Under the lights at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia will take on archrival Virginia Tech Saturday at 8 p.m. Both teams sit one win away from bowl eligibility, and everything is on the line — lose the game, and Virginia’s season is over. Could the Commonwealth Clash get any better?
When the Cavaliers (5-6, 3-4 ACC) travel to face the Hokies (5-6, 3-4 ACC) this weekend, they will be fighting for so much more than a bowl appearance. Virginia has not beaten Virginia Tech since 2019, and they have not won a game in Blacksburg since 1998. This long losing streak has made the rivalry 61-38-5 all time and 21-2 since 2000 favor the Hokies. Therefore, a win for the Cavaliers would be paramount in finally changing the narrative of being second fiddle to their biggest rival.
But how likely is this win to materialize? After all, the Cavaliers were bested by 38 points last year by many of the same players currently on the Virginia Tech roster. For example, junior quarterback Kyron Drones still leads the offense alongside senior running back Bhayshul Tuten. The pair decimated the Virginia defense in 2023 both from the air and on the ground, and the Cavaliers will have to be significantly better on this side of the ball to have any chance of winning.
Fortunately, the Virginia defense has some difference makers that could keep Drones and the Hokies in check. Through all the second-half struggles this season, players like senior safety Jonas Sanker Sanker and sophomore linebacker Kam Robinson have shown up big to make plays and keep the Cavaliers competitive in games. But while the defense has been stellar, they often tire out because the offense never stays on the field long enough to give the defense well-deserved rest.
Therefore, to truly stand a chance, sophomore quarterback Anthony Colandrea and his offense must step up. Throughout the season, a poor offensive line has stifled the Cavalier running game and forced Colandrea to escape the pocket and make terrible throws far too often. A lack of creativity in play calling has also made the offense largely unwatchable late in games, as the team runs the same broken plays over and over down 20 points.
Yet, the offense has occasionally worked. In games against Pittsburgh, Coastal Carolina and Wake Forest, the team looked dynamic and had the ability to score in a variety of ways. If the Virginia offense can get back to these winning ways, it will give its defense needed breaks and ultimately have a good shot to win the Commonwealth Clash.
Beyond just this one game, if the Cavalier offense can step up and guide Virginia to victory, the entire season would be viewed differently. A win would finally negate the Cavaliers’ complete meltdown in the second half of the season and many of the doubts which have surrounded the Virginia team.
In contrast, a loss would intensify questions surrounding Elliott’s job security. The same goes for offensive coordinator Des Kitchings and defensive coordinator John Rudzinski, as well as Colandrea. The outcome of this game will determine the answer to many of these questions — if this team starts 4-1 and finishes 5-7, then changes might have to be made.
As for a few longtime Cavaliers, a loss would mean that this would be their final game in a Virginia uniform. Whether it be seniors like Sanker and wide receiver Malachi Fields or potential transfer candidates, this regular season finale could be the last time Cavalier fans see this collection of players fight for “dear old U.Va.”
That being said, a win could also serve as huge encouragement for potential returners to stay for one more year if possible. Getting six wins and making a bowl game could also inspire many future transfers to come play for the Cavaliers, bolstering the roster for years to come.
“In terms of getting to a bowl game, that’s the next step in the development of the program,” Elliott said. “That would be huge.”
For years, this team has been plagued with poor play and a lack of consistent success, and a bowl appearance could be all that it needs to bring fans back to Scott Stadium.
Just days away from what is arguably the biggest game of the Tony Elliott era, it is more apparent than ever that the Cavaliers are at a crossroads. They can win this game, make a bowl game, prove themselves as an up-and-coming team and continue to improve as a program. Or they can lose this game, be forced to make serious organizational changes and stay a bottom-feeding program in the ACC.
“Nothing else matters. It really doesn’t. Nothing else matters but what you do this week …” Elliott said. “Yes, bowl eligibility is on the line, but there is a lot more on the line.”
Sometimes a game is just a game. Saturday at Lane Stadium is not just a game. It is the future of Virginia football.
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