Three Storylines To Watch On Saturday When Virginia Travels To Face California

Can Virginia fix some of their issues and slow down a hot offense in California on Saturday?

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers safety Antonio Clary (0) celebrates after intercepting a pass near the end of the fourth quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers escaped with a road victory against North Carolina in a 17-16 overtime victory. It was a rough offensive performance for the Cavaliers, who struggled to get going throughout the game but made key plays in big moments to get the victory. They are still in a prime position to contend for an ACC title and will have another challenge on Saturday. Let’s take a look at some key storylines to watch.

1. Can Virginia keep Chandler Morris Healthy?

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks to pass in the fourth quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Morris has been taking a fair number of hits over the last few weeks and continues to get battered and bruised. The offensive line has been struggling some over the past few weeks. In a 17-16 win in overtime against North Carolina, Morris was sacked a season-high six times. He’s been taking too many hits, and the offensive line has struggled to protect him. The Cavaliers need their quarterback healthy if they are going to have a chance to get to an ACC title game. It has become concerning, and they will need to do a better job moving forward. Here is what head coach Tony Elliot had to say about all the hits.

“Yeah, I mean it's October, getting ready to go into November, and none of these guys are 100% healthy. They're all dealing with stuff, but he's battling, and you know, I think that we all know that the shoulder, you know, got hurt early, and that's something that's going to linger. I think back to like Tony Muskett,” said Elliot. “The same thing happened to Tony Muskett early in the season. And it's just something that you have to battle through throughout the course of the season. But he's a warrior, man. He's going to do everything he possibly can to be ready to go. And I know that at the end of the day, there's nobody in that locker room who wants to play their best more than Chandler. And so I'm excited to see how these guys respond as we get ready for a different week of preparation going out to Cal.”

2. Can Kam Robinson keep up his stellar play?

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

Kam Robinson has shown he is one of the best linebackers not only in the conference but in the country. He is the leading tackler for the Cavaliers with 48 tackles this season. He also has 1.5 sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery. In the win against North Carolina, Robinson finished with a season-high 13 tackles and a half sack. He was also flying to the ball and making plays consistently for the Cavaliers. He now has three games with 10 or more tackles in a game and has recorded five or more tackles in every game. The junior linebacker is on pace to have a career season with the Cavaliers and has already set a career-high in sacks this season. Robinson is a true difference maker and a special player.

3. Will The Cavaliers Slow Down A Prolific Offense?

Oct 24, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; California Golden Bears head coach Justin Wilcox against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Despite true freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is having an up-and-down season, when he is on, he is on. In his last two outings, he has taken care of the football and played at a high level. Against Virginia Tech, he threw for 286 yards and a touchdown. He has already thrown for 1,982 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s continued to light up defenses in 2025. In addition to him, Kendrick Raphael has also been great for the Golden Bears. Raphael has rushed for 566 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished with three rushing touchdowns in the loss to Virginia Tech. California can also score points in bunches and has three games this season where they have scored 30 or more points. The Cavaliers will have to be ready to slow them down and take away some of the big plays this offense also seems to capitalize on. Saturday will be a good test for the defense to see where they are.