No. 15 Virginia Opens As A Favorite to Win in Week Ten Matchup vs California

Virginia is looking to extend their streak with a win over California during week ten.

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers safety Corey Costner (18) reacts in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Virginia's week nine matchup against North Carolina was sent into a thrilling overtime battle, which resulted in UVA securing a tight 17-16 victory. Since the clash, the Cavaliers have claimed a new spot in the AP Top 25. During week nine, they were ranked No. 16, but now sit at No. 15. Their record has been extended to 7-1 and 4-0 in conference play.

Heading into next Saturday's Virginia-California matchup, the Cavaliers are expected to clinch the victory over the Golden Bears. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, UVA is currently listed as a 3.5-point favorite with the over/under opening at 54.5.

Will UVA Hit an 8-1 Record?

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back Harrison Waylee (21) with the ball in the third quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

You don't have to be a Virginia fan to be impressed by their turnaround this year. Before the regular season kicked off, head coach Tony Elliott was in the hot seat and faced a vast amount of criticism regarding his ability to lead the program.

During the Cavaliers' season opener over Coastal Carolina, they set the stage for what would soon become a historic year for UVA. However, doubts still remained as this was only one game. As many expected, they dropped their second matchup 35-31 against NC State. However, they haven't lost a single game since.

They have defeated William & Mary (55-16), Stanford (48-20), Florida State (46-38), Louisville (30-27), Washington State (22-20) and North Carolina (17-16). At this rate, they have a one-way ticket to winning it all — a statement that nobody expected to say this year.

With that being said, Elliott made a solid point during his postgame press conference over the weekend and explained what's change for his program this year:

"... I think it's three years in the making. Back in, I guess it was, ‘23, where we lost five games by three, one scoreless, right, so we were on the other side of that, so I think that helped us because we learned a lot, right? So what we learned in those situations is that it's much easier to lose a game than it is to win a game, if that makes sense. Then, we were making some costly critical mistakes that cost us games, where I think now we're capitalizing on if an opponent makes a mistake or we're making the plays because of the belief of the young men in that locker room. So, a lot of it is going through being on the other side and they say when you're building a program, you have to first learn how to lose, how to lose close, and then win close and I think because of the experience that we had in the past, it's helped us, you know, get where we are right now."

UVA has been a major surprise factor this year in terms of performance both within the ACC and out. The pieces have finally been coming together for the players — their overall flow has been steady, they're producing strong results, and they've found a way to win nearly every matchup they have entered.

Considering their winning ways and the fact that they're favored to win during week ten, things are looking promising for the Cavaliers as they prepare to face California.

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