Virginia football used to be the team that found creative ways to lose. You know the feeling—the late-game collapse, the missed field goal, the "how did that just happen?" moment. But 2025 changed the math. If you’ve been looking up the virginia cavaliers football score recently, you probably noticed something weird.
They kept winning.
It wasn't just a fluke. Tony Elliott’s squad finished the year 11-3. Eleven wins. That is a program record, the most in the history of the University of Virginia. To put that in perspective, this is a team that was picked to finish 14th in the ACC preseason polls. People basically expected them to be the conference doormat, and instead, they ended up in Charlotte playing for a title.
The Score That Sealed the History Books
The final virginia cavaliers football score of the 2025 season was a gritty 13-7 win over No. 25 Missouri in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on December 27. It wasn't a "pretty" game by any stretch of the imagination. Honestly, it was a defensive slog. But for a program that hadn't won a bowl game since 2018, it felt like a masterpiece.
Chandler Morris, the transfer quarterback who basically saved the season, didn't have his best statistical night, but he did enough. The defense, led by guys like Kam Robinson and James Jackson, turned Missouri over and leaned on them until the clock hit zero.
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A Season of High-Stakes Scores
The road to Jacksonville was paved with some of the wildest scores in recent memory. Look at this run:
- A 46-38 double-overtime thriller against No. 8 Florida State.
- A 30-27 overtime win at Louisville just a week later.
- A 17-16 heart-stopper in Chapel Hill against UNC.
They were living on the edge. Basically, the Cavaliers became "Cardiac Cav." Every Saturday was a test of how much stress a fan's heart could take. They went 7-1 in the ACC, with the only blemish being a strange, sleepy 16-9 loss to Wake Forest in early November.
Why This Virginia Cavaliers Football Score Matters So Much
For years, the Commonwealth Cup—the annual rivalry game against Virginia Tech—felt like a foregone conclusion. Tech owned the series. But on November 29, 2025, the virginia cavaliers football score was a dominant 27-7 in favor of the Hoos.
It was a statement.
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Tony Elliott has spent four years building "The Model," and for the first time, it looked fully operational. The offense actually had a pulse. J’Mari Taylor, the running back who came over from NC Central, was a monster, racking up over 1,000 yards on the season. When he and Morris were clicking, this team looked like a legitimate Top 15 program.
The ACC Championship Heartbreak
Of course, you can't talk about the scores without the one that got away. On December 6, in the ACC Championship game, Virginia lost to Duke 27-20 in overtime. It hurt. The Cavaliers had come back from 10 points down in the final minutes of regulation just to force that OT.
Seeing a virginia cavaliers football score end in a loss in the biggest game of the decade was a gut punch. But even in that loss, the perception of the program shifted. They belonged on that stage.
Breaking Down the 2025 Stats
If you're a numbers person, the final season totals explain why the scores stayed in Virginia's favor. The team averaged about 31 points per game while the defense held opponents to under 20.
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- Chandler Morris: 3,000 yards passing, 16 TDs.
- J’Mari Taylor: 1,062 rushing yards, 14 TDs.
- Trell Harris: 847 receiving yards, 5 TDs.
The defense was the real anchor, though. They were 22nd in the country in points allowed. That’s how you win 11 games. You stop people from scoring when it matters.
What's Next for the Wahoos?
So, where does this leave us? Tony Elliott is a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year award, and for good reason. He took a team that was supposed to be bad and made them historic.
If you're tracking the virginia cavaliers football score into 2026, the focus shifts to the transfer portal and recruiting. Can they keep this momentum? They’re losing some key seniors, but the culture seems to have finally flipped.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Secure 2026 Season Tickets early: After an 11-win season, Scott Stadium is going to be packed. Don't wait until August to look for seats.
- Track the Transfer Portal: With the success of Chandler Morris and J'Mari Taylor, UVA is now a destination for high-level transfers looking for a spotlight.
- Watch the Bear Bryant Award Ceremony: On January 21, 2026, we’ll see if Elliott takes home the national hardware.
The 2025 season is over, but the way we look at Virginia football has fundamentally changed. The scores prove it.