The Virginia football team carried three home games for October, but only one on the schedule featured an old rival. That’s this weekend’s contest against North Carolina, set for a noon kickoff at Scott Stadium. The two teams have met on the field since 1892 and its billed as the South’s Oldest Rivalry.
One question on the minds of fans and observers? How many people will be there for this edition? UVA’s previous two home games this month drew official attendance numbers of 38,285 against Boston College and 32,688 against Louisville. While those two teams represent newer conference members vs. long-time rivals like Carolina, those numbers still are really low.
Reporters asked Virginia coach Tony Elliott about attendance and his message to fans at his weekly press conference. He said:
“I know we’re doing everything we possibly can to put the best product on the field. These guys work extremely hard. They’ve shown improvement over the last couple years. I know the athletic department is doing everything they can. There has been a lot of improvements to the stadium, game day atmosphere. There is a lot to be excited about.My biggest message would be we’re in this thing together. It takes all of us. Hopefully we’ve shown that we’re going to work as hard as we can to do our part, and hopefully they can see the that athletic department is working as hard as they can and that we need them. We need folks to be in the stands, create an environment for the guys, and also make it tough on opponents. But the message is we’re all in this thing together. We’re building a program. The fan base is just as much a part of the program as myself and the players that are here in this building. We’re all in this thing together. We do it for them and we want to show the progress we’re making. We’re striving for perfection even though we know it can’t be attained. We’re going to play hard and put on the best show we possibly can. We would love for as many fans to be there to cheer us on.”
It certainly looks like a pivotal game for this team’s hopes of a bowl bid. The Cavaliers sit at 4-3 overall, but they’re on a two-game slide after losses to Louisville and Clemson. With three road games in November, adding one more win before a chance to reset for the final month seems critical to bowl hopes.
North Carolina, meanwhile, comes to Charlottesville with a 3-4 record and a four-game losing streak of its own. The Tar Heels are in a similar position of needing wins to reach the bowl eligibility line.
That figures to make the latest rivalry game a competitive one on the field. Here are a few threads of UVA fans talking about the contest.
- Is this weekend a MUST win for this program? I say yes!!
- If you want to go bowling this year. The UNC game is the most important game of the season, right? This is a brutal schedule. Louisville was such a missed opportunity.
- Saturday is a must win. It’s really as simple as that.
- Are we a better team this year?
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the weekly fan picks with some photos from Scott Stadium earlier in this year.
Fan(s) Of The Week
Go Hoos!
Student Fan(s) Of The Week
Clap if you love the Wahoos.
Feature Photo Of The Week
Xavier Brown and the Hoos hope to run away with a home win this week.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!