Three Storylines To Watch On Saturday When Virginia Travels To Duke

Key things to watch out for this weekend in Durham

Nov 8, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers safety Caleb Hardy (26) looks on from the field prior to the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Virginia begins the week in preparation for their game against Duke on Saturday in Durham. There are key things to watch in this game on Saturday for the Cavaliers, who are looking to rebound after a loss. Let’s take a look at some key storylines to watch for. 

1.Can Virginia slow down Duke QB Darian Mensah? 

Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a pass against the UConn Huskies in the first quarter at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Darian Mensah has been one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC this season. He’s continued to threaten defenses with his arm and his ability to make explosive plays down the field. Mensah currently ranks No. 4 in the country in passing yards with 2,794 yards and 24 touchdowns. He is ranked tied-fourth in touchdowns. He also ranked sixth in the country in quarterback rating with a 166.8. He’s been a part of the resurgence of the Blue Devils this season, who have a viable chance of winning the ACC. Duke is currently 4-1 in conference play and could get a big tiebreaker with a win over Virginia. Mensah is leading the No. 20 total offense in the country and is averaging 452.4 yards per game this season. The Blue Devils also have the No. 22 scoring offense in the country which is averaging 35.2 points per game. Mensah is tough to slow down especially when he is rolling and playing at a high level. He’s been one of the best pickups from the transfer portal last offseason. 

2. Will Chandler Morris return vs the Blue Devils? 

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

The biggest question of the week is whether Morris will return this week after taking a brutal blow to the head on a scramble in the game against Wake Forest. He would be ruled out for the game and wouldn’t return. Daniel Kaelin filled in for him in his absence and played decently, but it wasn’t the same without Morris. The offense scored only nine points and had three turnovers in the 16-9 loss to Wake Forest. Head coach Tony Elliot talked about his status postgame. 

“I mean, he came back out, I know he's in street clothes there, and said he was feeling all right. We'll know more when we get some more tests early in the week, tomorrow and Monday. But man, you've got to, anytime you get hit in the head or up above the neck, you've got to make sure that you take that with a lot of caution, and so being very cautious. But from what I seen out there, he seemed like he was doing okay. 

Concussions are no joke and are very serious. Every player is different. While some can return the very next week, for others it can take a few weeks for recovery. His status should be updated early in the week, and how he is recovering from the injury. 

3. How does Virginia respond after a loss? 

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers linebacker Kam Robinson (5) on the sidelines in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers have faced this fate before and responded well after losing to NC State in the second game of the season. Virginia rattled off seven consecutive victories. Their defense has been stellar over the last few weeks and has really carried the day. In a game where the offense had three turnovers, the defense only gave up six points on those turnovers. They also didn’t allow a touchdown and held the Demon Deacons to just 64 passing yards. The offense was uncharacteristic and rightfully so, after losing one of its best players. Now, Virginia gets a chance to bounce back and finish the season strong. 

“I mean, they're hurt, so they want to win, right? And they believe that they were going to win all the way down to the last, you know, 13 seconds on the clock. I asked them, I said, did anybody not believe we all were like, we believe, okay, so, but they're hurt, they're disappointed. They're a group that will respond. The biggest challenge is staying inside out, because, you know, I know we're talking about a loss right now, but where we're at is because we stayed inside out, we stayed together, and we've responded,” said Elliot. “And that's really what to me, the heart of a champion is, you know, when you have defeat, you can, you can respond quickly. And the biggest challenge for me and the staff is to make sure that we don't allow this to beat us twice, right? Because, you know, we start to now fracture and listen to outside voices and do all that kind of stuff. And, you know, we played with fire, right? And we got burned. We kept it close when we didn't necessarily have to, right? And we turned the ball over in some critical situations.” 

More Virginia Football News:

•No. 20 Virginia Opens As A Near Touchdown Underdog In Week 12 Matchup vs Duke

•Virginia Falls Eight Spots In The Latest AP Poll Rankings

•The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From Virginia's 16-9 Loss vs Wake Forest

•PFF Grades and Snap Counts From Virginia's Loss To Wake Forest