No. 16 Virginia will pay a visit to Kenan Stadium Saturday afternoon for another installment of the South’s Oldest Rivalry. The Cavaliers come into the game red hot, with a 6-1 overall record and a 3-0 mark in ACC play. The Cavaliers’ No. 16 ranking in the latest edition of the AP Poll is their highest since 2007.
Here’s more on the Cavaliers:
Head coach: Tony Elliott is in his fourth season in charge in Charlottesville, and the 2025 season is by far his most successful. Virginia has already exceeded its win totals from any of Elliott’s first three years with the program. Elliott is an ACC lifer, having played football at Clemson and serving on Dabo Swinney’s coaching staff with the Tigers for a decade before coming to Virginia. As co-offensive coordinator, Elliott helped Clemson win the 2016 and 2018 national titles. He’s 1-2 in three games against UNC.
What’s the history? UNC and Virginia have played more than 100 times in their history. The Tar Heels hold a slight edge in the series with 66 wins against 59 for Virginia. There have been four ties.
Revenge game: Those who aren’t plugged in to the constant drama surrounding UNC head coach Bill Belichick’s program will likely not know the history with Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris. Morris spent the 2024 season at North Texas and played well, throwing for more than 3,700 yards and 31 touchdowns. He entered the transfer portal in the offseason, and The Athletic later reported Morris was interested in coming to UNC. However, general manager Michael Lombardi rebuffed UNC staffers who wanted to reach out to Morris, insisting he knew better. Halfway through the season, Virginia leads the ACC in total offense and UNC is dead last.
With Chandler Morris at quarterback, Virginia is averaging 40 points per game. (Image via Associated Press/Robert Simmons)
Ground and pound: Not to be outdone, Virginia’s rushing attack is also lethal. The Cavaliers are one of only three teams in the ACC averaging more than 200 yards per game on the ground (Georgia Tech and Florida State are the others). J’Mari Taylor leads the way with 527 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. As a team, UNC has scored only 13 total touchdowns.
Throwing the first punch: Virginia does much of its damage in the early stages of the game. The Cavaliers have outscored opponents 77-28 in the first quarter and 87-59 in the second quarter this season. Last week’s game against Washington State was the first time Virginia had trailed at halftime all season, but the Cavaliers fought back to earn a 22-20 win.
Road warriors: Though UNC has won three of the last four meetings overall against Virginia, the Cavaliers have played well in their recent visits to Chapel Hill. Virginia has won three of the last four games played in Chapel Hill, including a stunning 31-27 upset against then-unbeaten Carolina in 2023. The loss started a late-season tailspin for the Tar Heels, who lost five of their final seven games after starting the year 6-0. For its part, UNC has also played well in Charlottesville recently, winning its last two games at Virginia’s Scott Stadium. Overall, the visiting team has won four of the last six installments of the series.
What are the odds? At the time of publication, UNC is a 9.5-point underdog in the game.
Featured image via Associated Press/Robert Simmons
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