In just three days, the Virginia Cavaliers will fight to start the season 1-0. Coach Tony Elliott’s team has battled and tinkered through a long offseason to get to this game week — and excitement is palpable. Here are 10 important notes to know for the game. Unmatched experienceOf all Power Four teams, Virginia has the most career snaps, starts and games played on its roster. The Cavaliers also lead all of college football with a whopping 31 graduate players. This may be just a statistic, but experience can be paramount in the fourth quarter. When both teams are tired, and mistakes become more common, the team with more veterans has a better chance of staying afloat. A tough opponentSince 2020, NC State has the second most wins in the ACC. It is a program that has rarely ever been in the top tier of the conference, but has always buoyed around the second level. The Wolfpack have had Virginia’s number, though — winning the previous four matchups. Elliott has yet to defeat NC State as head coach of the Cavaliers.Last time outIn the 2025 meeting, Virginia lost 35-31 in an offensive frenzy. The Cavaliers and Wolfpack combined for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense, fueled by elite production from each team’s star running back. This year, both Virginia and NC State will have new starting running backs, as well as reloaded receiving rooms.The Cavaliers are hoping for another elite defenseIn 2025, Virginia had the No. 2 scoring defense in the ACC. The Cavaliers finished among the conference’s top five teams in all major defensive statistics. Most importantly, Virginia continued to get better and better as the season went on — holding opponents to 21 points or fewer in the final eight games.The best offensive line in the ACC?The Cavaliers are absolutely loaded up front. All five starters have had at least one all-conference season (McKale Boley, Noah Josey, Drake Metcalf, Makilan Thomas and Monroe Mills). Last year, Virginia did not allow a sack in 35% of its games. A victory would mark a major program milestoneThis season opener is the 1,400th game in program history. Virginia is one win away from win No. 700. The Cavaliers’ record is 699-652-48. Virginia would become the 38th FBS program to reach 700 wins if it can do so Saturday. Previous connectionsThere are a lot of connections between these two teams. Offensive coordinator Des Kitchings spent several years in Raleigh, N.C. with the Wolfpack. There are also some connections from players who are new transfers. Safety Jalen McNair played with NC State receiver Victor Snow (Buffalo), defensive end Matthew Fobbs-White played with Wolfpack linebacker Harvey Dyson and the list goes on.PreparationsWhen given extra time off of a bye week, Virginia is 6-0 under Elliott. Technically, the Cavaliers did get some additional time to prepare for NC State — which they started doing last Thursday. Virginia should be well-prepared at home with a veteran lineup. Big playsIn last season’s matchup, NC State produced seven plays of 20-plus yards while Virginia produced four. The Cavaliers will need to limit the Wolfpack’s explosive offense in order to build a stable lead.Virginia aiming for more early successElliott is currently undefeated in August as the Cavalier leader. He and Virginia are trying to win their third consecutive ACC opener, and move the program to 10-1 in their last 11 home openers. In program history, the Cavaliers have gone 88-38-9 in season openers, although they have never won one this early.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow