Tony Elliott: From Hot Seat to Top 25

Virginia’s impressive and improbable 46-38 double overtime victory over No. 8 Florida State on Friday night propelled the Cavs into the Top 25 for the first time since 2019. As a result, they have become one of the top early season stories of 2025.

And a big part of that has been Elliott. The hot seat he was sitting on a month ago, when he entered the season with a 11-23 record, has transformed into a comfortable recliner. There are several reasons that this has happened, with the top being transfer quarterback Chandler Morris.

Morris has had a roller coaster ride of a collegiate career since signing with Oklahoma as a four-star recruit back in 2020. Since then, he has also played with TCU, North Texas and now Virginia. While it took him a long time to get to this point, it never would have happened if it wasn’t for his successful 2024 season with the Mean Green when he passed for 3,774 yards and 31 touchdowns. This opened the door for better opportunities and eventually brought him to Charlottesville, Va.

The next big hurdle for Virginia, Elliott and Morris is continuing this positivity through the conclusion of the 2025 season. And that begins on Saturday with a tricky game at Louisville (4-0). But the good news is that aside from the Cardinals and a trip to Cal on November 1^st, the Cavs will likely be favored in every other regular season game.

Because of this, the chances of a team that a month ago was irrelevant with a head coach who was firmly on the hot seat, has a legitimate chance of playing in the ACC Championship game and making the playoffs. Life changes quickly, and Elliott is proving that it doesn’t always have to be for the negative.