The year is 1973. Richard Nixon is president, gas costs just 36 cents per gallon and neither Virginia Coach Tony Elliott nor Missouri Coach Eliah Drinkwitz have been born. Yet, that is the only time before the 2025 Gator Bowl that their two programs have met on the gridiron.
Ironically, the Tigers have the same 8-4 record they did over 50 years ago. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, have improved massively. If Virginia finishes the season strong — a trait they have pursued all season — they will hit the 11-win mark for the first time in program history.
Elliott has made finishing strong a key principle of the program. When the Cavaliers throw up four fingers before the fourth quarter of games, they commit to finishing the game better than they started and leaving nothing on the field. With the opportunity to reach this historic record, there is no doubt that Elliott will be adamant his players do just the same against Missouri as they grow from a devastating loss in the ACC Championship.
“Adversity is a companion of a champion and an enemy to the weak, and we have to learn how to grow and get back,” Elliott said. “We have an opportunity … to do something that has not been done within this program ever, so while we came up short in the last game, we still have a ton to play for.”
While the Gator Bowl is certainly not the end goal for a team that once looked bound for the College Football Playoff, Elliott’s message has not wavered. He sees the opportunity to play in any bowl game as a blessing and something that should not be taken for granted by the team.
“We’re so grateful to have this opportunity,” Elliott said. “This program has been working hard over the last several years to get to the postseason and we’re so excited to be in Jacksonville.”
Not everyone shares Elliott’s outlook. In the current world of college football, many players opt out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft, enter the transfer portal or mitigate injury risk. When Virginia lines up at the Gator Bowl, they will be missing key contributors such as junior defensive back Ja’son Prevard and junior linebacker Kam Robinson. In their absence, the Cavaliers will have to find a way to bridge the gap.
To uphold Elliott’s standard and finish strong, Virginia will have to play at its best. The Tigers are no slouch of a team, boasting four All-SEC first team selections and two All-SEC second team selections. Sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award for a reason, with his 1,560 yards and 16 touchdowns ranking second and fourth in the nation, respectively. The only break the Cavalier defense will get is that senior quarterback Beau Pribula has left Missouri to enter the transfer portal, leaving the Tigers to rely on true freshman Matt Zollers.
Fortunately, Virginia has had a lot of time to prepare for this postseason matchup. Between the practices the Cavaliers had for the ACC Championship game and the Gator Bowl, they have had ample time to recover from a grueling regular season. This not only gives players time to recover from ailments, but also allows Elliott to gauge the talent of guys lower on the depth chart in light of players who elect not to play and prepare them for this big opportunity.
In many ways, this game will be a gauge of where Virginia is as a football program relative to its competitors. Missouri has run like a well-oiled machine since Drinkwitz took over in 2020, making bowl games in each of the last five years and recording double-digit wins in 2023 and 2024. For the Cavaliers, beating the Tigers would boost the resume of a Virginia program that has yet to defeat a quality out-of-conference opponent under Elliott.
“[Drinkwitz] has done a fantastic job at Missouri, and really has taken that program to another level,” Elliott said. “It will be a great test and barometer for our football team … taking this step forward to see how we compare versus a team that is at the top of the SEC.”
Virginia has one game left to make program history. Four quarters. 60 minutes. A handful of plays. The Gator Bowl is not the College Football Playoff, but it means everything to those who have stuck with this program through thick and thin. Virginia has to recognize it is the fourth quarter of the season, throw up four fingers and then dig deep for the final clash of the year. The game kicks off Dec. 27 in Jacksonville, Fla. at 7:30 p.m., and will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
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