Systems and methods for accessing a cache include determining if a current access of the cache will satisfy an expected relationship with a next access of the cache, wherein the cache is a set-associative cache comprising multiple ways. The next way for the next access is stored in a next way field associated with the current access. If the expected relationship will be satisfied, such as a sequential relationship which will be satisfied in the case of an instruction cache when the current access does not cause a change in control flow, the next way for the next access is retrieved from the next way field associated with the current access. The next way of the cache is then directly accessed using the retrieved next way.