Though the Tony Elliott era began with high aspirations and lofty goals, Virginia football fans have been given a hard reality check over UVA’s 3 opening games. After starting the season 2-1, including last week’s nail-biting win over Old Dominion, the Cavaliers now face their biggest test of the year to date: undefeated in-conference opponent Syracuse.

As the Hoos’ first ACC match up, in which they’ve been listed as 10-point underdogs, this will be an important game for Coach Elliott to establish his presence in the conference and to get things back on track for the program. To do so, he will have to look to the veteran leadership of quarterback Brennan Armstrong and others on the roster.

Let’s take a look at some important storylines for Friday night’s game.

3 Things Virginia Learned From ODU

The Offense Has A Ways To Go

Despite being exalted as having one of the best returning receiving corps in the country, Virginia’s offense has largely struggled over the course of its first three games. Thus far, UVA has been outscored by its opponents 55-53. Furthermore, Brennan Armstrong has only managed to lead the offense to an average of 236.7 passing yards per game, a significant downtick from the team’s 392.6 average passing yards from last season. In order to get back to the powerhouse status the Cavalier offense achieved last year, the unit will need to settle into Elliott’s new system and focus on properly utilizing Billy Kemp IV (when he returns; he’s doubtful this week), Dontayvion Wicks, Lavel Davis Jr., and Keytaon Thompson and their immense talent.

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