Virginia Cavaliers 2023 College Football Preview
July 7, 2023
2022 Recap
Record – 3-7
ATS – 4-6
Year one of the Tony Elliott experiment traveled upon a rocky road to say the least. They took two of the first three games vs TOMATO CANS (Richmond, Old Dominion) and then only managed to win one game the rest of the way. Their final two games were canceled due to a horrific on-campus incident and they finished with a mark of 3-7. Let’s see what to expect in 2023.
Virginia Cavaliers 2023 Outlook
OFFENSE
We’re not sure what that was last season, but it didn’t appear to be “offense”. The Cavs only managed to average 17 PPG (#126 FBS) and they ranked #11 in the ACC in both rushing offense and passing offense. Former QB Brennan Armstrong had a very disappointing campaign and they’ll go with FRESH MEAT under center this season. The most likely starting QB is Monmouth transfer Tony Muskett who was decent with the Hawks LY (17-6 TD to INT, 64%, 210 rush). There’s a lot of inexperience behind him on the depth chart. Former Clemson Tiger (!) Kobe Pace was a nice transfer portal scoop and he should be the featured back (career 793, 5.2, 9 TD with Tigers). There’s good depth in the RB room as the top-three from LY are all back for duty. The yuuuge concern on offense is the THROW GAME weaponry as they lose their top-three targets and nobody with more than 200 receiving yards returns from LY’s squad. The selection of WR/TEs looks pretty grim but we’ll see how things go. Only two starters are back up front and they’ve got one of the most inexperienced offensive lines in the nation.
DEFENSE
Vriginia’s defense certainly wasn’t the problem LY as they were ranked #7 in the ACC in both total defense and scoring defense (24.0 PPG). Eight starters return to the stop unit but they’ll be without their three (!) best defensive players in LB Nick Jackson (#1 tackler LY), CB Fentrell Cypress (14 PBU), and CB Anthony Johnson. We really like the look of the front seven, particularly the DL which returns almost everyone including DE Chico Bennett who led the team in sacks in 2022 (7). The secondary could be a problem area after losing a pair of devastating CBs. Stay tuned.
SPECIAL TEAMS
It was a DEBACLE wrapped up inside a FIASCO last season and the great PHIL STEELE rated them as the #127 unit in the FBS. They’ve got a solid punter in Daniel Sparks (45.9) and maybe a full season from PK Will Bettridge (7-10 FG LY) will lead them to better things? The Cavaliers averaged a mere 4.8 yards per PR LY (#109).
Schedule Analysis
Overall – They start with a BODY BAG GAME (at Tennessee) and follow that up with a pair of tricky ones (James Madison, at Maryland). The schedule-maker DID THEM A SOLID by keeping Clemson and Florida St off the schedule. **
** bribe is in the mail
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at LUA-VUH (Nov 9)
This will be their 3rd road game in four weeks and this particular event is some SWEET THURSDAY NIGHT ACTION. The Cavaliers will have to travel and LUA-VUH will be at waiting for them at home.
Season Win Total
Market consensus July 7
Over 3.5 -110
Under 3.5 -110
MEGALOCKS says:
Lean: Over
Come on, now. This is an ACC bottom-feeder but four wins seems doable. They’ve got home games with James Madison, William & Mary, Georgia Tech, Duke, and Virginia Tech. We don’t think we’ll be DUMPSTER DIVING with these guys but have slight LEANAGE to the ‘over’ as we hit press time.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
Virginia has only had two winning seasons since 2011 (2018, 2019).
Charlottesville is known as one of the few Communist bastions in central Virginia thanks to it’s large brainwashed student population. **
** needs fact check
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
It’s hard to get too excited about this roster. The offense appears to be one of the weakest in the ACC and it’ll be up to their scrappy defense to keep them in as many games as possible. Maybe they can pull out a few games in the fourth quarter? We’ll call for four wins and a rebuilding season in Charlottesville.