Why the Wake Forest Defense Could be in Trouble Against Virginia
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After two straight solid defensive performances against Oregon State and SMU, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons were humbled by a Florida State offense that featured returning starter Tommy Castellanos. The loss marked their defeat of the season by a score of 42-7.
Not only was it one of the worst defensive performances that Wake Forest has seen this season, but it also marked their worst offensive performance as well. It wasn't until the fourth quarter that Wake Forest's offense got on the scoreboard with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Deshawn Purdie to Micah Mays Jr.
Things likely won't get any easier for the Demon Deacons this Saturday as they'll travel to Charlottesville to take on the No.14 Virginia Cavaliers. With another lethal offense on the horizon, the resilience of head coach Jake Dickert's team will be tested again this Saturday.
A Well-Rounded Virginia Offense Against a Talented Wake Forest Secondary
Part of the reason the Cavaliers have climbed to No.14 in the AP poll is due to their balanced attack on offense. Led by UNT transfer quarterback Chandler Morris, the Virginia offense has taken a massive step forward from last season's performances. Morris has totaled 2,069 passing yards this season with 12 touchdowns through the air and four touchdowns on the ground.
One thing that plays into Wake Forest's hands in this matchup is the number of times Morris throws the ball in a given game. The transfer quarterback averages over 31 passing attempts a game, which could bode well for the Deacons' secondary. Despite giving up 271 passing yards to Tommy Castellanos, Wake Forest remains a team that allows less than 200 passing yards each week.
While this week's passing defense could fare better this week, I once again have to go back to my point about the Cavaliers having an extremely balanced offense in general. While the story this season has been the impressive start for Morris and the passing attack, Virginia has gone with a run-heavy offense within the redzone, and especially near the goal line.
Of their 41 touchdowns this season, 24 of them have come from the rushing attack, whether it be quarterbacks or running backs. J'Mari Taylor, the starter in the backfield for the Cavaliers, has been featured in a lot of packages near the goal line this season with 11 touchdowns by himself. The former North Carolina Central running back has totaled 686 rushing yards this season, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
J'Mari Taylor is a STUD. pic.twitter.com/nxDI2cdxIv
— College Football Alerts (@CFBAlerts_) September 27, 2025
Virginia's rushing attack leads me to my reasoning on why this could be an extremely difficult matchup for the Demon Deacons. NC State, Georgia Tech, and Florida State all feature either elite running backs or run-heavy offenses.
While the Deacons allowed only 150 rushing yards last week, it's the yards per carry that stand out, especially for Florida State running back Samuel Singleton Jr., who averaged 6.5 yards per carry. If Wake Forest wants to be a contender in this game, it'll need to take their run defense to a new level against the Cavaliers.
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Carson, a 2025 TCU graduate, is a sports journalist who covers college athletics for several On SI sites. While most of his experience is with TCU On SI, he also writes with Wake Forest On SI and Houston On SI. He also has a passion for the college baseball scene, most notably being a fan of TCU Baseball. In 2023, Carson was in Omaha and reported on the Men’s College World Series, where TCU finished 4th in the nation. His past work not only consists of major sports like football, basketball, and baseball, but with others like track and field and cross country as well.