Virginia Opens As A Big Favorite in ACC Matchup against Stanford

Can UVA secure another convincing, clean victory in Week Three?

Sep 13, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back J'Mari Taylor (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring a during the first half against the William & Mary Tribe at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

After handling William & Mary, 55-16, UVA will once again look to defend its home turf. This week, they match up against a lackluster Stanford team. UVA looks to continue to ride this winning momentum with a victory before breaking into ACC play against a tough opponent in a ranked Florida State.

Multiple Score Favorite

Sep 13, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back J'Mari Taylor (3) scores a touchdown against the William & Mary Tribe during the first half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

While the Cavaliers are not as heavily favored as they were against William & Mary last week (-26.5), the odds are still heavily in UVA's favor.

According to Fanduel Sportsbook, Virginia comes into the week a 16.5-point favorite against Stanford at Scott Stadium. Riding a historic offensive output that featured several outstanding performances on the ground, oddsmakers are still riding with the Hoo's. The over/under is set slightly lower compared to last week's mark at 48.5.

It's hard to imagine this hot Virginia team will not be able to cover that spread coming off a game where the offense put together 700 yards, including just under 380 yards on the ground. The win against William & Mary marked the first time two UVA rushers (Harrison Waylee and Noah Vaughn) broke the century mark since Brennan Armstrong and Perris Jones against Richmond back in 2022.

I believe the Hoo's will ride this offensive spark on the ground. While Noah Vaughn did exit the game with an injury, the coaching staff is not too concerned about the ankle injury. Even if UVA limits Vaughn's touches this next week out of caution, they are extremely well-equipped to keep their rushing attack hot. J'Mari Taylor is one of the most productive running backs in the country with his six touchdowns on just 33 carries. The offense can also depend on Xavier Brown and a variety of other options to take some carries against Stanford.

The passing game was also clean and effective with starter Chandler Morris and backup Daniel Kaelin both passing for over 145 yards. Morris also added a touchdown while Kaelin averaged over 11 yards per completion against the W&M defense.

Head coach Tony Elliott thinks the well-rounded scoring explosion gave a lot of offensive pieces the opportunity to get ready for the potential opportunities that may present themselves going forward.

"It's huge because it's a good opportunity for those guys to be rewarded for the hard work that they put in. And we're going to need them in competitive, tight games down the stretch in ACC. We're going to need those guys at some point in time, and so it's so great to reward them, but then also gain valuable experience. And man, they're going to get coached just as hard as the starters. We're going to get on the film on Monday as a group, but just super happy to be able to have a game where you can play the bulk of your roster."

We will see if Virginia will be able to cash in on those valuable reps this Saturday at 7:30 PM EDT when the Cardinals come to Scott Stadium for the Week Four contest.

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