Tag: virginia

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott looks on before the Gator Bowl against the Missouri Tigers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images

Virginia extends Tony Elliott through 2030 season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Virginia head coach Tony Elliott agreed to a contract extension that spans through the 2030 season, the university announced Wednesday.

Financial terms were not disclosed for Elliott, who guided the Cavaliers to a school-record 11 wins last season following their 13-7 victory over Missouri in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Virginia also made the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game in 2025.

Elliott, 46, was named the ACC Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award.

That’s quite the turnaround after Elliott finished his previous three seasons with an 11-23 record.

“The commitment to football at the University of Virginia is real and palpable throughout our building,” Elliott said. “I’m proud of the foundation that we have laid and excited for what we can do together in the years to come.”

Virginia athletic director Carla Williams also praised Elliott for guiding the program through difficult times.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Tony Elliott continue to lead our football program,” Williams said. “His commitment to the values of the University of Virginia and his commitment to developing the whole person through football have been a blessing. His vision of building the model program has never wavered, despite extraordinary adversity. The future is bright for UVA Football and we’re excited to continue this work together.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) warms up before the Gator Bowl against the Missouri Tigers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images

Virginia QB Chandler Morris denied 7th year of eligibility

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A judge denied Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris’ request for a preliminary injunction in his quest for a seventh season of eligibility.

After the NCAA denied the 25-year-old player’s waiver request and his subsequent appeal earlier this year, Morris sued the NCAA in Charlottesville Circuit Court in February seeking to play in 2026.

The NCAA released a statement Thursday saying it was pleased by the court’s decision to protect the integrity of collegiate competition.

“As additional lawsuits challenging common-sense, academically-tied eligibility rules are filed, the NCAA will continue to defend against attempts to rob high school students across the nation of the opportunity to compete in college and experience the life-changing opportunities only college sports can create.

“The NCAA and its member schools are making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes, but the patchwork of state laws and inconsistent, conflicting court decisions make partnering with Congress essential to provide stability for all college athletes.”

Attorneys for Morris claimed he was wrongly denied a waiver from the NCAA for his 2022 season at TCU, in which he sustained a knee injury in the season opener. He returned later that season to play three games as a backup.

Morris’ lawyers said those appearances off the Horned Frogs’ bench were part of a medically prescribed treatment plan for mental health.

The NCAA argued that Morris failed to prove he had suffered an “incapacitating physical or mental circumstance.”

In his lone season at Virginia in 2025, Morris guided the Cavaliers to 11 wins and an appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. He passed for 3,000 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 14 games.

Morris appeared in 46 games at four schools: Oklahoma (2020), TCU (2021-23), North Texas (2024) and Virginia.

The Cavaliers are preparing to move forward with transfer quarterbacks Beau Pribula (Missouri) and Eli Holstein (Pitt).

The decision in the Morris case is another win for the NCAA in legal challenges to its eligibility rules. In February, a Tennessee judge denied Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar’s request for a preliminary injunction to keep playing for the Volunteers.

–Field Level Media

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Jahmal Edrine (7) warms up before the Gator Bowl against the Missouri Tigers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images

WR Jahmal Edrine no longer on Virginia roster after rape, abduction charges

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Virginia wide receiver Jahmal Edrine is no longer enrolled at the university and has been removed from the program’s roster after being arrested and charged with rape and abduction, school officials confirmed in a statement Friday.

Edrine, 22, was taken into custody Thursday following a five-month investigation by the Albemarle County Police Department. Police said the case was opened on Aug. 25, one day after a report of a sexual assault. An Albemarle County grand jury returned indictments Monday on one count of rape and one count of abduction.

Police said Edrine is being held without bond at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

In a statement provided to Wahoos247, university associate vice president and chief communications officer Brian Coy said Edrine is no longer a student and that the school will cooperate with investigators.

“The university is aware of this matter,” Coy said in the statement. “While the university is prohibited by federal student privacy law from commenting on specific cases, we can confirm that this individual is not currently enrolled at the University. Albemarle County Police are continuing their investigation into this matter and the university will cooperate fully with that investigation.”

It remains unclear when Virginia officials first learned Edrine was under investigation. Police did not address that timeline publicly, and the department deferred questions to the university.

