This time a year ago, “Oppenheimer” won Best Picture, Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” was the Record of the Year, Donald Trump was out of the White House, Tony Bennett (not the singer) was a few days from retiring, the Los Angeles Dodgers were on their way to winning the World Series, and Billy Joel had moved on from his record-breaking Madison Square Garden residency with his 150th concert.
A year ago today, we were six games into the 2024 UVA Football season.
Today, we’re six games into the 2025 UVA Football season.
What a difference a year makes.
2024 UVA Football Mid-Season Status Report
- 2024 Record: 4-2; 2-1 ACC
- Points scored: 165; PPG: 27.5
- Points Allowed: 132; PPG 22.0
- Rushing Yds: 1049; Per game: 174.8
- Rush Yds Allowed: 740; Per game 123.3
- Passing Yds: 1561; Per game: 260.2
- Passing Yds Allowed: 1563; Per game: 260.5
- Total Offense Per Game: 435
- Total Offense Allowed Per Game: 383.8
- First Downs: 130; Per game: 21.7
- First Downs Allowed: 108; Per game: 18
- 3rd Down Conversions: 36%
- 3rd Down Defense: 34%
- Red Zone TDs: 10-27 (37%)
- Red Zone TDs Defense: 12-24 (50%)
- Sacks: 12-59 Yds
- Sacks allowed: 11-66 Yds
- Turnovers: 7
- Opponent Turnovers: 8
2025 UVA Football Mid-Season Status Report
- 2025 Record: 5-1; 3-0 ACC
- Points scored: 258; PPG: 43
- Points Allowed: 143; PPG 23.8
- Rushing Yds: 1305; Per game: 217.5
- Rush Yds Allowed: 711; Per game 118.5
- Passing Yds: 1630; Per game: 271.7
- Passing Yds Allowed: 1440; Per game: 240
- Total Offense Per Game: 489.2
- Total Offense Allowed Per Game: 358.5
- First Downs: 147; Per game: 24.5
- First Downs Allowed: 107; Per game: 17.8
- 3rd Down Conversions: 54.26%
- 3rd Down Defense: 28.75%
- Red Zone TDs: 22-33 (66.7%)
- Red Zone TDs Defense: 15-19 (78.9%)
- Sacks: 16-122 Yds; SPG 2.6 / YPG 20.3
- Sacks allowed: 5-34 Yds; SPG 0.83 / YPG 5.7
- Turnovers: 5; Per game: 0.83
- Opponent Turnovers: 9; Per game: 1.5
Colossal step forward
It’s clear that UVA Football has taken a colossal step forward from last fall.
Let’s look at some notes comparing the two seasons.
- The 2025 ‘Hoos have averaged 15.5 points per game more than they did in the first six games of 2024.
- Virginia is averaging 42.7 more yards per game rushing this season.
- Though modest, UVA has averaged 11.5 yards/g more passing than 2024.
- In total offense, the Cavaliers are averaging an extra 9.03 yards/g. They’re also scoring more this season.
- Last fall the offense outpaced their opponents by 30 percent in the run game. The UVA offense has almost doubled the rushing yards between themselves and their opponents in 2025, with the ‘Hoos posting 217.5 ground yards per game compared to their opponents’ 118.5. That’s a 40 percent increase year-over-year.
- The Virginia record for fewest fumbles lost in a season is five. That mark has been hit three times, 2004, 2005 and last year. Currently, the ‘Hoos have yet to lose a fumble this season.
Interesting data
- Yes, the UVA offense is only producing 9.03 extra yards/g. That said, the Wahoos are scoring 0.527 more points per yard compared to 0.379 points per yard in the 2024 campaign. That’s a 28.1 percent increase in scoring. Much of the improved scoring is based on more points scored on possessions inside the opponent’s 40-yard line. Read more on this below in the efficiency increase section.
- Speaking of scoring, UVA has scored 258 points this season. If the ‘Hoos can maintain that pace, in the second half of the season, the Cavaliers will demolish the point scoring record of 449 set in 2019. That record was set in 14 games.
