Staff Predictions for No. 20 Virginia's Week Twelve Matchup vs Duke

How do our staff predictions look heading into Virginia's week twelve matchup against the Blue Devils?

Nov 8, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott (center) celebrates with players after a play against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The end of the 2025 college football season is rapidly approaching, placing programs across the nation in crunch mode. This goes for the Virginia Cavaliers, too, particularly after falling to Wake Forest during week eleven. Now, the Cavaliers only have two matchups left in the regular season to redeem themselves — Duke and Virginia Tech.

This week, UVA's week twelve matchup will be against the Blue Devils, who are still favored to win, despite Virginia's dominating history against Duke. Now is the time for the Cavaliers to lock in and claim their final two wins.

Let's take a look at our staff predictions for the Cavaliers as they gear up for this weekend.

Jackson Caudell (Publisher): Duke 31 - Virginia 28

"Virginia's offense has been sputtering as of late, and I don't think they will be able to keep up with Darian Mensah and the Blue Devils."

Maria Aldrich (Writer): Duke 34 - Virginia 24

"As impressive as the Cavaliers' upsets have been this season, I do not foresee UVA pulling this one off. Having experienced such a disappointing loss last week, ending their seven-game winning streak,  I think the jolt back could disrupt their momentum too much, particularly offensively — an area in which they've already been struggling with."

UVA’s Offense Dials In on Details

Nov 8, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) runs with the ball and is injured on the play during the first half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

At this point in the season, it's not a secret that UVA's offense is struggling to gain traction. Between injuries, inefficiency and a lack of rhythm, the Cavaliers are in a funk. Head coach Tony Elliott acknowledged this deficiency and highlighted some key areas in which his team was going to work through ahead of the matchup:

"Let's make sure we're at six and not five. Let's make sure that our alignment is on the hash and not two yards outside the hash or a yard inside the hash. Let's have some pre-snap intensity so that I can pre-snap read. And if I see a copping defensive end, like a defensive end getting ready to drop, I already have an anticipated plan of release. Just those next-level things to get to where we wanna go.

That's what I want to see offensively. Back to the high level of strain that we've been having on special teams, honing in on the many, many adjustments we're going to have to make for their punt team. Defensively, man, let's get back to taking the ball away. You know, I think it's the first time in like six games we didn't have a takeaway, right? Let's get back to being fanatical about trying to strip the ball out. Let's get the plan down."

Tomorrow's outcome will be telling — are the Cavaliers doomed for what’s left of the season, or was last week simply a fluke?