Virginia has already cleared a few early-season hurdles, but Saturday’s matchup with West Virginia still brings a fresh set of questions.
The Cavaliers opened the year unranked, then surged into the AP Poll at No. 25 after handling NC State and Norfolk State with ease. That kind of start changes the conversation fast. Now, with game three on deck, Virginia is expected to be favored by nearly 10 points - but there are still some key things to sort out against the Mountaineers.
One of the biggest concerns is the health of Virginia’s star linebacker. He logged only a few snaps against Norfolk State last week and was nowhere near a full workload. The Cavaliers would clearly like to have their gamewrecker back at 100 percent.
Another major piece still waiting to enter the picture is Flores. He was originally viewed as Virginia’s top receiver, but he has yet to make his Cavalier debut.
When he finally gets on the field, his speed could give this offense a different gear. So far, Virginia has gotten production from Jacquon Gibson, Da'Shawn Martin and Kam Courtney, but none of them has come close to reaching 100 yards.
Flores had looked like a strong candidate to become the top target back in spring practice, and that possibility still hangs over this offense.
On the other side of the ball, John Rudzinski’s defense has been elite going back to the end of the 2025 season. West Virginia, though, presents a different kind of challenge with quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and running back Cam Cook. Both bring speed and agility, and that makes this a meaningful test for Virginia defensively.
The expectation is that Virginia should keep the Mountaineers in check, likely limiting them to no more than two or three touchdowns. But doing that against a West Virginia offense with real promise would still count as a strong showing.
Then there’s Virginia’s quarterback, who has been historically efficient through the first two games. He has looked comfortable operating behind an elite offensive line, pushed the ball deep for long touchdowns and shown he can pull the ball down and run for first downs when needed.
Pribula could be central again this Saturday. And if he puts together another sharp, accurate outing with a couple of touchdowns, he may not just help Virginia keep rolling - he could also start drawing national attention soon.
In Other News...
Virginia Defense Faces A Saturday Night Test It Can't Fake
Virginias defense is about to get an early-season stress test against a West Virginia offense that does not give opponents much time to breathe. The pace alone changes everything, because the Cavaliers cannot count on getting fresh bodies on and off the field the way they normally might. Tony Elliott has already pointed out how hard it is to stay assignment sound against a group that keeps moving, keeps pressing, and forces a defense to react instead of settle in.
For Virginia, the challenge is as much mental as physical. The Cavaliers will need speed, depth and discipline to survive the kind of night where one missed fit or late adjustment can quickly snowball. The cleanest answers are the ones defenses always hope for in a game like this: force incompletions, get ball-carriers out of bounds and find any clock stoppage possible to reset personnel. Against this kind of offense, though, even those small wins can feel hard-earned. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville's Quarterback Standing In The ACC Is Suddenly Worth Watching
Road wins over Big Ten opponents have a way of changing the conversation fast, and Week 2 of the 2026 college football season gave the ACC several quarterbacks a little extra runway. Walker Eget, Gio Lopez and Mason McKenzie all helped their teams earn those kind of victories, while other league results, including Virginia Techs win over Old Dominion and Californias trip to Syracuse, kept the conferences quarterback race crowded with fresh data points.
For Virginia, the early-season backdrop only gets more interesting after a lopsided win over Norfolk State, where the offense barely had to blink to put the game away. The Cavaliers now step into a Power Four matchup with West Virginia in Charlotte this weekend, which should offer a far better read on where the passing game stands and how quickly the offense can translate that opener into something more revealing. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Has 3 Under-The-Radar Playmakers Worth Watching Against West Virginia
Virginias offense has already shown it can pile up points, but the more intriguing subplot heading into West Virginia is how a few lesser-known pieces fit into that machine. The Cavaliers have leaned on a balanced attack behind a strong defense, and the next test could be a chance for some of the quieter contributors to carve out a larger role in a rivalry game that tends to surface unexpected production.
Middlebrook won the starting running back job, yet his season has been more about hints than heavy volume, while Martin has made the most of his limited opportunities with every touch moving the chains. Twitty has been even more of a supporting figure, doing much of his work as a blocker and leaving just enough on film to suggest there may be more there if Virginia needs it against West Virginia. [Read more 🡒]