2024 and 2025 Greg’s Grades Comparison
Chart Info
- Game Grades 1-3 – First quarter of respective season
- Games Grades 4-6 – Second quarter of respective season
- 1H Average – First half season average
- Record – Record of teams played – records only include games played
- Difference – Grade differences +/- from first quarter of season to second quarter of season.
Offense
| 2024 | Record | QB | RB | WR/TE | OL | OVERALL |
| Games 1-3 | 18-19 | 80.17 | 80.34 | 85.11 | 77.97 | 80.9 |
| Games 4-6 | 22-17 | 76.56 | 80.5 | 80.43 | 78.04 | 78.88 |
| 1H Average | 40-36 | 78.73 | 80.42 | 82.77 | 78.01 | 79.89 |
| Difference | -3.61 | 0.16 | -4.68 | 0.07 | -2.02 | |
| 2025 | Record | QB | RB | WR/TE | OL | OVERALL |
| Games 1-3 | 9-9 | 90.26 | 90.58 | 89.63 | 91.67 | 90.535 |
| Games 4-6 | 9-8 | 87.53 | 84.12 | 88.51 | 89.17 | 87.33 |
| 1H Average | 18-17 | 88.90 | 87.35 | 89.07 | 90.42 | 88.94 |
| Difference | -2.73 | -6.46 | -1.12 | -2.5 | -3.202 |
Defense
| 2024 | Record | DL | LB | DB | OVERALL |
| Games 1-3 | 18-19 | 84.94 | 82.49 | 83.59 | 83.67 |
| Games 4-6 | 22-17 | 82.12 | 77.37 | 79.81 | 79.77 |
| 1H Average* | 40-36 | 83.53 | 79.93 | 81.7 | 81.72 |
| Difference | -2.82 | -5.12 | -3.78 | -3.9 | |
| 2025 | DL | LB | DB | OVERALL | |
| Games 1-3 | 9-9 | 86.72 | 85.31 | 83.72 | 85.25 |
| Games 4-6 | 9-8 | 85.41 | 87.36 | 89.78 | 87.51 |
| 1H Average* | 18-17 | 86.06 | 86.34 | 89.07 | 88.93 |
| Difference | -2.73 | 2.05 | 6.06 | 5.38 |
Special Teams
| 2024 | Record | KOR | KOC | KICKING | PUNT RETURN | PUNT
COVER |
OVERALL |
| Games 1-3 | 18-19 | 85.31 | 78.35 | 90.15 | 69.36 | 89.82 | 79.5 |
| Games 4-6 | 22-17 | 72.27 | 83.1 | 92.54 | 84.03 | 82.93 | 79.8 |
| 1H Average* | 40-36 | 78.79 | 80.73 | 91.35 | 76.69 | 86.37 | 80.51 |
| Difference | -13.04 | 4.75 | 2.39 | 14.67 | -3.9 | 4.87 | |
| 2025 | KOR | KOC | KICKING | PUNT RETURN | PUNT
COVER |
OVERALL | |
| Games 1-3 | 9-9 | 85.05 | 81.9 | 91.97 | 78.17 | 90.87 | 85.59 |
| Games 4-6 | 9-8 | 81.28 | 87.69 | 91.45 | 78.93 | 78.48 | 83.56 |
| 1H Average* | 18-17 | 83.16 | 84.8 | 91.71 | 78.55 | 84.67 | 84.58 |
| Difference | -3.77 | 5.79 | -0.36 | 0.76 | -12.4 | -9.98 |
Takeaways
1. The 2025 edition of the UVA football team is statistically better than the 2024 iteration.
In the UVA Football Status Report, the only category where Virginia’s opponents have outperformed the Cavaliers is in red zone touchdown scoring percentage. Last year, UVA scored TDs in the red zone on just 37 percent of their chances compared to Virginia’s opponents, who recorded 50 percent TDs. In 2025, the Cavaliers are scoring TDs in the red zone at 66.7 percent, while the opposition is posting a 78.9 percent TD scoring percentage.
