Grit, Guts, and a Gator Bowl Win: Virginia Rallies Past Missouri to Cap Historic Season
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Gator Bowl wasn’t supposed to go this way. Not for a Virginia team still licking its wounds from an overtime heartbreaker in the ACC title game.
Not for a Cavaliers roster missing key starters on both sides of the ball. And certainly not for a squad that came in as a four-point underdog.
But when the clock hit zero on Saturday night, it was No. 20 Virginia standing tall - bruised, short-handed, but victorious - after a gritty 13-7 win over 25th-ranked Missouri. The Cavaliers didn’t just claim a bowl win; they etched a milestone into program history, reaching 11 victories for the first time in 122 seasons.
Next-Man-Up Mentality Pays Off
Virginia’s offense wasn’t flashy, but it didn’t have to be. With star running back J’Mari Taylor - the ACC’s leading rusher - sidelined after a week of uncertainty about whether he’d suit up, the Cavaliers leaned on depth and determination.
Harrison Waylee stepped in and delivered a crucial touchdown, while he and Xay Davis combined for 109 hard-earned yards on 32 carries. It wasn’t highlight-reel stuff, but it was the kind of physical, clock-chewing ground game that wins bowl games.
Quarterback Chandler Morris, playing what could be one of his final games in a long college journey, managed the game with poise. He threw for 198 yards, avoided mistakes, and made just enough plays to keep Virginia’s offense moving. The Cavaliers didn’t light up the scoreboard, but they controlled the tempo and protected the football - and that was enough.
Defense Delivers When It Matters Most
If Virginia’s offense was steady, the defense was downright stingy.
Despite missing two key linebackers - Kam Robinson and Maddox Marcellus - the Cavaliers’ defense rose to the occasion. They held Missouri to just 260 total yards, forced four punts, picked off a pass, and came up big on three fourth-down stops. The final two defensive stands sealed the win and showcased the kind of toughness that defined this team all season.
On Missouri’s final two possessions, Virginia slammed the door shut. First, freshman quarterback Matt Zollers - starting just his third game - was forced out of bounds a yard short on a fourth-and-2 scramble.
Then, after Zollers had to briefly leave the field, backup Brett Brown fired incomplete into the end zone on a fourth-and-10. Game over.
Zollers Shows Flashes, But Tigers Fall Short
For Missouri, it was a frustrating night. Zollers, pressed into action after Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal, completed 12 of 22 passes for 101 yards and a pick. He showed flashes but never found a rhythm against Virginia’s disciplined defense.
All-American running back Ahmad Hardy was the Tigers’ lone bright spot. He ran 15 times for 89 yards and, in the process, broke Missouri’s single-season rushing record - surpassing Cody Schrader’s 1,627-yard mark from 2023. But Hardy’s effort wasn’t enough to jumpstart an offense that struggled to find consistency.
The loss dropped Missouri to 8-5 on the season - a step back from their 11-2 and 10-3 campaigns in the previous two years. A win would’ve marked the first time in school history the Tigers posted three straight seasons with at least nine victories. Instead, they’ll head into the offseason wondering what could’ve been.
Notable Sidelight: Zion Young Plays After Arrest
Missouri defensive end Zion Young, who was arrested two weeks ago on multiple charges including DWI and speeding, suited up and played. The 6-foot-5 senior from Atlanta - who began his college career at Michigan State - made his presence felt with four tackles and two quarterback hits.
Looking Ahead
For Virginia, the attention now turns to quarterback Chandler Morris and whether the NCAA will grant him a rare seventh year of eligibility. Morris has had a winding collegiate path - from Oklahoma to TCU to North Texas and now Virginia - and his leadership was a steadying force in this season’s final chapter.
Missouri, meanwhile, will regroup and reload for 2026. With Hardy expected back for his junior season, the Tigers will have a dynamic centerpiece to build around as they aim to get back to that nine-win threshold - and beyond.
Final Word
Saturday night’s Gator Bowl wasn’t a shootout or a spectacle. It was a grind-it-out, blue-collar football game - and Virginia wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Coming off a devastating loss, down several starters, and facing a ranked SEC opponent, the Cavaliers found a way. That’s the mark of a resilient program.
And now, with 11 wins in the books, Virginia has a new standard to chase.