The Professor - The Coaching Career of James Xavier

[Google[Bot]]

Let’s gooo big win!

[The JZA]

Hamilton turned up for two, nice! Good win

[Captain Canada]

This ain't the NFL, Bill.

Let’s gooo big win!

Hamilton turned up for two, nice! Good win

Needed it. The season is our oyster now (after this SMU game, that is).

[Agent]

UNC has some nice uniforms. Way to pull out the dub.

[Chillcavern]

Starting to make some noise here in your first year in the ACC!! Two ranked upsets and a winning streak means things are looking good for Coach Xavier and the Cavs!

[redsox907]

LETS GOOOOO

Bill needs to go make tiktoks with his gf - he washed :curtian:

[Captain Canada]

Week 11 Top Stories
With Clemson falling, Oregon becomes the new number 1. Does Austin Novosad overtake Alonza Barnett III in the Heisman race?
The SEC continues to come in scorching hot, with Florida and Auburn set to clash this weekend.
Down goes Clemson! Florida State pulls off the upset in ACC action, 26-20
Now the number 1 team in the nation, Oregon begins their march with a matchup against #3 Nebraska

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Week 11 ACC Results
#15 North Carolina 21 | #12 Virginia 26
#9 SMU 35 | Stanford 32
Boston College 27 | Miami 35
Louisville 10 | Syracuse 35
Duke 38 | Georgia Tech 24
#8 Pittsburgh 40 | Virginia Tech 21
#7 Clemson 20 | Florida State 26
California 31 | #2 NC State 32

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Week 12 ACC Matchups
Florida State (4-6, 2-5) at Louisville (3-7, 2-5)
#12 Virginia (8-2, 4-2) at #9 SMU (9-1, 5-1)
#2 NC State (9-1, 6-0) at Virginia Tech (4-6, 2-4)
Stanford (5-5, 4-2) at California (5-5, 3-3)
Boston College (3-7, 2-4) at Georgia Tech (4-6, 2-5)
Miami (5-5, 3-3) at #15 North Carolina (7-3, 3-3)
#7 Clemson (9-1, 6-1) at Duke (2-8, 1-5)

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TOP 25

Ranking	Team	Record	Opponent
#1		9-1	vs #3 Nebraska
#2		9-1	at Virginia Tech
#3		9-1	at #1 Oregon
#4		9-2	vs Penn State
#5		9-1	vs Oregon State
#6		8-2	at Mississippi State
#7		9-1	at Duke
#8		9-2	BYE WEEK
#9		9-1	vs #12 Virginia
#10		8-2	at Oklahoma
#11		9-2	at Missouri
#12		8-2	at #9 SMU
#13		7-3	vs Kentucky
#14		7-3	vs Northwestern
#15		7-3	vs Miami
#16		10-0	vs Arkansas State
#17		7-3	at UCLA
#18		8-2	at #22 Colorado
#19		8-2	at #24 Florida
#20		9-2	BYE WEEK
#21		7-3	vs Syracuse
#22		8-2	vs #18 Kansas State
#23		9-2	at Arkansas
#24		7-3	vs #19 Auburn
#25		8-2	vs Eastern Michigan

Dropped from Rankings: South Alabama [17], Tulane [21], Ole Miss [24]

Heisman Watchlist
QB Alonza Barnett III, Rs Sr » 27-38, 357 passing yards, touchdown (L 26-20 at Florida State)
QB Sam Leavitt, Rs Jr » 19-29, 187 passing yards, touchdown, 9 carries, 89 rushing yards (W 27-3 vs FCS Southeast)
QB Austin Novosad, Rs Jr » 19-28, 299 passing yards, 7 touchdowns (W 56-27 at #17 USC)
QB Gio Lopez, Rs Jr » 27-43, 505 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, interception, 12 carries, 52 rushing yards (L 53-44 vs UL Monroe)
QB Jayden Maiava, Sr » 22-37, 244 passing yards, touchdown, interception, 9 carries, 77 rushing yards (L 56-27 vs #1 Oregon)

