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Virginia selects uniform for West Virginia bout

The Cavaliers are returning to a classic combination
Xander Tilock|
Jacobie Henderson, in Virginia's uniform reveal video.
Jacobie Henderson, in Virginia's uniform reveal video. | Courtesy Virginia Athletics

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Virginia Cavaliers

In a now-rare border battle, Virginia has elected to don a classic uniform combination. 

The Cavaliers and the Mountaineers have faced each other 23 times — but have not met since the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl, which Virginia won 48-22. To reawaken an old matchup, the Cavaliers will don their plain white helmets along with an orange jersey and white pants. This combination was worn frequently in the 1980s.

Virginia has not utilized this combination in its past nine games. The most recent use came Oct. 18, 2025 against Washington State. The Cavaliers won that game 22-20. Before then, the most recent appearance was Oct. 5, 2024 against Boston College.

Virginia announced its uniform selection in a video starring fifth-year cornerback Jacobie Henderson, a Charlotte, N.C. native.

Henderson has started at cornerback in the Cavaliers’ first two games. Now, he prepares for a rare homecoming in his hometown NFL stadium. Henderson has been a significant contributor thus far for Virginia — he led the team with nine tackles against Norfolk State, and also led the team with two pass breakups against NC State.

Before joining the Cavaliers, Henderson was with Marshall from 2022-2024 and spent 2025 with Rutgers. The veteran corner will be expected to play a big role this Saturday against West Virginia.

Henderson models the Saturday uniform.
Henderson models the Saturday uniform. | Courtesy Virginia Athletics

Inside the matchup

The Cavaliers defense will take center stage in this game. In order to secure a victory, Virginia must stop the rushing duo of quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and running back Cam Cook. That effort is not exclusive to defensive linemen.

Hawkins is a versatile runner, one who often escapes to the boundary and tries to sprint past cornerbacks. Henderson and fellow cornerback Omillio Agard will have ample opportunities to deliver big hits to Hawkins and keep him in check.

This game is the Cavaliers' first appearance in Bank of America Stadium since they lost the 2025 ACC Championship Game. They are aiming to leave Charlotte with a win this time around — and potentially a second time after the conclusion of the 2026 regular season.

Charlotte past and present

Last time in Charlotte, Virginia also wore a special uniform, which was their 1995 throwback set. Before then, the Cavaliers' most recent appearance in Bank of America Stadium was the 2018 Belk Bowl. They wore their standard blue uniforms for that game, which was a 28-0 victory over South Carolina.

Coincidentally, Virginia's most recent game against the Mountaineers was at the same site of Saturday's matchup.

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Published
Xander Tilock
XANDER TILOCK

Xander Tilock serves as the lead editor for Virginia on SI. He previously spent four years as a Senior Writer/Sports Editor for The Cavalier Daily, where he authored the publication’s most articles since 2017 and was named Literary Writer of the Year in 2023. Xander has been referenced on ACC Network, Yahoo Sports, Sirius XM ACC Radio, UVA Today, The Virginian-Pilot, and dozens of other publications nationwide. Outside of journalistic endeavors, Xander graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia in 2026. He is also a proud owner of the Green Bay Packers — and for a final twist, you can find him acting, writing, directing, and producing films and plays. Follow Xander on X @xandertilock

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