Edrine was Virginia’s second-leading receiver last season, catching 46 passes for 564 yards and a touchdown after transferring from Purdue. He began his college career at Florida Atlantic and was expected to be part of the Cavaliers’ receiving corps again this fall.

–Field Level Media

No. 19 Virginia throttles Missouri to capture Gator Bowl

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No. 19 Virginia held off Missouri and reached 11 wins for the first time in school history with a 13-7 victory in the Gator Bowl on Saturday night in Jacksonville, Fla.

Chandler Morris completed 25 of 38 passes for 198 yards, Harrison Waylee rushed for the go-ahead touchdown and the Cavaliers (11-3) controlled the clock to secure their first bowl win since 2018.

The Tigers (8-5) scored a touchdown on the game’s opening drive but were blanked the rest of the way to fall to 0-5 this season against ranked opponents.

Missouri All-American Ahmad Hardy ran for 89 yards on 15 carries. With 1,649 yards, he broke the Missouri single-season record of 1,627 set by Cody Schrader in 2023.

True freshman Matt Zollers started with Beau Pribula entering the transfer portal and managed 101 yards on 12-of-22 passing with an interception.

Virginia opened the second half with a 19-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to take its first lead at 10-7. The Cavaliers converted two fourth downs and took 10:07 off the clock, capped by Waylee’s 2-yard run.

Virginia got the ball back on an interception by Emmanuel Karnley and Will Bettridge’s 39-yard field goal extended the lead to 13-7 late in the third quarter.

Missouri began its final drive with 1:33 left at its own 18 with no timeouts. Zollers completed passes of 11, 14, 7 and 24 yards to reach the Virginia 21. On fourth-and-10 with eight seconds left, Zollers had to come off the field after hitting his head on the ground. Walk-on Brett Brown’s pass into the end zone was broken up by Devin Neal.

The Cavaliers converted 13 of 23 third downs and two of four fourth downs and dominated time of possession, 38:34 to 21:26.

The Tigers only converted 3 of 12 third down attempts and failed on all three fourth down efforts.

Hardy broke off a 43-yard run on the game’s opening drive. Two plays later, Jamal Roberts scored on a 5-yard rush for a quick 7-0 lead that turned out to be the Tigers’ only points of the game.

Bettridge had a 42-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

Everything you need to know about the Gator Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

GATOR BOWL
No. 19 Virginia (10-3) vs. Missouri (8-4)
Saturday, Dec. 27, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Jacksonville, Fla.
Consensus Odds: Missouri -4.5, Total 44.5

No. 19 Virginia can reach 11 wins for the first time in the program’s 122nd season with a victory against Missouri in the Gator Bowl on Saturday night in Jacksonville, Fla.

The Cavaliers (10-3) tied the 1989 school record for wins by defeating rival Virginia Tech on Nov. 29 before losing to unranked Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game on Dec. 6, a setback that cost them a spot in the College Football Playoff.

“We have a tremendous opportunity,” fourth-year Virginia coach Tony Elliott said. “We’re playing an outstanding football team … and we have an opportunity still to do something that hasn’t been done within this program ever.”

Virginia is playing in a bowl game for the first time since the 2019 season and has not won one since shutting out South Carolina in the 2018 Belk Bowl. That was also the last time the Cavaliers beat a team from the Southeastern Conference.

Missouri (8-4) is making its fifth straight bowl appearance under head coach Eli Drinkwitz and looking for its third straight bowl victory.

“This is a special team that has worked very hard to put themselves in this position and we look forward to ending the season on a high note,” Drinkwitz said.

All four of the Tigers’ losses this season came against ranked opponents in SEC play: Alabama, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. They finished the regular season with a 31-17 road win against Arkansas on Nov. 29.

Quarterback experience is the most glaring difference between the participants in the 81st Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium.

Virginia’s Chandler Morris is potentially playing in his 47th and final collegiate game. This is his first season with the Cavaliers, his fourth stop after stints at Oklahoma (2020), TCU (2021-23) and North Texas (2024). He has applied for an additional year of eligibility in 2026 but as of Monday, Virginia general manager Tyler Jones told The Daily Progress that the school had not heard from the NCAA.