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Players of the Week
WR Micah Mays Jr. (Wake Forest): (45-29 W at Middle Tennessee) - 6 receptions, 130 receiving yards, 4 touchdown, 7 carries, 49 rushing yards
DE David Omopariola (Syracuse): (35-10 W vs Louisville) - 9 tackles, 5 sacks
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WR Micah Mays Jr. (Wake Forest): (45-29 W at Middle Tennessee) - 6 receptions, 130 receiving yards, 4 touchdown, 7 carries, 49 rushing yards
DE David Omopariola (Syracuse): (35-10 W vs Louisville) - 9 tackles, 5 sacks

[Captain Canada]

Week 11 Preview: at #9 SMU


Record: 9-1, 5-1 ACC
Head Coach: Rhett Lashlee
Offensive Scheme: Spread
Defensive Scheme: 4-2-5

Injuries
HB Bennett Galloway, Sr - Torn Pectoral (Out)
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TE Lee Uwazurike, So - Quad Tear (Out)
DT Colin Kane, Fr - Dislocated Ankle (Doubtful)

SMU Projected Starters
QB #7 Kevin Jennings, Rs Sr | 6'0", 185 lbs | 91 overall
HB #31 Jeremy Payne, Jr | 5'10", 180 lbs | 87 overall
WR #10 Jamarion Carroll, Rs Jr | 5'11", 196 lbs | 81 overall
WR #3 Korbin Hendrix, Rs Jr | 6'2", 190 lbs | 81 overall
WR #15 Jaxson Lavender, Rs Jr | 5'10", 167 lbs | 83 overall
TE #85 Adam Moore, Sr | 6'2", 256 lbs | 82 overall
LT #59 P.J. Williams, Rs Sr | 6'5", 317 lbs | 87 overall
LG #77 Alex Woods, Rs Jr | 6'3", 300 lbs | 84 overall
C #52 Bernard Shazier, So | 6'4", 293 lbs | 83 overall
RG #51 Nick Queen, Rs Fr | 6'1", 309 lbs | 77 overall
RT #74 Andrew Chamblee, Rs Sr | 6'6", 303 lbs | 83 overall
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DE #30 Omari Abor, Rs Sr | 6'3", 254 lbs | 88 overall
DE #32 Billy Walter III, Rs Jr | 6'3", 233 lbs | 81 overall
DT #95 Markis Deal, Rs Jr | 6'5", 325 lbs | 87 overall
EDGE #54 Alexander Kilgore, Sr | 6'1", 230 lbs | 83 overall
WILL #47 Ethan Wesloski, Rs Sr | 6'1", 240 lbs | 86 overall
MIKE #29 Brandon Miyazono, Sr | 6'1", 235 lbs | 82 overall
CB #21 Kyron Chambers, Rs Sr | 6'0", 201 lbs | 87 overall
CB #0 William Nettles, Rs So | 6'0", 194 lbs | 86 overall
Slot #13 Jaelyn Davis-Robinson, Rs Sr | 6'1", 190 lbs | 84 overall
FS #1 Marquise Watford, Rs Fr | 6'0", 197 lbs | 79 overall
SS #11 Jaden Milliner-Jones, Rs Jr | 5'11", 198 lbs | 79 overall
K #43 Artie Donaldson, Rs Sr | 6'2", 195 lbs | 78 overall
P #15 Iosefa Shittu, So | 6'4", 215 lbs | 72 overall
KR #15 Jaxson Lavender, Rs Jr | 5'10", 167 lbs | 95 overall

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Coach James Xavier's Gameplan

"Another obstacle in the way of our true goals. We know what we want, and we know what we have to do to get it. SMU is a veteran-laden squad with an excellent head coach and a superstar of a quarterback manning their offense. They've got veterans all throughout their battle-tested defense. This doesn't have to be harder than our games against Notre Dame or North Carolina, but they want this badly. They are currently forecasted to be in the College Playoff bracket and don't want to slip up now. Personally, I don't care what their expectations are. We're going to walk in there with no fear in our hearts and give them four quarters of Hell. That's the standard."

[Captain Canada]

‣ CFB 2026 Regular Season, Week 12 - Gerald J. Ford Stadium, University Park, Texas
(8-2, 4-2 ACC) #12 Virginia Cavaliers at #9 SMU Mustangs (9-1, 5-1 ACC)

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UVA | 16 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 43
SMU | 0 | 14 | 6 | 15 | 35

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So nice, they did it thrice - Cavaliers knock off SMU in shootout

It may have looked a little dodgy at times, as if it was built on shaky foundation. But, the Virginia Cavaliers pulled out an impressive 43-35 victory over the #9 SMU Mustangs to pull off their third ranked upset of the season, certainly building a case for a berth in the College Football Playoff and perhaps if they play their cards right, the ACC championship game.

