Cal-Virginia at Memorial Stadium Set for Saturday Afternoon Kickoff

Cal’s first-ever matchup vs. Virginia next Saturday at Memorial Stadium has been set for a 12:45 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2, the ACC announced.

The Cavaliers (also known as the Hoos) entered this week ranked No. 16 in the AP Top-25, their highest spot in the poll since 2007. They are likely to inch a bit higher after their 17-16 overtime victory at North Carolina on Saturday.

Virginia (7-1, 4-0 ACC) prevailed by stopping the Tar Heels on a two-point conversation try in overtime. Their 7-1 start is their best in 18 seasons.

Cal (5-3, 2-2) returns home after a 42-34 double-overtime loss at Virginia Tech. The Bears, who need one more victory to become bowl eligible, beat Carolina 21-18 a week earlier.

The Virginia game will be just the third time this season the Bears have played a daytime contest.

Virginia has lived dangerously but consistently prevailed. The win over Carolina was a program-record third time this season the Cavaliers played into overtime, and they won all three.

“You showed the heart of a champion,” Virginia coach Tony Elliott told his team afterward.

Virginia has won six games in a row, and the past four of them were decided by two points or in overtime. The team’s only defeat was a 35-31 loss at NC State on Sept. 6, falling to an ACC rival in what was scheduled as a non-conference game.

Quarterback Chandler Morris has passed for 1,607 yards with 12 touchdowns and he was able to finish the Carolina game despite injuring his shoulder.

Elliott expressed confidence that Morris will be available to face the Bears.

“Yeah, I mean it's October, getting ready to go into November, and none of these guys are 100 percent healthy,” the coach told reporters. “They're all dealing with stuff, but he's battling, and you know, I think that we all know that the shoulder, you know, got hurt early, and that's something that's going to linger.”

Morris, a graduate transfer from North Texas, was sacked six times by the Tar Heels.

“He's a warrior, man. He's going to do everything he possibly can to be ready to go,” Elliott said. “And I know that at the end of the day, there's nobody in that locker room who wants to play their best more than Chandler.”

If Morris is not healthy enough to play, the Bears likely would see sophomore backup Daniel Kaelin, who has seem limited action in four games.

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