Morris has completed 64.6% of his passes for 2,802 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 13 starts this season. He has rushed for 245 yards and five scores.

With senior Beau Pribula entering the transfer portal, true freshman backup Matt Zollers will make his third start of the season for Missouri. When Pribula was injured, Zollers started in a 38-17 loss to then-No. 3 Texas A&M on Nov. 8 and in a 49-27 win against Mississippi State on Nov. 15. He has completed 53.0% of his throws for 402 yards with four touchdowns and one pick.

In a potentially awkward development, Virginia will reportedly be among the suitors for Pribula in the portal in case Morris does not get a seventh year of eligibility. Morris’ appeal is based on injuries that limited his snaps in 2021 and 2022.

–Bowl History

Virginia will play in its first bowl game since the 2019 Orange Bowl against Florida. The Cavaliers were most recently bowl-eligible in 2021, but the Fenway Bowl vs. SMU was canceled due to COVID-19.

–Name to Know: Missouri might be without its preferred passer, but the backfield isn’t empty.

Doak Walker Award finalist Ahmad Hardy, who led the SEC in rushing yards (1,560) in 2025 after leading the Sun Belt (1,351) in 2024 while at Louisiana Monroe, has been circled by the Cavaliers’ coaching staff on the scouting report for days.

The Virginia defense, anchored by defensive linemen Mitchell Melton (10.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles) and Daniel Rickert (8.0 TFL and 6.5 sacks), ranked sixth in the ACC against the run (110.5 yards per game) and third in total defense (313.3).

–Gator Bites …

Missouri will also be without offensive coordinator Kirby Moore, who left this month to become the head coach at Washington State, and two of its top receivers. Joshua Manning and Marquis Johnson, who combined for 57 catches, 658 yards and four touchdowns, are also entering the portal.

Missouri redshirt sophomore linebacker Josiah Trotter is ready to carry on the family name on Sundays.

The son of former Philadelphia Eagles LB Jeremiah Trotter and brother of current Eagles LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. made a major impact this season after transferring from West Virginia and is projected as a Day 2 pick in the draft if he doesn’t return to Columbia.

He was the Tigers’ leading tackler (84) and trailed only defensive end Zion Young with 13.0 tackles for loss. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 2 run-defending LB in the SEC behind only Georgia standout CJ Allen.

–Virginia linebacker Kam Robinson’s outstanding junior season ended with a torn ACL in the Nov. 15 victory over Duke.

The Butkus Award semifinalist and three-time ACC Linebacker of the Week flashed his next-level playmaking skills for NFL scouts throughout the campaign, returning an interception 47 yards for a touchdown in an overtime win at Louisville on Oct. 4, recording a decisive safety late in the fourth quarter of a 22-20 victory against Washington State on Oct. 18, and registering another pick-six to seal a 31-21 win at Cal on Nov. 1. He also blocked a punt against Wake Forest on Nov. 8.

–Field Level Media

NC State, Virginia to open 2026 in first FBS game in Brazil

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Virginia and North Carolina State will kick off next season with the first-ever FBS game in Brazil, organizers announced Monday.

The Cavaliers and Wolfpack will clash on Aug. 29, 2026 at 47,000-seat Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The game will air on ESPN.

The contest was organized by the NIL firm Athlete Advantage in partnership with Brasil Sports Business.

Although both schools are in the Atlantic Coast Conference, this is the second leg of a non-conference home-and-home series that had been scheduled to take place in Charlottesville, Va.

NC State (7-5, 4-4 ACC) earned a 35-31 victory against Virginia on Sept. 6 in Raleigh, N.C. It was one of just two losses this season for the 18th-ranked Cavaliers (10-2, 7-1) as they enter Saturday’s ACC championship game against Duke in Charlotte.

College football games also are scheduled to take place on foreign soil next season in Dublin, Ireland (North Carolina vs. TCU on Aug. 29) and London (Arizona State vs. Kansas on Sept. 19).

–Field Level Media

No. 18 Virginia stuffs Virginia Tech, reaches ACC title game

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J’Mari Taylor rushed for 80 yards and one touchdown and also passed for a score to help No. 18 Virginia roll to an easy 27-7 victory over visiting Virginia Tech in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday night at Charlottesville, Va.