Though the Cavaliers do have their rivalry game yet to play, so it may be a tad premature to start buying tickets, they have a lot to be confident about. Their aerial attack was relentless, leaving an SMU secondary speechless after allowing one of the most dominant games from wide receiver Jaden Gibson. He tied a school-record 16 receptions and slid past the historic 200-yard mark in receiving. He added two touchdowns to boot.

"He wants his respect," said offensive coordinator Slade Nagle. "Everyone is talking about our running game or how impressive Dom [President] always is, and be that as it may, Jaden is one of the best receivers in the nation. He deserves the respect. He makes our offense more than one dimensional."

The defense bottled up former Heisman hopeful SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings for most of the game, albeit allowing a few splash plays in the secondary that Virginia hopeful have come to expect from a sometimes-hapless Cavaliers' secondary. Though Tayon Holloway did record his second touchdown of the year off his fourth interception to start the game.

Quarterback Anthony Colandrea is officially the all-time school leader in both passing yards and touchdowns, now having 9,003 passing yards and 73 career touchdowns for the University of Virginia. Running back Donte Hawthorne has his school record-breaking 19th touchdown on the season. Wide receiver Jaden Gibson has tied the school record for receptions in a game with 16 - joining Alvin Pearman's 2003 record. He was 31 yards shy of Olamide Zaccheaus' 2018 record of 247 receiving yards in a game.

"We spoke this into existence," said coach James Xavier, seeing his first season as a head coach coming out as a resounding success. "We have a lot more to do, but we need to live in the present and enjoy the victories we have now."

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Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
Tayon Holloway, 17-yard returned interception (Jawan Hocker kick) [3:36]
Team safety [2:33]
Donte Hawthorne, 2-yard run (Jawan Hocker kick) [0:00]

2nd Quarter
Jeremy Payne, 35-yard run (Artie Donaldson kick) [5:49]
Jaden Gibson, 18-yard pass from Anthony Colandrea (Jawan Hocker kick) [1:37]
Jamarion Carroll, 58-yard pass from Kevin Jennings (Artie Donaldson kick) [0:33]
Triston Ward, 40-yard pass from Anthony Colandrea (Jawan Hocker kick) [0:01]

3rd Quarter
Jaxson Lavender, 69-yard pass from Kevin Jennings (2-PT conversion failed) [8:57]

4th Quarter
Jaden Gibson, 8-yard pass from Anthony Colandrea (Jawan Hocker kick) [9:25]
Jeremy Payne, 22-yard run (Artie Donaldson kick) [6:54]
Dom President, 2-yard pass from Anthony Colandrea (Missed kick) [3:19]
Jaxson Lavender, 4-yard pass from Kevin Jennings (2-PT conversion successful) [1:57]

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Player Stats
QB Anthony Colandrea: 29-36, 379 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 4 carries, 46 rushing yards
QB Kevin Jennings: 15-20, 282 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

HB Donte Hawthorne: 23 carries, 79 rushing yards, touchdown
HB Noah Vaughn: 12 carries, 93 rushing yards, touchdown
HB Jeremy Payne: 13 carries, 122 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 receptions, 22 receiving yards

WR Jaden Gibson: 16 receptions, 216 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
TE Dom President: 8 receptions, 83 receiving yards, touchdown
WR Triston Ward: 3 receptions, 48 receiving yards, touchdown
WR Jaxson Lavender: 4 receptions, 96 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
WR Jamarion Carroll: 3 receptions, 93 receiving yards, touchdown
TE Adam Moore: 3 receptions, 44 receiving yards

CB Tayon Holloway: 4 tackles, interception, touchdown
DE Jewett Hayes: 3 tackles, tackle for loss, sack, safety
OLB T.K. Wright: 6 tackles, interception
CB Jaelyn Davis-Robinson: 13 tackles, interception
OLB Ethan Wesloski: 10 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, interception
DE Billy Walton III: 9 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sack

[The JZA]

The streak is real!