The casual fan will look at Virginia’s 35-31 loss to NC State Saturday and boil it down to the interception thrown by graduate quarterback Chandler Morris on the final drive. However, while that play did seal the Cavaliers’ loss, it was not the sole reason for defeat. There was a symphony of errors that led to the Cavaliers’ first loss of 2025.
As Virginia enters its game Saturday against William & Mary, it will be critical that it right the wrongs of the previous week so that it can enter ACC play with positive momentum. That is certainly possible, as ESPN gives the Cavaliers a 97.4 percent chance of victory.
“The guys are going to take ownership of [last week’s struggles],” Coach Tony Elliott said. “Coaches, we got to get better. We got to help them get better. We got to always be evaluating our drill work and make sure that it relates to on the field production.”
The key to rebounding starts with addressing the biggest problem on the field last weekend for Virginia — the run defense. The Cavaliers allowed the Wolfpack to rush for 216 yards and four touchdowns, and seemed lost whenever they tried to take a rusher down. If Virginia is to improve upon this performance against William & Mary, it will have to improve its tackling as well as its angles towards opposing rushers.
Finishing tackles will be a top priority for the Cavaliers against the Tribe, as junior quarterback Tyler Hughes is a dual threat and leads the team in rushing with 130 yards. Fortunately, according to Elliott, Virginia has spent time in practice preparing for a mobile quarterback.
Like William & Mary, NC State also featured a quarterback that likes to run — after sophomore CJ Bailey led his team to a 35-point performance against Virginia, the Cavaliers are aiming to prioritize finishing tackles.
“We address [the missed tackles] with the drills we’re doing in tackling and then also the drills we’re doing in our rush angles to make sure that we stay leveraged on the football,” Elliott said.
Another weakness of the Cavaliers that they will have to rectify this weekend is generating turnovers on defense. After forcing multiple takeaways in their opening game, Virginia failed to tally a single one last week. A possible solution, according to Elliott, is to avoid missed tackles and force opponents into longer downs.
“I think tackling and getting more hats around the ball will give us a better chance to put the ball on the ground,” Elliott said. “So it starts with being a good tackling football team to get them behind the chains. Now [the opposing offense is] going to be forced to put the ball in jeopardy.”
Creating turnovers allows for the Cavalier offense to get more offensive possessions and rack up more points, which is huge for a team with as potent of an offense as Virginia’s. Against Coastal Carolina, graduate running back J’mari Taylor was able to score a rushing touchdown, which came on the ensuing drive after an interception from sophomore safety Ethan Minter.
Some part of creating turnovers can be chalked up to an opponent’s ability — or rather lack thereof — to secure the ball and make good decisions. However, having a more effective pass rush and improving defense after the catch would also help significantly, as it leads to longer second and third downs where turnovers are prevalent.
Aside from the mechanical aspect of football, another key area in which the Cavaliers are lacking is winning the second and third quarters in a game. In Virginia’s victories, it almost always wins those key middle quarters.
However, Elliott has a -175 point differential in those quarters throughout his tenure.
So far this season, the team that has scored more in the middle quarters has won both games the Cavaliers have played. While it is certainly hard to dial up the intensity during the middle of the game, avoiding burnout is critical — and Elliott has tried to make winning this portion of the game a goal for this week.
“We talk about the middle,” Elliott said. “We’ve made it a point of emphasis. You know, it’s not something that you say. It’s got to be something that you believe.”
Virginia will have an opportunity to self-correct off the back of a devastating loss, as this is its last non-conference game before the start of ACC play. Additionally, this game opens up a three-game homestand for the Cavaliers that leads to a primetime matchup with No. 10 Florida State Sept. 26.
This Saturday, though, anything less than a two-score triumph would be disappointing for this Virginia team. However, the significance of this game lies within the way the Cavaliers play and how they recover from last week’s loss.
If Virginia can right its wrongs and become more like the team it was in week one, it has a real chance of rolling into conference play looking like a legitimate contender. But if the Cavaliers continue to stumble, they might win this one, but it may be one of their last wins all season. Kickoff for the game is set for noon, and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network.
Xander Tilock contributed reporting.
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