Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs Virginia Cavaliers Picks and Predictions September 21st 2024

ESPN+ will be covering this week four non-conference matchup between the Virginia Cavaliers and Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Kick-off is set for 2:00 ET at Brooks Stadium in Conway. Virginia comes in with a 2-1 record, while Coastal Carolina is 3-0. The Cavaliers are the -3-point favorites on the road, and the over/under line is currently at 55 points.

Virginia vs. Coastal Carolina Key Information

Virginia is looking to bounce back after a 27-13 loss to Maryland in their most recent game. The Cavaliers, who were -3 point favorites, not only lost outright but also failed to cover the spread. The over/under line for the game was 55.5 points, but the total score ended at 40 points, resulting in an under. With this defeat, Virginia’s record for the season is now 2-1.

Virginia started the game with a 3-0 lead, but Maryland took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Cavaliers 13-7. Virginia then fell behind 17-13 by the end of the third quarter and was unable to score in the fourth quarter, while Maryland added 10 more points to secure the win.

Virginia’s offense, led by quarterback Anthony Colandrea, put up 370 total yards in their 27-13 loss to Maryland. Colandrea threw for 247 yards, completing 56.8% of his passes, but he was unable to find the end zone and threw two interceptions, resulting in a passer rating of 54.67.

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The Cavaliers’ ground game produced 123 yards on 30 carries, with Kobe Pace leading the way with 46 yards on 11 attempts. In the passing game, Trell Harris was the top receiver, hauling in four catches for 72 yards.

Virginia’s defense will be looking to bounce back after giving up 394 total yards in their last game. Maryland’s offense found success through the air, completing 28 of 43 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns. The Cavaliers’ secondary will need to tighten up, as they also allowed 131 yards on the ground. Overall, Virginia gave up 27 points in the 27-13 defeat.

Coastal Carolina is off to a strong start, moving to 3-0 after a 28-20 road win over Temple. Despite being -17 point favorites, the Chanticleers failed to cover the spread, but they still came out on top. The over/under line was set at 52 points, and with a combined score of 48 points, the under hit.

Coastal Carolina took an 11-point lead in the first quarter, but Temple managed to tie the game at 21-21 by halftime. The Chanticleers outscored Temple 7-0 in the third quarter and held Temple to just a field goal in the fourth to secure the win.

Coastal Carolina’s offense was balanced in their 28-20 win over Temple, with 186 rushing yards and 103 passing yards. The Chanticleers picked up 19 first downs and finished with 289 total yards of offense.

Ethan Vasko, who completed 71.4% of his passes, threw for 103 yards and one touchdown. Vasko also led the team in rushing, gaining 92 yards on 16 carries. The top receiver was Jameson Tucker, who caught four passes for 35 yards.

Coastal Carolina’s defense allowed 314 total yards in their most recent game, but they managed to hold Temple to 20 points, resulting in an 28-20 win. The Chanticleers gave up 129 rushing yards and 185 passing yards, with Temple completing 17 of 25 pass attempts for two touchdowns. Coastal Carolina’s defense did come up with one interception in the game.

Virginia is favored by -3 on the road in their week four matchup against Coastal Carolina. We expect the Cavaliers to cover the spread, with a projected final score of 28-21 in their favor.

For the over/under, with the line set at 55 points, our projection of 49 combined points suggests that taking the under is the best play.

Coastal Carolina Aims for Another Quick Start Against Virginia

Coastal Carolina will look to continue its trend of fast starts as the Chanticleers host the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday in Conway, South Carolina. This marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs, and both teams are seeking to build momentum in this non-conference clash.

Coastal Carolina’s Quick Starts

The unbeaten Chanticleers (3-0) have made a habit of jumping out to early leads, outscoring their opponents 79-27 in the first half through their first three games. Last weekend, Coastal Carolina built a 21-10 halftime advantage over Temple and ultimately secured a 28-20 win. Head coach Tim Beck has been pleased with his team’s ability to strike early in games.

“We’ve done a really good job of playing fast,” Beck said. “I talk to our team all the time about starting fast, and I’ve been very pleased with that.”

Coastal Carolina’s potent offense leads the Sun Belt Conference in rushing, averaging 251.7 yards per game on the ground, and ranks second in scoring with 41.0 points per game. The Chanticleers have relied on a balanced attack, with quarterback Ethan Vasko contributing both through the air and on the ground. In the win against Temple, Vasko passed for 103 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 92 yards.

Vasko is second on the team in rushing yards with 190, behind only Christian Washington, who leads the team with 206 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Tray Taylor has been the top receiving target, hauling in six catches for 132 yards and a touchdown.

Virginia Looking to Bounce Back

The Virginia Cavaliers (2-1) are coming off a disappointing 27-13 loss to Maryland, where they struggled to close out the game after a competitive first half. Virginia led 13-7 at halftime, but the second half was a different story, as Maryland outscored the Cavaliers 20-0 to pull away for the win.

Virginia head coach Tony Elliott emphasized the importance of playing a full game and not getting complacent after halftime.

“The least important thing in a game is the score at halftime,” Elliott said. “It didn’t matter if we were up or we were down, we’ve got to come out and play the best second half that we possibly could. … We didn’t do that.”

The Cavaliers have been plagued by turnovers, particularly from quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who ranks fifth in the ACC with 901 passing yards but has thrown four interceptions over the past two games. Virginia will need a more disciplined performance on offense to keep pace with Coastal Carolina’s high-scoring attack.

Kobe Pace leads Virginia in rushing with 153 yards and one touchdown, while wide receiver Malachi Fields has been the top target with 20 receptions for 284 yards. Virginia will also be looking to tighten up its defense, which ranks near the bottom of the ACC in both run defense and total defense, allowing 138.7 rushing yards and 397.3 total yards per game.

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Key Matchups

1. Coastal Carolina’s Rushing Attack vs. Virginia’s Run Defense: Coastal Carolina has thrived on the ground, averaging over 250 rushing yards per game. Virginia’s defense, which has struggled to stop the run, will need to step up to prevent Coastal Carolina from controlling the clock and dictating the pace of the game.
2. Ethan Vasko’s Versatility: Vasko has been a dual-threat weapon for Coastal Carolina, capable of making plays with both his arm and legs. Virginia’s defense will have its hands full trying to contain Vasko, especially if the Chanticleers continue their trend of starting fast.
3. Virginia’s Passing Game: Anthony Colandrea has shown flashes of brilliance, ranking among the ACC’s leaders in passing yards. However, his recent turnovers have cost Virginia. The Cavaliers will need a clean game from Colandrea to stay competitive against Coastal Carolina.
4. Coastal Carolina’s Defense vs. Colandrea: While the Chanticleers’ offense has garnered most of the attention, their defense has been solid, particularly in the first half of games. If Coastal Carolina’s defense can force Colandrea into mistakes, they could continue to build early leads.

Final Thoughts

Both teams come into this game with contrasting trends. Coastal Carolina has been dominant in the first half, while Virginia has struggled to close out games. The Chanticleers will look to establish an early lead once again and rely on their rushing attack to control the tempo. Virginia, on the other hand, needs a more complete performance, especially from its quarterback, to avoid another second-half collapse.

With Coastal Carolina’s balanced offense and Virginia’s recent struggles to maintain consistency, the Chanticleers will aim to capitalize on their strengths and remain unbeaten. For the Cavaliers, Saturday’s game represents a chance to regroup and prove they can compete against a tough non-conference opponent.