Let me begin with some observations about the young men that play for UVA Football head coach Tony Elliott. Yes, for only the second time in “infinity,” according to Tech fans, the ‘Hoos defeated the Hokies. What I enjoyed seeing at the end of the game was no showboating, no cockiness, and a level of class from the Virginia players that I’ve rarely seen exhibited by Tech’s players. Virginia alums and fans can be proud of their team.
Also, for the second time in the last six seasons, the Virginia Cavaliers will play in the ACC Championship Game. 2025 marks not only UVA’s second trip to the title game, but also notes that it is Virginia Tech’s eighth consecutive season having not appeared in any college football title game.
Finally, for the first time in program history, UVA finished the regular season in sole possession of first place in the ACC standings.
Let’s check out the operation recaps.
Operations Breakdowns
Offense Game Recap & Game Grade: 95.1 (A)
Virginia’s offense was solid, dominating the Hokies at the line of scrimmage, chewing up clock, and wearing down the defense. The ‘Hoos’ 25 first downs not only extended drive but were the most in a game since the Florida State victory.
The running game was clicking at 4.2 yards per carry, led by an excellent blocking evening by UVA’s offensive line. The running lanes were spacious, and the backs had plenty of up field help to offer some cutback alleys. The running backs not only graded out with the highest rushing grade, but they also carried the top mark for the Virginia offense at 97.2.
Offensive Coordinator Des Kitchings’ wide receivers not only performed well from a pass-catching standpoint, but also were key to the rushing attack. The group led the Virginia offense in the passing game and were second with a 95.21 overall grade.
Keeping quarterbacks upright is critical and keeping Chandler Morris standing was a key to the success of the Cavalier offense Saturday night. The road graders put in a great night and were rewarded with a huge win and a championship level 93.57 grade. That also helped carry Morris to a championship-level 94.02 game grade.
Defense Game Recap & Game Grade: 95.61 (A)
John Rudzinski’s defense came out on fire last weekend and in the process recorded their highest grade of the season with a 95.61. The UVA secondary led all units with a 98.9 grade and were at the top of their game against the pass and run. Virginia’s defensive backs held the Hokies to 78 passing yards, 73% of which came on one play. The defensive backfield also posted a 94.74 run defense grade to go with their 99.02 passing number.
The Cavalier linebackers and defensive line were also solid against the run, earning defensive grades of 93.04 and 96.29, respectively. The linebackers were strong against the pass as well earning a 97.01 adding two QB hurries, an interception, two tackles for loss and combined for with the d-line for sack. The Wahoo defensive line did yeomen’s work, shutting down a Tech rushing game that managed just 43 yards on 17 carries (2.53 YPC) in quarters two through four.
Overall, the secondary posted a 98.9, the backers a 95.12 and the defensive line a 92.74.
Special Teams Recap & Game Grade: 90.76 (A-)
UVA’s special teams recorded their second best grade of the year with four of the five operations earning championship-level marks. The kicking game led the way with a 97.08 followed by the punt coverage operations’ 95.04. Kickoff return and kickoff coverage delivered a 92.8 and a 90.09, respectively. Punt return had some struggles but still ended the game above average with a 78.8.
Virginia Tech Grades & Notes
Offense – Grades: 95.1 (A)
- Quarterback: 94.02 (A)
- Running backs: 97.2 (A)
- Wide receivers & tight ends: 95.21 (A)
- Offensive line: 93.57 (A)
Offense – Quick Takes & Notes
Highlights: The fact that the Hoos totally dominated the game and from the opening quarter took control and never gave the visitors a chance to make it a game.
Not so bright: I would have liked to see the offense score one more touchdown in lieu of a field goal.
Notes & Stats
- With their 197 yards rushing against Tech, the ‘Hoos have charted 778 rushing yards, a 4.77 yards per carry, and 194.5 yards per game in their last four outings.
- J’Mari Taylor is the first ACC running back with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the same game since Clemson’s Will Shipley completed the feat against Wake Forest in 2021.
- Taylor ended his day with 114 all-purpose yards and scored his 14th rushing touchdown of the season. With three more rushing yards the graduate student will surpass the 1,000 yard mark.
- On the season the Wahoos have score 20 plus points on 10 of their 12 opponents. Virginia scored 20 plus points in 2019 on 12 of their 14 opponents that season. That also is the last time the Cavaliers played in the ACC Championship Game.
- The Hokies mark the eighth team this season where the Hoos have converted 50% or more of their third down chances.
- UVA’s 48 touchdowns scored this season are the most since 2021 when the team posted 52 touchdowns.
- The Hoos rank 17th nationally in time of possession with a 32:19.25 per game average.
Defense – Grades: 95.3 (A)
- Defensive line: 95.6 (A)
- Linebackers: 92.2 (A)
- Secondary: 98.1 (A+)
Defense – Quick Takes & Notes
Highlights: The entire game defensively was a highlight reel.
Not so bright: Not getting the shutout.
Notes & Stats
- The ‘Hoos held the Tech offense to seven points; that is the lowest scoring total for the Hokies since 11/4/2023 when Louisville held them to three points. That’s a span of 30 games.
- The last time the Cavaliers limited the Hokies to nine or fewer points was back in 1991, when the ‘Hoos shut down Tech 38-0.
- Virginia shackled the vaunted Hokie run game to its third lowest rushing total of the season (119), the third weakest yards per carry (3.84), and the Wahoo defense became only the third team this season to keep Tech’s run game out of the end zone.
- The Cavaliers held the Hokies offense to their second fewest passing yards of the season with 78; Louisville held them to 76.
- The Cavaliers also clamped down on the Hokies allowing just four completed passes. The last time they held a team with five or less was in 2018 against Georgia Tech, when the Yellow Jackets had only one completion.
- Virginia kept the Hokies behind the chains throughout the game, yielding just six first downs to the visitors. Virginia last limited a team to six first downs in 2004 against Akron. The six for Tech were their lowest since 1998.
- Virginia Tech was 2-for-14 (14.3%) on third-down conversions, the lowest by a UVA opponent since Notre Dame was 1-for-12 on Nov. 16, 2024. The Cavaliers came into the contest ranked third in the country in third down defense and left at No.2 with a 27.27% opponent conversion rate.
Special Teams – Grades: 90.76 (A-)
- Kickoff return: 92.8 (A-)
- Kickoff coverage: 90.1 (A-)
- Place kicking: 97.08 (A)
- Punt return: 78.8 (C+)
- Punt coverage: 95.04 (A)
Special Teams – Quick Takes & Notes
Highlights: Virginia’s kickoff coverage unit was stellar on the Hokies’ first three kickoff returns. On the first return, Tech was stopped at the 6-yard line. The second chance the Hokies were flagged for a block in the back that cut a 22-yard return into a 7-yard return. The last kickoff return did not go beyond the 20-yard line either.
Not so bright: There truly wasn’t anything that I saw that would warrant placing it here.
Notes & Stats
- The ‘Hoos continue to dominate nationally in the kickoff return offense and defense as the offense return unit remains No. 1 while the defense operations is in the top 10 at six.
- Punter Daniel Sparks became the second of two UVA punters in school history to earn All-ACC status in three different seasons (2022, 2024 and 2025).
- With his three extra points and two field goals, kicker Will Bettridge took over sole possession of third place on the Cavaliers all-time scoring list with 302 career points.
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