Why This Week's Game vs. Florida State Could Be the Most Important Game of Tony Elliot’s Tenure

Entering the 2025 campaign, Tony Elliot had a lot to prove. Truthfully, he still does. UVA dropped its chances of making any bowl appearances each year while under Elliot's leadership. 2019 marked their last bowl game when their former coach, Bronco Mendenhall, led the program to the Orange Bowl. Virginia hasn't seen a bowl game since, which they are hoping to change soon.

Elliot's first season as UVA head coach was in 2022, and from that point on, he has been working tirelessly to get the program back to where it once was. A cloud of uncertainty has been looming over Virginia this season, but there is plenty of time to kick things into high gear. Their latest matchup against Stanford shows immense promise as the Cavaliers clinched the win 48-20. It's unknown if they will be able to stay on this positive trajectory.

The final result of the Virginia-Florida State game on Friday will be telling — is this season heading toward a positive outcome for UVA? If the Cavaliers can pull off a victory, no matter how tight, they could prove themselves to be a strong ACC contender.

This matchup opens up a massive stage for Virginia to show what it can do. If there's anything that the program has made clear this season, it's that giving up is simply not an option, with the understanding that there is undeniably room for improvement. Elliot has made this incredibly clear as Friday approaches.

"There's plenty for us to coach better at and to clean up. But just super proud of the guys showing up with a business-like mentality," said Elliot, per Jeff White of Virginia Sports. "They continue to have that each week and they're playing good complementary football."

There is a lot riding on the line for the Cavaliers. Elliot is already in the hot seat this season as his program attempts to carve out a new name for itself. A victory this week could certainly be a much-needed turning point for UVA. Not only would a victory on Friday give Virginia a boost of confidence and a more high-profile reputation, but it would also take a load of pressure off Elliot.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26 at Scott Stadium. The nail-biting game will be made available for viewing on ESPN.