Through two games, Virginia has checked a lot of boxes, and the Cavaliers have done it with a level of efficiency that makes the early numbers jump off the page. They’ve outscored opponents 93-11, and the production has shown up in every phase.
Start with the defense, because that side of the ball has set the tone. Virginia owns the nation’s fifth-best scoring defense and ranks ninth in yards allowed per game, a clear sign that opponents are barely getting breathing room.
The pass rush has been a big part of that success. Virginia is creating pressure with only four or five rushers, which lets more defenders drop into coverage and makes life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
With so many bodies in the passing lanes, open targets have been tough to find.
When teams do try to challenge the secondary, they’re running into Omillio Agard and Jacobie Henderson. Henderson did allow a few big catches against the Spartans, but as a pair, those two have been excellent.
Their tight coverage is backed up by Brandyn Hillman and Ethan Minter, who are ready to deliver hits or come away with interceptions behind them. And help is on the way, too, with a healthier Kam Robinson expected back this week.
Virginia’s offense has been just as sharp. The Cavaliers’ new quarterback is sitting in the top tier among all quarterbacks in completion percentage and passer rating.
He has barely missed, has rushed for over 100 yards against NC State, and threw several touchdowns against Norfolk State. He did toss an interception on a deflected pass, but on the whole, his command of the gameplan has been as efficient as it gets.
Pribula has looked near-unstoppable to start the season.
The offensive line has been just as important. Before the season, Phil Steele ranked it No. 10 nationally, and after two games, that might actually be selling it short.
Virginia’s front has kept right on overpowering people, and the long-awaited debuts of Makilan Thomas and Monroe Mills have only added to the punch. Depth pieces Ben York and Jon Adair have also stepped in and contributed.
And it’s not just the line doing the heavy lifting. The receivers, running backs and tight ends have all been part of the physical edge Virginia is bringing. Returning players like Dakota Twitty have sharpened their blocking, and that has made the run game even more dangerous.
In Other News...
Virginia Faces An Early Test That Could Define This Fast Start
Virginias fast start gets a real measuring-stick game Saturday night when the No. 25 Cavaliers meet West Virginia in the Dukes Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. It is a revived rivalry that has not been played since 2002, and it comes with both teams unbeaten at 2-0, Virginia rolling through its first two games by a combined 93-11 while the Mountaineers have also handled their opening stretch with ease.
The matchup brings together two programs leaning on physical run games and defenses, which should make for a useful early read on where each team really stands. Tony Elliott and Rich Rodriguez also share a prior connection, adding another layer to a game that already feels bigger than a September neutral-site showcase, even if the full answer on how Virginia handles this kind of test is still waiting to be written. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias 2-0 Start Is Raising A Bigger Tony Elliott Question
Virginias unbeaten start has given Tony Elliott something he has not always had in Charlottesville: real momentum and a roster that looks built to keep it. With a veteran core, a transfer portal class that has fit quickly and quarterback Beau Pribula settling in, the Cavaliers have opened 2025 looking organized, confident and far more complete than a year ago. The early results have also fed a more interesting conversation around Elliott, because a fast start at Virginia is never just about the schedule. It is about whether this group is good enough to make the programs ceiling feel different.
Saturday night in Charlotte offers another test of how real this beginning is, and how much of it can be credited to the coachs roster-building. Virginia has pieces that travel, experience that shows up in tight spots and enough balance to make people wonder if this is finally the version Elliott has been trying to construct. The question now is less about whether the Cavaliers can keep winning in September and more about what happens if this kind of start keeps stretching into the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias 2027 ACC Slate Just Added A Brutal New Wrinkle
Virginias 2027 football conference slate now comes with a little more cross-country mileage attached, thanks to the ACCs latest scheduling release. The Cavaliers are set for nine league games that season, with home dates against Louisville, SMU, Pitt and Virginia Tech and road trips to Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina and Stanford, giving the schedule a blend of familiar regional stops and a notably long trek west.
The addition of Stanford is the wrinkle that stands out most, especially with the leagues new model pushing most teams to nine ACC games and at least one Power Four non-conference opponent. Virginia already has Arkansas State and William & Mary on the non-conference list, and the full 2027 schedule, including exact dates for those league matchups, still has to be announced later. [Read more 🡒]