Chandler Morris completed 21 of 35 passes for 182 yards and added a rushing score for the Cavaliers (10-2, 7-1 ACC), who will play in the ACC championship game on Dec. 6 against either SMU or Duke.

Sage Ennis caught a touchdown pass as Virginia defeated the Hokies for just the third time in the past 25 meetings. The other victories came in 2003 and 2019.

Shamarius Peterkin turned a short pass from Kyron Drones into a 57-yard touchdown play to keep the Hokies (3-9, 2-6) from being shut out. Drones completed 4 of 16 passes for 78 yards, one TD and two interceptions for Virginia Tech.

The Hokies lost their fourth straight game and recorded their second three-win season in the past four campaigns.

Ex-Penn State coach James Franklin now takes over the reins of the program.

Virginia had edges of 380-197 in total offense and 25-6 in first downs while cruising to its second ACC title game appearance. The other was in 2019.

The Cavaliers also tied the program record of 10 victories, set in 1989.

Virginia Tech’s first possession ended with Drones being intercepted by Maddox Marcellus and its second was stymied when John Love was wide right on a 45-yard field-goal attempt.

The Hokies then failed to get a first down on eight straight possessions. They went three-and-out and punted on seven consecutive drives before Drones threw a third-down interception to Antonio Clary to end the next one with 9:16 left in the game.

Virginia scored its first points on Taylor’s 1-yard run with 7:26 left in the first quarter.

The Cavaliers went the trickery route for their second score. Taylor took a direct snap and tossed a floater over the linemen to Ennis for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 with 4:33 left in the first half.

Virginia increased its lead to 17 on Will Bettridge’s 27-yard field goal with 7:28 left in the third quarter.

Morris scored on an 8-yard run to make it 24-0 with 46 seconds remaining in the third.
Clary’s interception set up Bettridge’s 32-yard field goal with 6:24 left in the game.

Virginia Tech got its initial first down since the first quarter on its next offensive play when Drones gained 10 yards on a keeper.

Three plays later, the Hokies faced fourth-and-2 from their own 43. Drones tossed a slant to Peterkin, who caught the ball at the Virginia Tech 47 and raced by two defenders and into the clear en route to the touchdown.

–Field Level Media

No. 18 Virginia aims to quell Virginia Tech demons to get to ACC championship

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Almost everything has gone according to plan for No. 18 Virginia this season, but you can’t plan for everything.

The Cavaliers only need to defeat the visiting, struggling rival Virginia Tech on Saturday night to clinch a spot in their first Atlantic Coast Conference championship game since 2019.

What Virginia (9-2, 6-1 ACC) could not have foreseen, however, is the “Franklin factor” that Virginia Tech (3-8, 2-5) is bringing to Charlottesville.

The Hokies will officially close the books on the Brent Pry era and interim coach Philip Montgomery will lead for the final time before former Penn State coach James Franklin takes the wheel.

Virginia Tech has dropped three straight games and is 0-4 against ranked teams this season, including last weekend’s 34-17 loss to then-No. 13 Miami, but emotions will be high for the Commonwealth Clash and anything can happen.

“I know how passionate this state is about this game, and you can’t ask for much more,” said Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris. “It’s the state championship and it’s going to be electric.”

Virginia is coming off a bye week, idle since a 34-17 victory at Duke on Nov. 15. A win Saturday night at home would give the Cavaliers only their second season in school history with double-digit wins (10-3 in 1989).

A win would also lock up a trip to the conference title game for coach Tony Elliott’s team on Dec. 6 in Charlotte. There’s technically a path to the ACC championship game if Virginia loses to Virginia Tech, but it would require losses by SMU, NC State and Pitt.

“The games to remember are the ones in November,” said Cavaliers defensive lineman Jacob Holmes.

Led by Morris and running back J’Mari Taylor, Virginia ranks third in the ACC in total offense (438.0 yards per game) and fourth in scoring (33.7 points per game, tied with Miami).

The Cavaliers have held eight opponents to 21 or fewer points this season. Defensive lineman Daniel Rickert leads the squad with 5.5 sacks and linebacker Kam Robinson has returned two interceptions for touchdowns. Robinson left the win against the Blue Devils with an apparent knee injury and his status for Saturday is unknown.

