Two Key Matchups Virginia Must Win Against Virginia Tech This Weekend

There are two primary matchups that the Virginia Cavaliers must win this weekend.

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back J'Mari Taylor (3) scores a touchdown against the Duke Blue Devils during the third quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers managed to climb one spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings — they are now at No. 18. While it's far from their No. 14 position a few weeks ago, any progress should be warmly welcomed by the Cavaliers.

To be candid, they are in a position that few people expected to see them in this season, and much of that success can be attributed to head coach Tony Elliott and the encouragement he has continued to pour into his team. Now, they have one more matchup to go during the regular season, and the Cavaliers are hoping to end things on a high note.

With the gripping Virginia-Virginia Tech meeting just a few short days away, here are three key matchups UVA must win on Saturday.

UVA's Front Seven vs Virginia Tech's O-Line and QB

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils cornerback Chandler Rivers (0) attempts to swat the ball from Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Trell Harris (11) during the third quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech's head coach, Philip Montgomery, appears to be feeling rather confident in his offensive line as of late, which could be of concern to the Cavaliers. However, UVA's front seven has proven itself against ranked teams, so it's unlikely that this will be a grueling contest. With that being said, Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones is not a player to underestimate. UVA will need to pressure him and aim to disrupt passes.

UVA's Offense vs Virginia Tech's Defensive Linemen

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarter back Chandler Morris (4) hands the ball to Virginia Cavaliers running back J'Mari Taylor (3) during the first quarter against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Hokies' defensive linemen, particularly Ben Bell and Kemari Copeland, will be major threats this weekend to Virginia's offense. In fact, during Tony Elliott's latest press conference, he described Bell as being "a very dynamic pass rusher, very elusive, hard to get your hands on" type of player, and described Copeland as being "as good as anybody in the league, plays with good power, good get-off." Elliott states that because of this duo, the Cavaliers will need to play well up front.

Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. EST at Scott Stadium. FanDuel Sportsbook still shows UVA as being a 9.5-point favorite over Virginia Tech, with the over/under set at 52.5, but as we've seen in the past, the odds do not automatically equate to a victory. This has been the season of upsets for many programs across the nation.

The fate of the Cavaliers' 2025 outcome is now riding on this singular game. It's crunch time, and one error could force UVA out of the race entirely. Do they have what it takes to win their final matchup?

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