Tony Elliott has been widely praised for his work with Virginia throughout the 2025 college football season, but not even he could avoid taking the blame for the Cavaliers' loss to Duke in the ACC Championship Game.
The 27-20 loss came down to the wire in overtime, with the two teams jockeying for positioning all night. With his team needing a touchdown to extend the game, Elliott drew up a double-pass trick play on 1st-and-10 that led to a game-clinching interception.
Fans criticized Elliott for the call, and the coach accepted the blame on his shoulders. After the game, he admitted that he got too aggressive after Virginia got backed up by a penalty.
“That 15-yard penalty that carried over in overtime kind of puts you in that zone where you're trying to get a chunk play, so that's where you have most of your plays like that designed,” Elliott said, via Jacquie Franciulli of 247 Sports. “I'm sure we all want that play back. Their guy made a play, and hats off to Duke for winning the game.”
UVA head coach Tony Elliott was asked about the play call in OT pic.twitter.com/YOW9nNzmL2
— Jacquie Franciulli (@JacquieFran_) December 7, 2025
College football rules state that teams begin each overtime possession at the 25-yard line, but Virginia started at the 40-yard line. Linebacker James Jackson was flagged for a roughing the passer penalty on Duke quarterback Darian Mensah's one-yard touchdown pass that carried over to the next play.
Elliott's play saw quarterback Chandler Morris pitch the ball to running back J'Mari Taylor, who threw a lateral pass back to the former. Morris heaved the ball downfield to tight end Eli Wood in double coverage and was intercepted by Duke linebacker Luke Mergott.
Virginia's success has not often come from big plays, but Elliott felt the experimentation was necessary. The fourth-year head coach had said all week he expected the game to be a lot closer than the 34-17 victory his Cavaliers had over Duke late in the regular season.
Duke is now miraculously in the College Football Playoff conversation, despite its 8-5 record. Virginia entered the game ranked No. 17 and would have likely been in with a win, but will instead settle for a non-playoff bowl game.
