Virginia has experienced just one winning campaign in the past seven seasons and Friday's contest against visiting Boise State may decide which direction the Cavaliers head this season. A loss would dip Virginia's record to 1-3 entering ACC play and might raise concerns due to the fact that the Broncos are playing two novice quarterbacks after losing sophomore starter Ryan Finley (broken ankle) for at least eight weeks in last Saturday's win over Idaho State.
Sophomore Thomas Stuart and freshman Brett Rypien will share the quarterback position against Virginia after having success in the easy win over the Bengals. "What type of packages we put together this week and how much each one is going to have an opportunity to go in there and run it, that's still a work-in-progress," Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said in a press conference. "I feel good about the quarterback position." Virginia coach Mike London is preparing his defense on the style differences - Stuart is a running threat while Rypien is a drop-back thrower in the model of his uncle Mark Rypien, the former Washington Redskins star - and sees the contest as vitally important. "When you have guys that are leaders and understand the urgency that we have to play up to a level of our expectation, you can't play down, there are a lot of guys that are excited about this Friday night," London said in a press conference.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Boise State -2.5.
ABOUT BOISE STATE (2-1): Stuart received first call after Finley's injury and went 9-of-13 for 69 yards and one touchdown, while Rypien excelled in the second half by going 8-of-9 for 126 yards. Sophomore running back Jeremy McNichols has rushed for 204 yards and seven touchdowns while senior receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes has a team-best 18 receptions for 173 yards but hasn't yet found the end zone. Senior cornerback Donte Deayon (two interceptions in 2015) and senior safety Darian Thompson (one) each have 15 career interceptions - tied for fourth in school history - while junior defensive end Kamalei Correa (two sacks) is the dominating leader of the front seven.
ABOUT VIRGINIA (1-2): Junior quarterback Matt Johns has passed for 790 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions while junior running back Taquan Mizzell has been a force with 155 rushing yards and 17 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Junior receiver Canaan Severin has a team-high 19 receptions for 264 yards and the Cavaliers have another solid threat available in senior T.J. Thorpe, a transfer from North Carolina who is now healthy after breaking his clavicle on Aug. 12. Sophomore inside linebacker Micah Kiser leads the Cavaliers with 32 tackles and 3.5 sacks, while sophomore free safety Quin Blanding (25 tackles) excels in the back end.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Virginia is 2-25 when allowing 30 or more points in coach Mike London's five-plus seasons.
2. Boise State defeated Virginia Tech 33-30 in 2010 in its most-recent meeting against an ACC program.
3. The Cavaliers have had a 100-yard receiver in three straight games - the first time that has occurred since 2001.
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Sophomore Thomas Stuart and freshman Brett Rypien will share the quarterback position against Virginia after having success in the easy win over the Bengals. "What type of packages we put together this week and how much each one is going to have an opportunity to go in there and run it, that's still a work-in-progress," Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said in a press conference. "I feel good about the quarterback position." Virginia coach Mike London is preparing his defense on the style differences - Stuart is a running threat while Rypien is a drop-back thrower in the model of his uncle Mark Rypien, the former Washington Redskins star - and sees the contest as vitally important. "When you have guys that are leaders and understand the urgency that we have to play up to a level of our expectation, you can't play down, there are a lot of guys that are excited about this Friday night," London said in a press conference.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Boise State -2.5.
ABOUT BOISE STATE (2-1): Stuart received first call after Finley's injury and went 9-of-13 for 69 yards and one touchdown, while Rypien excelled in the second half by going 8-of-9 for 126 yards. Sophomore running back Jeremy McNichols has rushed for 204 yards and seven touchdowns while senior receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes has a team-best 18 receptions for 173 yards but hasn't yet found the end zone. Senior cornerback Donte Deayon (two interceptions in 2015) and senior safety Darian Thompson (one) each have 15 career interceptions - tied for fourth in school history - while junior defensive end Kamalei Correa (two sacks) is the dominating leader of the front seven.
ABOUT VIRGINIA (1-2): Junior quarterback Matt Johns has passed for 790 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions while junior running back Taquan Mizzell has been a force with 155 rushing yards and 17 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Junior receiver Canaan Severin has a team-high 19 receptions for 264 yards and the Cavaliers have another solid threat available in senior T.J. Thorpe, a transfer from North Carolina who is now healthy after breaking his clavicle on Aug. 12. Sophomore inside linebacker Micah Kiser leads the Cavaliers with 32 tackles and 3.5 sacks, while sophomore free safety Quin Blanding (25 tackles) excels in the back end.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Virginia is 2-25 when allowing 30 or more points in coach Mike London's five-plus seasons.
2. Boise State defeated Virginia Tech 33-30 in 2010 in its most-recent meeting against an ACC program.
3. The Cavaliers have had a 100-yard receiver in three straight games - the first time that has occurred since 2001.
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