Virginia’s 34-8 demolition of NC State gave Cavaliers fans plenty to celebrate, but it also raised a familiar question: just how far are people willing to lean in?
The Hoos didn’t just win Saturday at Scott Stadium. They controlled the game from start to finish, ripped off two touchdowns of 45 yards or more, put together a 23-play scoring drive, and forced two takeaways on defense. It was the kind of performance that leaves little room for debate.
And it wasn’t a one-off. Virginia is now 12-3 over its last 15 games, with a run that includes double-digit ACC wins over Stanford, California, Duke, Virginia Tech, and NC State. Four of those five league victories came by at least two scores, while the Cal game stayed tight until the final minutes.
That kind of stretch makes it hard to call this a fluke. The Cavaliers have been stacking real wins and turning in real performances.
Still, Virginia football has a way of keeping its fans guarded.
That tension was the subject of a thread on TheSabre.com’s football message board, sparked in part by discussion on the Preferred Walk-Ons Podcast, which features a UVA host and an NC State co-host. The NC State side of that conversation felt the Scott Stadium crowd was a little unsure of itself even after Virginia had built the big lead.
The idea, as it came up on the podcast, was the old familiar fear that something can still go wrong. Fans know the feeling: waiting for the other shoe to drop, or expecting Lucy to yank the football away from Charlie Brown. The thread was full of examples of that instinct, and the point of bringing it up was simple - Virginia fans should let themselves enjoy what’s happening right now.
Some of the responses made that cautious optimism pretty clear.
“Since I arrived on the Grounds in 1980, UVA football has been my number one passion in the world of sports. My wife will tell you that I’m a different person when watching UVA football.
Over those 46 years I’ve learned to be very very cautiously optimistic at best and sometimes downright pessimistic about our chances as a new season emerges. In my mind, when there are low expectations, we seem to exceed them yet when expectations are high, we fall short.
So, I try to temper my excitement to protect myself. I was bullish on us last year and have raised expectations for this season but I’m still cautious.
So, yes, I believe, based on our history, that there are many UVA fans out there just like me. We don’t have the pedigree to go into every season expecting to be world beaters like UGA, Bama, Ohio State, etc.” ~ 85atlanta-hoo
Others admitted the hesitation is still there, even with the wins piling up.
“I definitely still feel hesitant. Going to a Game or watching was my favorite thing to do.
I’m pleased with the progress, but need another good year. I watch every game but my emotional attachment has shifted to basketball.”
~ SuwaneeGAHoo
And then there are the fans who are all the way in.
“I warned everybody at our tailgate that if we trounced the Pack I was going off the rails. I am - flying with optimism, enthusiasm, and all the other isms that make sense here.
LFG!” ~ Hooticus Finch
So the question hanging over all of this is a simple one: are Virginia fans still holding back, or is this the moment they finally let themselves believe?
The thread says there’s still a mix. The results say there’s reason to feel good.
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Virginias Offense Showed Just Enough To Excite Cavaliers Fans
Virginia opened the season with a run-first approach that kept NC State on its heels and gave the Cavaliers a clear early identity. The game plan was simple and effective, with the ground game doing most of the work in a 34-8 win while the passing attack stayed mostly in the background, enough to hint at more once the offense settles in.
Beau Pribula was a steady part of that formula, and the larger takeaway for Virginia is that this might only be the beginning of what the offense can become. As the Cavaliers look ahead, there is room for players like Rico Flores Jr. and Da'Shawn Martin to take on bigger roles if the staff decides to open things up, which makes the opener feel less like a finished product and more like an early snapshot. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Just Forced Its Way Into The ACC Conversation
Virginia opened its season by taking care of NC State in a way that turned heads well beyond the scoreboard. In a week that featured only one conference matchup between Power 4 opponents, the Cavaliers made sure theirs mattered, rolling to a convincing win that immediately put them in the ACC discussion and drew plenty of praise from analysts and former players alike.
The attention did not stop with the on-field performance, either. The game landed a sizable national audience on ESPN and became one of the more visible showcases of the weekend, a reminder that Virginia can still command a spotlight when it puts together a statement performance. For a program looking to change the conversation early, that kind of start carries real weight. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Should Revive These Dormant Matchups For A March Test
Ryan Odom has wasted no time building a nonconference slate that should tell Virginia plenty about where it stands before March arrives. Arkansas, Maryland, Kentucky, UConn, Marquette and Xavier already give the Cavaliers a healthy dose of style, size and reputation, and that kind of schedule fits a program trying to harden itself for the tournament rather than pad its record in November and December.
The next step is finding a few more opponents that make sense for the program, and there are some natural fits worth revisiting. Vanderbilt offers a regional matchup with academic and SEC appeal, Georgetown brings history and brand recognition from the Mid-Atlantic, and Michigan State carries the sort of national profile and postseason-level challenge that would fit right into what Virginia is trying to build under Odom. [Read more 🡒]