Virginia heads to Florida State with a real opportunity in front of it, and the margins around this game are about as thin as they get. The Cavaliers’ defense has climbed to a tie for 12th in scoring defense among all Power Four teams, and that number comes with one glaring asterisk: the 38 points allowed against West Virginia. Strip that game out, and Virginia would own the nation’s No. 1 defense by a wide margin.
That kind of “if” game can only take a team so far, though. The path to the ACC title game isn’t built on hypotheticals. It comes down to stacking wins, and this Saturday in Tallahassee gives Virginia one of its biggest chances yet.
The Seminoles are not a team Virginia can treat lightly, no matter what their record says. Coach Tony Elliott made that clear, saying the road to Charlotte always goes through Florida State in some fashion. Doak Campbell Stadium remains a tough place to survive, whether the Seminoles are rolling or reeling.
Virginia’s profile still needs another jolt. The 34-8 win over NC State looked impressive in the moment, and it was a solid ACC result on paper.
But the Wolfpack have been mostly average outside of a 70-0 blowout of Richmond, and they sit firmly in the ACC basement. Virginia’s other wins came against Norfolk State and Delaware, which helps explain why the Cavaliers got no love in this week’s AP Poll.
A win in Tallahassee could change that conversation fast.
Defensively, the Cavaliers are staring at a quarterback who has given opponents chances. Ashton Daniels has thrown at least one interception in every game so far, including three against Alabama. His only turnover-free outing came in a game where SMU handed him four turnovers, and even then he managed just 24 points.
That gives Virginia a clear assignment: keep Daniels in the pocket and force him to work from there. The Cavaliers also have to give Jacobie Henderson help on the outside, where the smaller cornerback will be dealing with wide receivers who can go up and win the ball over him.
On offense, Virginia needs more explosive runs and another steady dose of Rico Flores Jr. Flores is healthier now, and that matters because he has the ability to clear 100 yards in any game.
The bigger picture in the ACC only adds to the pressure. No.
4 Miami is the favorite to run the table in league play, which makes this a race for one spot in the ACC title game rather than two. That means one conference loss can do serious damage, and in some cases end the chase entirely.
Virginia does have a bit of help after Louisville was upset by Wake Forest. For now, there are only five undefeated teams in ACC play, plus Virginia. The Cavaliers still get to face two of those five, which keeps their path alive as long as two of the other three - Miami, Clemson and Pitt - drop one ACC game.
Still, none of that matters if Virginia doesn’t handle the game in front of it. The Seminoles beat the Cavaliers with an upset loss last year in Charlottesville, and that history is enough to keep the focus where it belongs. Virginia may be chasing an ACC title, but this week the only thing it can afford to care about is going 1-0.
In Other News...
Virginia Fans Get A Key Chance To Hear From A Breakout Playmaker
Virginia footballs weekly Coachs Corner will give fans another midweek look at the program Tuesday, Sept. 29, when Tony Elliotts radio show airs live from Dairy Market in Charlottesville. Hosted by John Freeman, the show will be available through radio affiliates and online, and listeners can also jump in with question submissions and giveaways.
The guest this week is running back Jekail Middlebrook, giving Cavaliers fans a chance to hear from one of the offenses early bright spots in an informal setting. Through four games, Middlebrook has emerged as a player worth paying attention to, and this platform offers a chance to get a better feel for how Virginia is viewing his role as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Fans Now Know When Homecomings Gets A Bigger Stage
Virginia fans finally have a clearer picture of when Homecomings will get its biggest spotlight, as the ACC has set the Cavaliers home date with Syracuse for the evening window. The matchup is part of a busy Week 5 slate around the league, and it gives Virginia another chance to put a home crowd in the center of the action with a nationally available broadcast.
Syracuse has not been a frequent visitor to Charlottesville, which adds a little extra edge to this one beyond the usual conference stakes. The timing also folds into a broader stretch of ACC football that includes updates on Virginia, Florida State and a full list of game times and TV assignments, but for Cavs fans this one stands out as the kind of fall night game that can give Homecomings a different feel. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Fans Have A New High School Star Debate To Settle
Virginia football fans have a fresh week of high school debate on their hands after a strong run of performances across the Commonwealth from Sept. 24-26. The latest High School On SI Virginia Football Player of the Week roundup spotlights the players who stuffed the box score and swung games with big nights, giving followers of the Cavaliers recruiting backyard plenty to talk about as the fall season keeps rolling.
The voting race adds another layer of intrigue, with candidates coming from all over the state and plenty of impressive lines to sort through before the choice is made. One of the loudest cases belongs to James Shaw III, who piled up more than 500 all-purpose yards and scored eight touchdowns, even if a few of those trips to the end zone did not ultimately count. [Read more 🡒]