Virginia handled business Friday night, and the result was hard to ignore: a 59-3 rout of Norfolk State that pushed the Cavaliers to 2-0 on the season. With two weeks to prepare for an FCS opponent that was clearly overmatched, UVA didn’t turn in a perfect performance, but a 56-point win still makes a loud statement.
The bigger question now is what that statement does for the AP Top 25.
There’s a path for Virginia to climb two or three spots when the new poll comes out tomorrow, but that kind of jump depends on how the teams around them shake out. One possibility is a shakeup near the bottom of the rankings, and Oregon is the team that creates the most intrigue.
It sounds wild to even say it, but there’s a real case that the Ducks shouldn’t be in the Top 25 after losing on the road to Oklahoma State, especially after the Cowboys were blown out by Tulsa. Oregon’s win over Boise State looked good at the time, particularly after Boise State beat Memphis by 18, but the loss in Stillwater was a bad one, and one that should carry a penalty.
Still, the source of the doubt is clear: the Ducks probably stay in.
Washington and Iowa are also sitting in a vulnerable spot after uninspiring wins. No.
19 Washington barely got past Utah State, while No. 21 Iowa needed a field goal to slip by Iowa State.
Given how little confidence there was in both teams entering the weekend, there’s a believable case for the poll to punish them for failing to look the part through the first couple of weeks.
Michigan is the clearest team on the rise. After dropping out of the Top 25 a week ago, the Wolverines stormed back with a major home win over Oklahoma, which entered the weekend ranked No.
- That kind of result almost certainly gets Michigan back into the poll.
Oklahoma’s own landing spot is also in question. The Sooners won’t drop out of the Top 20 in my view, but it was not a good weekend for them.
My guess is that Virginia lands at No. 23, moving up two places. In that scenario, Oregon, Washington, and Iowa all tumble out, while Michigan jumps past UVA and returns to the rankings.
For Virginia, though, the bigger picture stays the same: keep winning and let the rankings sort themselves out. Next Saturday brings another opportunity, with West Virginia coming to town for a non-conference game.
In Other News...
Virginia Still Has Something To Prove Before West Virginia
Virginia kept its place in the national picture after overwhelming Norfolk State, staying at No. 25 in both the Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association polls. The Cavaliers were rewarded with more points than they had a week earlier, a sign that voters noticed the lopsided win, even if it did not push them up the ladder.
Now the focus shifts to West Virginia, and there is a little more at stake than just another early-season game. Both teams enter at 2-0, which should make this one a sharper test of where Virginia really stands, especially after a ranking bump that stopped short of a climb. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Is Building A Case Fans Havent Seen In Years
Virginias 59-3 win over Norfolk State did more than keep the Cavaliers unbeaten and tied atop the ACC. It also came with a wide spread of contributors, as several players found the end zone for the first time in their careers while the offense kept rolling behind a sharp outing from quarterback Pribula, who completed 12 of 14 passes for three touchdowns with one interception.
The larger theme, though, is that this is starting to look like a team with both momentum and depth. The defense held Norfolk State to just one score, continuing a run of dominant play that has helped carry Virginia through the early part of the season, and the program also got a milestone moment from Will Bettridge along the way, the kind of development that gives a team plenty to feel good about even before the schedule gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia's Hot Start Now Comes With A Bigger Tony Elliott Test
Virginias start has been as convincing as it gets, and the AP voters kept the Cavaliers in the No. 25 spot after the rout of Norfolk State. The bigger picture is even better for Tony Elliotts team: Virginia is 2-0 and has overwhelmed its first two opponents, putting up early numbers that have turned a tidy September opening into something that starts to feel more like momentum.
Elliott, though, has been careful not to let the ranking or the margin of victory change the message inside the building. His point has been simple enough for a team riding this kind of start: the standard and the focus have to stay the same. Virginia now moves into a tougher-looking test against West Virginia, and that is where a hot start starts asking a different kind of question. [Read more 🡒]