Notre Dame vs Virginia Position By Position Breakdown
By Matt Clark
Here’s how Notre Dame and Virginia match up at every position.
For the second consecutive week, the 10th ranked Notre Dame Irish (2-1) face a top 25 ranked opponent. This week, they face the 18th ranked Virginia Cavaliers (4-0). Here’s an in-depth look at how Notre Dame and Virginia compare position by position, starting with quarterbacks and running backs.
Quarterback
Virginia Cavaliers-Bryce Perkins: 6’3″, 215 pound, senior, 3 star recruit out of Queen Creek, AZ
81 of 124 on pass attempts, 843 yards passing, six passing touchdowns, four interceptions, 52 rushes for 193 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Notre Dame Irish-Ian Book: 6’1″, 200 pound, senior, 3 star recruit out of Oak Ridge, CA
58 of 94 on pass attempts, 828 yards passing, eight passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 26 rushes for 145 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Advantage-Virginia
Both quarterbacks are dual threat quarterbacks and both appeared on the preseason Davey O’Brien Award watch lists, awarded to the best quarterback in college football. Perkins was listed on the preseason Maxwell Award watchlist, awarded to the best all around player in college football. Perkins is big, strong, fast and has a big arm. His dual threat option may give the Irish defense fits, much like Jawon Pass of Louisville did in the first game of the season for the Irish. Containing Perkins will go a long way in deciding the outcome of this game.
Running Back
Virginia Cavaliers-Wayne Taulapapa: 5’9″, 210 pound, sophomore, 3 star recruit out of Laie, HI.
39 rushing attempts for 152 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Notre Dame Irish-Tony Jones Jr.: 5’11”, 225 pound, senior, 4 star recruit out of Bradenton, FL
30 rushing attempts for 148 yards and one rushing touchdown.
Advantage-Virginia
Neither team boasts a run game that has been anything to write home about thus far. Taulapapa gets the slight edge due to his ability to find the end zone, with five rushing touchdowns on the year. Tony Jones Jr. will need to step up in the run game for the Irish, to help prevent a dominant Virginia pass rush from pressuring Ian Book all game.