Early and often, the Cavaliers punished NC State in their 34-8 victory Aug. 29.
The dominant victory and the subsequent week off for No. 25 Virginia football lends itself to narratives of a high-ceiling season in the media, which have since been emboldened by a No. 25 ranking — but at this point in the season, the narrative is based on a sample size of one.
Following the win, though, reactions to Virginia’s pummeling of the Wolfpack resounded, with Virginia being labeled a “dark horse College Football Playoff team” by some in the wake of the victory.
While there is some evidence to believe the hype may be warranted, there are also reasons to cool one’s jets in favor of a more measured response.
Why to buy Virginia stock now
Fifth-year Beau Pribula performed admirably in Week Zero, throwing 9-for-11 with 155 passing yards. His abilities on the ground shone, as he racked up 110 yards on 15 attempts. Pribula was named ACC Quarterback of the Week for his performance.
In addition to Pribula, three other Cavaliers earned ACC Player of the Week nods — seventh-year tackle Monroe Mills, fourth-year safety Brandyn Hillman and fifth-year kicker Will Bettridge.
What is notable about these names, aside from their success in the one game played thus far, is that they all have experience — a trait that is especially visible on the offensive line. The most junior of that quintet of starters is fifth-year left tackle McKale Boley. In general, though, this team is experienced — Virginia ranks above every other team by total snaps and game starts.
Virginia dominated on the ground. Besides Pribula, five other Cavaliers recorded rushing yards, all in double-digit amounts. Fourth-year running back Jekail Middlebrook, in his debut for Virginia, led the running backs with 64 yards. Four other Cavaliers combined for 84 yards.
This running back room-by-committee served the Cavaliers well in the first game, and it is reasonable to suspect such success could continue over the remainder of the season.
The culture surrounding the program also should be recognized. Despite success in 2025, Virginia did not lose offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Des Kitchings or defensive coordinator John Rudzinski during the offseason, and Coach Tony Elliott signed an extension to remain in Charlottesville through the end of the decade — a sign of belief in him from the athletics administration.
Elliott’s motto for 2026 is deceptively simple, but gets across the goals of a program seemingly on the rise.
“A, B, C, one, two, three,” Elliott said.
The letters stand for “attitude, belief, and connection,” while the numbers denote the fact that 2026 provides the opportunity for a third conference championship for the Cavaliers, following titles in 1989 and 1995.
But beyond a series of letters and numbers, Elliott has produced results — even if he only has one winning season and a single victory in 2026 so far to show for it.
Why to not be so “Cavalier” just yet
As previously mentioned, this Virginia team is experienced — but what goes hand-in-hand with that is age and injuries. That notably old offensive line? Men at those positions are some of the most injured in the game. That rushing attack? Also high on the list for injury risk.
Nearly all of the starting offensive line have missed a few games for injury at various points, with ironman sixth-year offensive lineman Noah Josey as a notable exception. Seventh-year offensive lineman Drake Metcalf and Mills have both missed entire seasons for injury reasons.
Furthermore, while Pribula’s antics on the ground thrilled the crowd in Week Zero, that same disposition to run might be putting him at more risk.
The Virginia win Aug. 29 is the only data point to work with at present, and NC State may not be as good of an opponent as seemed prior to kickoff. Yahoo Sports, in their preseason ACC power rankings, placed NC State ninth — firmly in the middle of the conference. Following their performance at Scott Stadium, the Wolfpack were moved down to No. 13 in the conference.
The vaunted Virginia rushing offense is another aspect fans can be satisfied with. Beyond the previously mentioned-injury risk, it is worthwhile to mention the possibility that it may be less useful when playing down — when the Cavaliers may need to stop the clock rather than chew through it.
Pribula attempted only three passes in the first half against NC State. This run-first attitude allowed the Cavaliers to control the pace of play, and notably every Virginia possession in the first half was longer than the Wolfpack possession that preceded it.
While this ground-based plan of attack was a recipe for success against NC State, it may not be so useful when Virginia finds itself down at some point later in the season. Pribula has proved himself an efficient passer in this game, but it remains to be seen how he will operate in the Virginia offense in a more high-pressure situation.
Elliott has a mountain ahead of him, beginning Friday with Norfolk State. He and the team have the opportunity to prove themselves and to push aside the predictions with performance on the field.
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