Virginia Earns First AP Poll Ranking Since 2019 After Upsetting Florida State

Big Night in Charlottesville

It was a big night in a lot of different ways for the Cavaliers:

Virginia knocked off a top-10 opponent at Scott Stadium for the first time since defeating then-No. 4 Florida State 26-21 in 2005. 

• The win was the third over a ranked opponent under head coach Tony Elliott (No. 8 FSU–2025, No. 23 Pitt–2024, No. 10 UNC–2023). 

• The FSU and UNC wins were also over top-10 foes, making Elliott one of two head coaches in program history with multiple top-10 wins (George Welsh – 4). 

• UVA’s last overtime game was against Miami in 2022. UVA snapped a three-game skid in overtime games, earning its first OT win since defeating Syracuse in triple overtime
in 2015. UVA is 5-8 all-time in overtime games.  

• Friday was Virginia’s first win at home over a ranked opponent since defeating then-No. 15 North Carolina in 2020. 

• The 46 points were the most by Virginia against Florida State in 20 all-time meetings. The previous high was 33 in the 1995 upset win over then-No. 2. FSU. 

• Virginia improves to 4-1 to start the year for the second-straight season. The last time UVA posted back-to-back 4-1 starts was in 2003-04. 

• Announced attendance was 50,107, the largest crowd at Scott Stadium this season and the largest since 2023 against James Madison. 

•  Virginia held Florida State, the nation’s top scoring offense, scoreless in the first quarter for the first time this season. It also marked the first time FSU hasn’t
scored on an opening drive this year. 

• UVA is outscoring its opponents in the fourth quarter 26-9. FSU’s game-tying touchdown with 36 seconds remaining was the first touchdown scored by a UVA opponent in
the fourth quarter this season. 

•  The Cavaliers forced two turnovers (1 INT, 1 FUM) in the first quarter. The last time UVA forced two opposing turnovers was against Boston College in 2024, when current
FSU quarterback Thomas Castellanos threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter while playing for BC. 

• Virginia improved to 4-0 at Scott Stadium, matching the most home wins since sine 2021 (4-3).  

• Friday’s win was the first at home by the Cavaliers on a weekday since 2019 (Virginia Tech). 

• UVA improves to 3-0 on the season when forcing a turnover. 

• UVA had held its opponents scoreless for 42:26 before Florida State scored its first touchdown in the second quarter. 

• Nine different Cavaliers caught a pass in the contest. Nine or more UVA receivers have caught a pass in all five games this season. 

• For the first time since 2004, Virginia has rushed for over 200 yards in four consecutive games (Clemson–239, Syracuse–225, Akron–326, North Carolina–299, Temple–286). 

Can Virginia sustain this? They have to prove it first and that is going to start with the big game next weekend in Louisville.