First Look at Virginia's Bowl Opponent: The Missouri Tigers

Virginia will be facing Missouri at the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl later this month in Jacksonville.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks to pass in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers left their matchup last weekend with heartbreak after facing a 27-20 loss to Duke at the ACC Championship. As a result, the Cavaliers lost their College Football Playoff contention. However, their season isn't over just yet. In a few weeks, they will be taking on the Missouri Tigers at the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. This will only be the second time in program history that Virginia and Missouri have competed against each other, with the first being several decades ago in 1973.

Although the Cavaliers still have plenty of time to rest and recover prior to kickoff, that doesn't mean the work is done. Ahead of the contest, let's take a look at what UVA will be up against later this month.

Early Peek at Missouri

Nov 15, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) speaks to media after the win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

At first glance, it will look like the Cavaliers are heading toward securing their eleventh win of the year. The Tigers are riding an overall record of 8-4, and when compared to UVA's 10-3 record, Virginia seems to be the more dominant team. However, Missouri has one key player in their back pocket: Ahmad Hardy.

Hardy is a 19-year-old sophomore running back who is one of the leading players in the country in terms of rushing yards (1,560). The only player to surpass him is Cam Cook (1,659) of Jacksonville State. In total this year, Hardy has recorded 241 carries for 1,560 yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Along the way, he logged an impressive 16 rushing touchdowns.

Dec. 27th will mark the Tigers' 38th bowl appearance, 17 of which they have won. Their last bowl game was in December 2024 when they competed in the Music City Bowl against Iowa, which resulted in a tight 27-24 victory. The year prior, Missouri also claimed a win after defeating Ohio State 14-3 in the Cotton Bowl. However, the Tigers have now played in the Gator Bowl since 1968 against Alabama. Once again, they won 35-10.

At this time, Missouri ranks No. 10 in total defense, making the Tigers a daunting opponent for UVA to take on. Despite this, Virginia's head coach Tony Elliott is viewing this contest as an opportunity to end the season on a positive note. As he stated during his postgame press conference following the Cavaliers' devastating loss:

"We’re grateful for another opportunity to finish what has been such a special season for this program, the players, staff, alumni, donors and UVA fans. We want to send off our seniors, who have given everything to this program, the right way and that will be our focus going into this final game.”

Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 27 at 7:30 p.m. EST, with the game being televised on ABC. This is Virginia's final chance to end its remarkable 2025 campaign with a celebration.