Virginia’s trip to No. 14 Wake Forest comes with urgency baked into every snap, and the Cavaliers are staring at a stretch run that leaves little room for error. At 4-4 in late October, a team that entered the season with bigger ambitions now has to fight just to finish above water.
One of the clearest adjustments coming into the game is on offense. At media availability this week, offensive coordinator Des Kitchings said Virginia will lean more heavily on formations with extra tight ends.
The most likely look is 12 personnel, with one running back and two tight ends, though the Cavaliers could also use 22 or 13 personnel. The logic is simple: Virginia has a talented offensive line, and more blockers should help the run game.
Those heavier sets should also give the Cavaliers a better play action package, which would be a boost for a passing game that has struggled to find consistency. Kitchings said he wanted to use more 12 personnel back in training camp, but it has not shown up nearly as often as it should have. That is especially notable because Virginia’s receivers have provided only a marginal impact this season, even as Kitchings leaned on dozens and dozens of three-receiver sets in the first few months.
The quarterback situation remains the biggest concern of all. Virginia needs far more from its starter, and Pribula has now gone an entire month without throwing for multiple touchdowns or reaching 160 passing yards in a game. That kind of production simply does not travel well against a top-15 opponent on the road.
Coach Tony Elliott has continued to back Pribula, but it is becoming harder to overlook Eli Holstein sitting behind him. At this point, winning a game like this with mediocre quarterback play feels close to impossible.
The bigger picture is just as stark. Virginia cannot win 11 games every season, but the 2026 start has still caught the college football world off guard. If the Cavaliers are going to keep moving forward in the Elliott era, they need to close with a winning record, and that means going 3-1 the rest of the way.
That is why this matchup matters so much. Under Elliott, Virginia has already landed signature ranked wins against North Carolina in 2023, Pitt in 2024 and Florida State in 2025.
No. 14 Wake Forest could be next.
If the Cavaliers can pull this one out, they may still have enough left to put together a late surge and salvage what has been a frustrating season.
In Other News...
Virginias Upset Hopes Just Got Tougher Ahead Of Wake Forest
Virginia heads into its road matchup with No. 14 Wake Forest carrying a thinner margin for error than it would like, and the injury picture only adds to the challenge. Wide receiver Jekail Middlebrook is among the unavailable pieces, leaving Tony Elliott to navigate a difficult week as his offense tries to keep pace against a ranked opponent in a tough environment.
Elliott praised Wake Forests performance during his midweek press conference, but he also voiced confidence in the work his own team has put in. Still, the opening availability report is a reminder that Virginia may have to adjust on the fly, with multiple wide receiver injuries clouding the setup ahead of a game already stacked against the Cavaliers. [Read more 🡒]
Thijs De Ridder Just Raised Virginias Ceiling Even Higher
Thijs De Ridder keeps turning offseason buzz into something sturdier for Virginia. After earning All-ACC first-team honors last season, he has now been tabbed for the 2027 National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, another sign that the Cavaliers enter the year with real top-end talent and not just promising depth. He is also one of two Virginia players to earn preseason ACC Player of the Year recognition, which says plenty about how opposing coaches view the ceiling in Charlottesville.
The watch list itself is another layer of attention on a player already expected to carry a big load for the Cavaliers. The award will be decided by Division I head coaches and announced during the week of the 2027 Mens Final Four, so there is a long runway ahead for De Ridder to build on last season and strengthen his case. For Virginia, the bigger takeaway is simple: if he takes another step, the teams ambitions could rise with him. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Offense Faces A Brutal Test Ahead Of Wake Forest
Virginias offense could be working around some familiar absences when it heads into Saturdays game against Wake Forest. Jekail Middlebrook and Kam Courtney are both listed as doubtful, a notable development for a unit that has already had to lean on different pieces as it tries to find rhythm against conference competition.
Middlebrooks status stands out after he ran for 117 yards against Duke, and Courtneys uncertainty leaves another potential hole in the passing game. Virginia is also watching three defensive backs on the injury report, while Wake Forest has only one player listed as questionable and several more tagged probable or out, adding another layer to an already tricky matchup. [Read more 🡒]