a second straight week due to injury. In relief, Amari Odom stepped in and produced 335 yards passing and five touchdowns to lift the Orange to a 42-41 OT win over UConn this past weekend. Then, on Friday night, Odom, who was listed as questionable, was downgraded to doubtful, meaning former No. 1 recruit Malachi Nelson would get the nod on Saturday.
Malachi Nelson, who is in his fourth school in four years, has been a true journeyman of CFB. In 2025, Nelson threw for 1,163 yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions for UTEP, which served as his only meaningful playing time in his collegiate career. In those six games, Nelson boasted a 1-5 record. Nelson is a drop-back pocket passer, so getting him uncomfortable early will be key. Unlike Ashton Daniels, who rushed for 136 yards and five touchdowns a week ago against the Cavaliers, Nelson is a one-dimensional player.
As for the ground game, Tylik Hill leads the way for the Orange with 287 rushing yards and one touchdown. Against UConn, Hill ran for 140 yards.
In the air, Umari Hatcher is the primary threat for the Orange as he has 29 receptions for 434 yards and five touchdowns. Hatcher is a strong runner in the open field, as the Orange will use him on a multitude of screens in addition to using him as a deep-ball threat.
Alongside Hatcher, Justus Ross-Simmons, tight end Daunte Bacheyie and Darius Johnson all have over 100 receiving yards this season. Bacheyie has served as one of the Orange’s scoring threats, as he has three touchdowns.
The Syracuse offensive line has given up nine sacks this season.
On the defensive side, the Orange have racked up nine sacks this season, but only one of those has come against a Power Four opponent. When Syracuse has gotten home, linebacker Keyshawn Johnson and defensive lineman Tunmise Adeleye have been in the mix with 3.5 and 3 sacks, respectively. Expect the Orange to bring pressure after watching FSU record 10 sacks against Virginia last time out.
In the turnover department, Syracuse has recovered four fumbles and recorded two interceptions.
Looking at Syracuse’s season as a whole, the Orange opened up their campaign with a 66-3 victory over New Hampshire. To start ACC play, Syracuse fell to Cal 21-18 as Syracuse was outscored 14-6 in the second half.
A week later, Syracuse lost on the road to Pittsburgh in similar fashion after trailing 17-10 at the half; the Orange only mustered three points in the second half as they fell 27-13. Last time out against UConn, after leading 27-14 at halftime, the Huskies outscored the Orange 20-7 in the second half to force overtime. It’s safe to say Syracuse has struggled in the second half.
What to Watch For in Virginia vs. Pittsburgh
The Quarterback Battle
With Nelson debuting for Syracuse and Beau Pribula looking to get back on track, this game will be dictated at the quarterback position. For Nelson, he will look to audition for why he should be the starter, while Pribula will aim to bounce back after being sacked 10 times last week against Florida State and leading the Virginia offense to a mere seven points. If the rushing attack once again isn’t there, Beau Pribula will need to showcase his arm talent and force defenses to respect him as a downfield passer.
Can the Virginia Defense contain Umari Hatcher?
Against FSU, the ground attack was the problem for the Hoos, but against the Orange, limiting the air threat of Umari Hatcher will be critical. The Orange run a lot of RPO’s within their offense and have looked to Hatcher for quick screen passes. After last week’s defensive disaster, stopping the run will certainly be top of mind, but not allowing Hatcher to get going early will be important for a Virginia secondary that limited FSU star receiver Duce Robinson to two catches last week.
Can the Virginia Offensive Line return to its dominant form?
In the season opener against NC State, the Hoos rushed for 258 yards behind an offensive line that dominated all afternoon. Since then, the Hoos have struggled as they only ran for 37 yards against FSU. Offensive Coordinator Des Kitchings has favored a heavy rushing attack throughout his tenure, as the Hoos have run the ball third most this season in the ACC and second most in 2025. If Virginia wants to win games, it will start with the UVa offensive line returning to its old form and allowing the Cavaliers to play bully-ball football.
Virginia vs. Pittsburgh Prediction
After the crushing FSU loss, the Cavaliers’ morale is at a season-low. On the other side, Syracuse is looking to garner its first ACC win of the season behind a brand new quarterback. With Nelson, having never beaten a Power 4 opponent in his career, going on the road isn’t exactly the best place to start. This game should not be close as the Cavaliers return to winning ways.
Score prediction: Virginia 34, Syracuse 13
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