Virginia Becomes Serious ACC Contender After Unexpected Victory Over FSU

Heading into Friday night's game, there was great confidence surrounding Virginia's offense. Particularly considering Chandler Morris' Friday night prowess as the leading quarterback, UVA has carved out a new name for itself.

As UVA head coach Tony Elliott stated in his postgame press conference:

"It's because of belief at the end of the day, belief, we got Drake Metcalf starting at center. We got Kevin Wigenton, who was questionable for last week with an ankle injury. And at the end of the day, it's all belief, it's all and that's really what I've been challenging everybody in our program, is just man, the heart of a champion doesn't mean you're perfect, right, but you just believe. You believe beyond your circumstances. You believe beyond what you see in front of you and that group. Man, I could tell. I could tell by the way they practiced this week, I could tell by how they showed up for pregame that they believed. They didn't know how it was going to get done, but they believed, and I didn't know how it was going to get done, right? But I believe that, at the end of the day, playmakers are going to find a way, but super proud of that offensive line..."

UVA Defense Steps Up

The most prominent question mark surrounding the Cavaliers heading into their week five matchup was their defense. Although they are equipped with a decent defensive squad, it wasn't clear if their efforts would be enough to stop Florida State. However, after tonight, it's become evident that UVA as a whole is a dominant force on the field, particularly after clinching such a tremendous victory.

"...I think they're going to get some confidence, you know, from this," said Elliott. "And I mean that quarterback [Tommy Castellanos] is dynamic. I mean, Lord have mercy. He's, he's dynamic. And I mean, Duce Robinson, man, he's phenomenal. I recruited him a little bit. And first of all, he's an outstanding young man, but he's, I mean, all I'm gonna say is, they got enough stops and we found a way. We'll go back to work, we'll fit we'll fix it, we'll find ways to get better. But at the end of the day, when they needed stops, they got us to stop so that we can find a way to score more points than the opponent.”

Heading into week six, the Cavaliers will undoubtedly carry a newfound sense of confidence, which will only aid them when they face Louisville in their next matchup. Will UVA be able to play with as much assertiveness against the Cardinals as they displayed on Friday?