Three Takeaways From Virginia’s Placement in the First Round of the CFP Rankings

What are the primary takeaways from Virginia's placement in the initial CFP rankings?

Nov 1, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back J'Mari Taylor (3) runs the ball against defensive back Dru Polidore Jr. (2) during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The initial College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings have now been released, and the lineup is quite interesting. Not only did the Virginia Cavaliers land a spot on the list, but they landed the highest spot out of all the ACC programs. With an imposing record of 8-1 and 5-0 in conference play, their No. 14 ranking makes sense, particularly when considering the surprising upsets that have taken place this year for UVA.

Here's how the programs stack up:

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Ole Miss
7. BYU
8. Texas Tech
9. Oregon
10. Notre Dame
11. Texas
12. Oklahoma
13. Utah
14. Virginia
15. Louisville
16. Vanderbilt
17. Georgia Tech
18. Miami
19. USC
20. Iowa
21. Michigan
22. Missouri
23. Washington
24. Pittsburgh
25. Tennessee

With Virginia's historic ranking, here are some key takeaways from the night:

1. The ACC has some strong contenders in the mix

Oct 4, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers tight end John Rogers (89) runs the ball against Louisville Cardinals defensive back JoJo Evans Jr. (27) 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

Not only does Virginia come in at No. 14 in the initial CFP rankings, but Louisville (No. 15), Georgia Tech (No. 17), Miami (No. 18) and Pittsburgh (No. 24) are also in the lineup. In years prior, the thought of UVA landing such a high spot in the CFP rankings was inconceivable. However, watching the Cavaliers compete this season has been like watching a completely different team; the chemistry and grit on the field are evident.

2. The next three matchups matter the most

Nov 1, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears wide receiver Jacob De Jesus (21) dives to catch a deep pass against Virginia Cavaliers safety Corey Costner (18) during the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

For their week eleven matchup, the Cavaliers will be facing Wake Forest, followed by Duke and Virginia Tech. Early in the season, UVA's head coach Tony Elliott made it clear to his players that thinking about the rankings will do more harm than good. Although the end of the season is approaching, Elliott holds onto that mindset as a way to help drown out the noise. If UVA wants to climb in the CFP rankings, it's best that they take their coach's advice.

"... truth be told, it doesn't matter what you rank today," Elliott said during his latest press conference. "You wanna worry about the one after that first week in December. That's really what the focus is. And so what happens today doesn't matter, right? We control what we do from here on out if we're really serious about where we wanna be in December. And that's really all I'm going to say about it, and encourage them [his players] not to watch it."

3. UVA shocked the nation

Nov 1, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) is sacked by a Virginia Cavaliers defensive end Cazeem Moore (6) during the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

To be candid, Virginia was not expected to perform as well as they have this year. However, their success hasn't been without its challenges. Injuries have plagued the program, but the ability of the remaining players to fill in the gaps has been nothing short of impressive. This is the "next man up" mentality that Elliott has drilled into his team over the years. As he stated:

"It's critical. Without it, I don't think [we would be] where we are. The guys have had to step up. I mean, you know, game five. I guess it was game five. Brady (Wilson) goes down. Now Drake's (Metcalf) got to move in. Well, then, Wiggy's (Kevin Wigenton) up. Well, then, Wiggy goes down. Now Sipe’s (Ethan Sipe) up, right? Now Brady's back, right? Well, then, Jack (Witmer) and Ben (York) go down.

(McKale) Boley goes out. I mean, and then you look on the defensive side, you've got guys going down and guys stepping up. So it's critical. And I think that is one of the differences with this team in years past is we do have more competitive depth, so that we have guys in position and ready to go, which makes our practices more competitive, which I think prepares us better for competition on Saturday, so it's critical to our success."

UVA's week eleven matchup this weekend will, fortunately, be a home game for the Cavaliers after spending quite some time on the road. The energy at Scott Stadium has been electric, which will only help fuel Virginia, which is hoping to extend its record to 9-1.