The Virginia Tech defense is giving up 30.5 points per game, allowing at least 34 points in four of the last five games. Defensive lineman Kemari Copeland has a team-high 4.5 sacks and linebacker Kaleb Spencer leads the Hokies with 60 tackles.

Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones has accounted for 25 touchdowns (16 passing, nine rushing) but failed to find the end zone against the Hurricanes, the first time that had happened since the Aug. 31 season opener.

The Hokies have won the last four meetings with the Cavaliers, including a 55-17 thumping the last time they met in Charlottesville in 2023. In fact, Virginia has only beaten Virginia Tech twice in the 21st century (2003, 2019).

“We’ve got a big test for us coming up,” Montgomery said. “… But I’m excited to get one more opportunity with these men and go down there and let’s roll the ball out and get after it.”

–Field Level Media

Man who killed 3 Virginia players gets 5 life sentences

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The man who shot and killed three Virginia football players three years ago was sentenced to five life sentences plus 23 years on Friday in Charlottesville, Va.

Ending a weeklong sentencing hearing, Judge Cheryl Higgins gave Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. the maximum penalty for the murders of Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry on Nov. 13, 2022.

Jones pleaded guilty last year to three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and five counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Football player Mike Hollins and track athlete Marlee Morgan were both wounded in the attack.

“I’m so sorry. I caused so much pain,” Jones said in a courtroom apology following closing arguments, according to local reports.

Jones and the victims had returned to campus on a charter bus after a class field trip to see a play in Washington, D.C., when he opened fire.

Hollins, a running back who returned to play for the Cavaliers in 2023, spoke to reporters outside the courthouse after the sentencing.

“Knowing that he has been given a time and justice has been served for the most part even though that no amount of time on this earth in jail will get those lives back, just a little bit of peace knowing the man that committed those crimes won’t be hurting anyone else,” Hollins said.

–Field Level Media

QB Chandler Morris, shut-down D lead No. 19 Virginia to win over Duke

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris threw two touchdown passes a week after exiting with an injury and the No. 19 Cavaliers did most of their best work on defense to beat Duke 34-17 on Saturday in a game with significant Atlantic Coast Conference championship implications in Durham, N.C.

J’Mari Taylor rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns in a huge bounce-back performance for Virginia (9-2, 6-1 ACC) after its home loss to Wake Forest, keeping the Cavaliers in the thick of the conference race.

Duke (5-5, 4-2) lost its second straight game since winning at Clemson, likely dropping out of the race for a spot in the ACC title game.

Morris was unable to finish last Saturday’s game against Wake Forest and was placed into concussion protocol, with his status for the Duke game uncertain until game day. He finished 23-for-35 for 316 yards, the two scores and two interceptions.

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, who was averaging 310.4 passing yards per game entering the week, completed 18 of 35 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown.

Duke had just four first downs through the midway mark of the third quarter, trailing 24-3 by then.

Virginia led 31-3 before Duke’s first touchdown with 10:23 remaining. Then Blue Devils linebacker Tre Freeman returned a Morris interception 18 yards for a touchdown with 9:30 to play.

The Cavaliers responded with Will Bettridge’s 42-yard field goal.

Earlier, Virginia scored 10 points in the final 1:39 of the first half to build a 17-3 lead. Morris threw 12 yards to Sage Ennis to complete a 75-yard drive that ate up almost four minutes.

After a Duke punt, the Cavaliers used a 56-yard pass play from Morris to Trell Harris to move into scoring range, then Bettridge’s 44-yard field goal ended the half.

Virginia outgained Duke 308-50 in the first half. The Cavaliers had the lone turnover prior to the break.

Virginia, which didn’t score a touchdown a week earlier vs. Wake Forest, drove 75 yards on 14 plays on its first possession against Duke, scoring on Taylor’s 5-yard run. The march included a fourth-down conversion.

The Cavaliers had a 128-16 advantage in first-quarter yardage, with Duke going three-and-out three times.

But after the Blue Devils made a fourth-down stop, they moved into Virginia territory and got on the scoreboard on Todd Pelino’s 49-yard field goal.

–Field Level Media