Virginia football received a significant boost ahead of its Week 12 ACC matchup vs. the Duke Blue Devils, as quarterback Chandler Morris was upgraded on the latest availability report. The Cavaliers’ signal-caller cleared concussion protocol in time for Saturday’s game, giving Virginia a chance to stay in the ACC conference title race.
Morris’s status remained uncertain throughout the week after he suffered a head injury in last weekend’s upset loss to unranked Wake Forest, where the Demon Deacons ended the Cavaliers’ seven-game winning streak. The graduate transfer quarterback exited in the second quarter and did not return, entering the NCAA’s concussion protocol. His absence proved costly for Virginia, which now looks to rebound Saturday night.
ESPN’s Andrea Adelson shared the development on X (formerly known as Twitter), confirming the upgrade for the Cavaliers’ starting quarterback before their Week 12 tilt.
“UVA QB Chandler Morris upgraded to probable on the latest availability report before tomorrow’s game against Duke.”
The update indicates that Morris is on track to lead Virginia’s offense once again under head coach Tony Elliott, who has overseen one of the program’s strongest stretches in decades. Now in his fourth season at the helm, Elliott has guided the Cavaliers to an 8-2 overall record and 5-1 mark in ACC play entering the matchup. Hired in December 2021, Elliott’s steady leadership has helped the Cavaliers football program evolve into a legitimate conference contender in 2025.
Through ten games, Morris has been the engine of Virginia’s resurgence, throwing for 2,088 yards and 12 touchdowns against just five interceptions, while adding 214 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. His dynamic dual-threat presence has transformed the Cavaliers’ offense, fueling one of the program’s most complete and explosive campaigns in years.
With Morris back under center, Virginia looks to rebound from last week’s loss and strengthen its position among the ACC’s top teams. The Cavaliers take the field against Duke tonight in a pivotal conference matchup as they aim to keep pace in the race for first place.
