1. Malachi Fields is becoming a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.

If the senior receiver continues on at the same pace he’s been on through the first two games, it’s going to be a great year for him and a long one for opposing defenders.

Although Fields has yet to score his first touchdown of the season, he has been UVa’s top pass catcher and has come up big when called upon. The Charlottesville native leads the Wahoos in receptions with 16 and yards with 248, averaging more than 15 yards per catch. Fields, who was UVa’s No. 2 wideout last year behind record-setter Malik Washington, has ascended to that WR1 role and has developed a great chemistry with Cavalier QB Anthony Colandrea.

“He's 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and hard to tackle, and what you're seeing is that he's getting a lot of yards after contact because getting the ball in his hands, he's making people miss, something that we didn't see a ton of last year but we knew he was capable of,” Tony Elliott said during Tuesday’s press conference.

Fields is a different kind of player than Washington was a year ago but his physicality presents a different challenge for defenses. So far, they haven’t been up to that challenge.

2. Jack Witmer’s hard work has paid off.

UVa’s offensive line put together another solid performance last weekend at Wake Forest and has done a great job protecting Colandrea thus far. Through two games, Colandrea has taken just three sacks and has had time to make plays down the field. The success of the line is even more impressive when remembering that they’ve been without their projected starting left tackle, McKale Boley, who is still battling back from an ankle injury.

Witmer, a former tight end, has played in Boley’s place and has done more than a serviceable job thus far. Development is critical for offensive linemen, but even more so for a player like Witmer that didn’t even start at the position.

“Just really, really proud of his investment,” Elliott said of Witmer, who could have to play again on Saturday as Boley is still day to day. “He's invested in the group. You kind of wonder, okay, here's a guy that's a skill guy, now he's going to an offensive line room because each position has a different temperament, and he fit right in with the guys. He's really embraced it, and just super proud of the production that he's been able to have in the absence of Boley.”

3. It appears that UVa avoided long-term injuries on defense last weekend.

Despite getting out of Winston-Salem with a win, it was a long night for several Cavalier defenders as injuries piled up on the Allegacy Stadium playing surface.

UVa lost several defensive players for the game or at least a few snaps, namely linebacker Kam Robinson and defensive back Corey Thomas. Robinson put a knee brace on at the half and tried to get back in the game but did not return. Thomas was banged up at one point, then returned to the game, and then got nicked up again.

The good news is that it seems UVa avoided the worst-case scenario and came out relatively healthy, which is especially comforting given all the injuries that occurred within the game. Elliott said yesterday that Thomas is back and a full go ahead of this weekend’s game at Maryland. Robinson, meanwhile, has an MCL sprain and is still listed on the depth chart, though his status is still unknown for Saturday’s game. If he can’t go, Trey McDonald will start in his place, coming off of an impressive performance in relief last weekend when he recorded nine tackles and his first career sack.

1. What can the UVa administration do to fill Scott Stadium?

Since Saturday night’s win at Wake the players, coaches, and social media team have been trying to drum up support in hopes of filling Scott Stadium for this weekend’s clash against the Terps.

“We have a great opportunity to help this football team with the energy and the passion because that's what it's about. No better way than to be playing in front of your home crowd with a packed stadium, and why not,” Elliott said on Tuesday. “This is the University of Virginia. We take pride in everything that we do. So man, let's pack the stadium. Let's have an unbelievable -- we get to showcase who we are, what we're about on a national stage for the entire country to see.”

A win at Wake Forest and a 2-0 start does not undo the last few seasons, or the general erosion of in-person support for the Hoos at Scott Stadium. It would be foolish to expect a sell-out after one big road win, but is there more that the athletic department could do to drum up support?

The get-in price for Saturday night’s game is $39 and lower-level tickets start at $55. That’s not a terrible price point but not the most inviting to fans on the sidelines, either. And while there’s been a push to get tickets sold and fans in seats this week, has the athletic department slashed prices, run promotions, or done anything in particular to see a bigger crowd? A lot of credit should be given to the athletic department for getting better student attendance in recent years, but there’s work to do with getting the rest of the fanbase back in the stadium, or even trying to attract new support from the local community.

Hopefully those in attendance, no matter the exact number, make for a fun, loud environment on Saturday night in an old-school rivalry game. But the department is probably going to need to do more than tweet “Sell Out Scott” and hope people show up in droves.

2. Can UVa win the line of scrimmage against talented Maryland lines?

Football games are often won and lost at the line of scrimmage and through two games UVa has shown progress in that area. The UVa offensive line opened up holes in the run game against an overmatched Richmond defense, and then did a good job in pass protection against the Demon Deacons. On the other side of the ball, the defensive line held Wake just under 4 yards per carry on the ground and had six sacks in the win, after having just 11 all of last season.

“The difference I would say for them is they're really, really stout and big on the D-line,” Elliott said of the Terps. “A little bit heavier than what we played last week.”

Expect UVa’s offensive line to be tested by Maryland in a way they weren’t in the first two games. How the stand up under that pressure could determine the outcome.

Anthony Colandrea will show growth from last year’s loss in College Park.

In his second-career start, Colandrea led UVa to a quick 14-0 lead at Maryland last year, a game that came on the heels of a good performance against JMU the week prior. Unfortunately those 14 points were all the Hoos would get on the night in what ended up as a lopsided loss. Colandrea would throw three interceptions in the fourth quarter, dooming any comeback effort, and the Cavaliers eventually fell to 0-3 with a 42-14 road loss.

Now, Virginia has a chance to flip that 0-3 to 3-0 with a revenge win over the Terps this weekend.

Colandrea’s play will be a big part of how the game shakes out for Virginia, and through two games he seems like a more mature player than he was in College Park last year. Win or lose, we’re expecting another quality start from UVa’s sophomore quarterback on Saturday night.