One Key Matchup to Watch During Virginia's ACC Championship Game vs Duke

How will the Virginia Cavaliers handle their ACC Championship Game tonight against Duke?

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott during the fourth quarter against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The ACC Championship Game is tonight, and the Virginia Cavaliers and the Duke Blue Devils are preparing to face each other in Charlotte at 8 p.m. EST. UVA is favored to win according to numerous projections, but the margin is small, leaving little room for error. If Virginia wins, it will have a clear path to the College Football Playoff with the conference title. UVA has not played an opponent twice in one season since 1906, making this a historic contest. Virginia's first game against Duke this year ended in a shocking 34-17 victory. Will the Cavaliers be able to win their rematch?

With the kickoff just a few hours away, let's take a look at one key matchup that will dictate the trajectory of the game.

Virginia's Defense vs Duke's Darian Mensah

Nov 29, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) is tackled while running the ball on a fourth down by Virginia Cavaliers safety Ethan Minter (30) and Cavaliers safety Devin Neal (27) in the first quarter at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Duke's offense is led by sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah, who has been a key contributor to the Blue Devils' program. So far this year, he has recorded 286 of 424 passes for 3,450 yards, along with 28 touchdowns and four interceptions. He currently leads the ACC in both passing yards and passing touchdowns.

With this in mind, the Cavaliers must be ready to pressure him and disrupt his passes. UVA has built a pattern of finished games with close scores, and although they often come out on top, the ACC Championship is not a time they will want to go into another overtime thriller. However, their experiences in such situations have helped them obtain a fourth-quarter mentality, giving them a bit of an edge over their opponents. It would be ideal for UVA to take a substantial lead early on, but head coach Tony Elliott is expecting the game to be another down-to-the-wire matchup. As he stated during his latest media appearance:

"I believe it [close games] helped us build an understanding that in our league and throughout college football, you've got to be prepared to win one-possession games. So going into this one, we're anticipating that's going to come down to the final possession in the fourth quarter. Hopefully, if that's the case, then your guys will have confidence in themselves to be able to go out and make the plays and not be hoping that the opposing team doesn't make the play."

UVA's defense will be challenged immensely tonight, and although they are favored to win this time around, a win is never guaranteed in college football, let alone when it comes to a championship game.