2. Defense and special team operations improved in the second quarter of the 2025 season compared to the first quarter. The only area where there was a drop-off in second quarter grades was the offense, where all four offensive units recorded lower marks.
Looking at the grade comparison, the difference in the 2024 and 2025 teams is clearly noticeable. But let’s focus on 2025.
The operation, with the largest first quarter of the season to second quarter improvement, was Virginia’s defense. The Cavalier secondary led all three operations as the most improved unit in games 4-6 going from an 83.72, improving to 6.06 grade points to an 89.78.
Overall, the defense went from a first quarter 85.25 to second quarter 87.51.
Grade Point Difference between 2024 to 2025
DL – 2.53; LB – 6.41; DB – 7.37; DEF TOT – 7.21
Special teams have been fairly consistent in the opening six games of the season. Games 1-3 they graded out with a 85.59 and finished the final three games of the first half of the season posting a 83.56.
Grade Point Difference between 2024 to 2025
KOR – 4.37; KOC – 4.07; PK- 0.36; PR – 1.86; PC – 1.52
The 2024 offensive first half grade was an 80.51 compared to this season’s 85.48. From the first quarter of the 2025 season to the second quarter the offense overall dropped from 90.53 to an 87.33, a 3.2-point drop.
Grade Point Difference between 2024 to 2025
QB – 10.17; RB – 6.93; WR – 6.3; OL – 12.41
3. Grades and Status Report show Cavalier offense is significantly more efficient than in 2024.
There are several reasons for UVA’s higher level of offensive efficiency. First, the run game is consistently producing at high levels. On first, second and third down the Hoos are averaging 4.19 YPC or more. On first down, Virginia averages 5.46, and on third down they’re recording a 7.26-per-carry average.
Another key to UVA’s improved efficiency is the play of the offensive line, especially when it comes to defending pressure on the QB. The Cavaliers are tied for No.5 nationally, having allowed just five sacks all season. Clean pockets are a quarterback’s dream, and the Wahoo front line is taking care of business in pressure protection.
Third-down conversions are also building the efficiency of the offense. UVA is ranked seventh nationally, converting 54.26 percent of their third down chances. That extends drives and keeps opposing defenses on the field.
Finally, a key metric I track in my grading is Points Per Possession Inside the Plus 40-yard line. This is based on the Five Factors that were devised by Bill Connelly of SBNation around 2013.
Something I have harped on for several years with grades, the ‘Hoos poor efficiency on Points Per Possession Inside the +40-yard line. This season has been the best since I began charting this metric in 2019.
Connelly’s analysis showed that when winning the “finishing drives battle,” teams won 74.65 percent of the time. Teams that averaged a field goal per trip (three points) only win 21 percent of the time. The per trip chart and winning percentages are below.
In 2025 the ‘Hoos are tracking at 5.51 points-per-possession inside the opponents’ 40-yard line. Looking at Connelly’s win percentage chart, which puts the Cavaliers at a 68.4 percent win percentage. However, at Virginia’s current 5-1 record, they are sporting an 83.3 percent win percentage.
PPPi40 Win%
5.5-7 pts 72.8%
5-5.5 pts 68.4% (UVA 2025)
4.5-5 pts 62.6%
4-4.5 pts 51.8%
3.5-4 pts 50.4%
3-3.5 pts 38.5% (UVA 2024)
2-3 pts 23.1%
1-2 pts 4.9%
0-1 pt 0.0%
Below is listed UVA’s first six 2025 games PPPi40 win percentages:
Opponent PPPi40 Win%
Coastal Carolina 6.0 72.8%
NC State 3.4 38.5%
William and Mary 6.0 72.8%
Stanford 5.9 72.8%
Florida State 6.6 72.8%
Louisville 6.0 72.8%
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