5 Burning Questions That Virginia Must Answer During Their Bye Week

Despite experiencing another massive upset on Saturday, Virginia still has some unanswered questions.

Oct 4, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) scrambles to get open against Louisville Cardinals defensive back D'Angelo Hutchinson (21) during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Virginia defeated Louisville 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

After a monumental matchup on Saturday against Louisville, No. 19 Virginia is now on their bye week. This is the time to rest and recover, but that doesn't mean that the work is done. In fact, this is the perfect opportunity for UVA to create a game plan moving forward. In that plan, there are five burning questions that must be answered:

1. How Can Virginia Prevent a Plateau?

Oct 4, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks to pass against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Virginia defeated Louisville 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

As the famous saying goes, all good things must come to an end. This holds true for a football program that consistently wins, such as the Cavaliers' case. They've been on an upward trajectory for quite some time now, with two successive upsets under their belt. In order to continue inching their way toward an ACC title, they will need to find ways to continue improving so they don't hit the dreaded plateau.

One priority to prevent this should be dialing in on defensive consistency. During their latest matchup, UVA's defense was the star of the show. They scored two defensive touchdowns, one by Donavon Platt (61 yards) and another by Kam Robinson (47 yards). Louisville essentially handed points over to UVA, and the Cavaliers did not hesitate to take advantage of the situation. This is the type of quick action that needs to be taking place each game — consistency is key.

2. What Is Going On With the Rapid Accumulation of Penalties?

Prior to Saturday's meeting with Louisville, Virginia was not struggling with penalties. However, on Saturday, UVA managed to earn itself a whopping seven penalties for 68 yards. While this didn't stop them from defeating the Cardinals, it is a cause for concern. Penalties can severely interfere with the outcome of a game, due to effects on the offensive and defensive units. Now on a bye week, Virginia must examine what went wrong and figure out how to move forward in a cleaner, more efficient way.

3. How Can UVA Put an End to Overtime Thrillers?

Oct 4, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Miller Moss (7) scrambles under the pressure of Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Kam Robinson (5) during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Virginia defeated Louisville 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

A nail-biting overtime battle is certainly an invigorating experience for fans, but it isn't an ideal situation for either program involved. With such a minuscule margin of error as the time on the clock dwindles, players are left in a grueling situation. One wrong move could cost a program the entire game, potentially derailing them from an ACC title. As Virginia grows closer to the championships week by week, it's imperative that the Cavaliers are able to start gaining early leads, rather than relying on second-half adjustments.

4. Can UVA’s Offensive and Defensive Units Generate Flow?

Before Virginia's Week 6 matchup, their offensive players were carrying the weight of each game on their shoulders. The common theme was that their defense needed to step it up. Once Saturday rolled around, their defense did just that, but their offensive unit seemed to pull back. Their performance wasn't necessarily poor, but it definitely wasn't as striking as it had been. If the Cavaliers can find a way to align both offensively and defensively, they will likely be able to overcome their last-minute overtime victories.

5. How Can UVA Improve on Their Precision?

Oct 4, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott reacts during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Virginia defeated Louisville 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Elliott made it very clear that this was not a seamless game for Virginia, despite clinching the overtime victory. While he states that the passion was undeniably there, he highlighted the lack of precision displayed on the field.

As Elliott stated in his recent press conference:

"Saw the passion, not as much precision, but you know, hey, it's a great opportunity for us to learn, and you know, this team is kind of in, I wouldn't say uncharted waters, but every week's new for them. It's something different, and it's an opportunity to teach... But the precision wasn't what it needed to be, but the passion was there, and the effort was there. And at the end of the day, when you have those things as part of your DNA in your core, you're going to win a lot of football games."