VIRGINIA (6-6) VS. NAVY (6-6)
Site: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Md.
Kickoff: Thursday, 1:30 p.m. TV: ESPN.
Line: Navy by 1.
All-time series: Navy leads 23-10.
Last meeting: Virginia 47, Navy 10 (1994).
VIRGINIA
Coach: Bronco Mendenhall (2nd season, 8-16; overall 13th season, 107-59).
All-time postseason: 7-11.
Last postseason appearance: Lost to Auburn 43-24 in 2011 Peach Bowl.
Draft spotlight: SS Quin Blanding. Finishing up his fourth year as a starter, Blanding’s experience as an every-down threat and overall solid defender is something most safeties in this class cannot compare to. That said, there aren’t any standout physical traits to his game. Read full report here.
Other Cavaliers to watch: QB Kurt Benkert, WR Donovan Dowling, DE Andrew Brown, LB Micah Kiser.
Cavalier Outlooks: UVa has held opponents to just 70 percent success in the red zone, ranking No.5 in the nation. … Blanding has 479 career tackles, tops among active FBS players. He’s the Cavaliers’ all-time leader. … Kiser captured the William Campbell Trophy, known as the “academic Heisman” that combines excellence in the classroom and on the field.
NAVY
Coach: Ken Niumatalolo (10th season, 83-48).
All-time postseason: 10-11-1.
Last postseason appearance: Lost to Louisiana Tech 48-45 in 2016 Armed Forces Bowl.
Draft spotlight: G Evan Martin. Versatile athlete who consistently works to fine-tune his technique. The Missouri native is strong enough to execute one-on-one blocks consistently, but athletic enough to pull to the left side and be a lead blocker on sweeps.
Other Midshipmen to watch: WR Tyler Carmona, LB Micah Thomas, LB D.J. Palmore.
Midshipmen Bits: Navy makes its 14th bowl appearance in the past 15 years, and second in the past three to keep them at home. The Midshipmen beat Pitt two years ago. … Navy has scored just 44 points in its last three outings, its lowest three-game total since 2006. … Seven Navy contests in 2017 were decided by eight points or less, posting a 3-4 mark in those games.
* underclass draft prospect