CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Virginia football coach Tony Elliott was waxing nostalgic when he told a room full of reporters that the ACC championship goes through Tallahassee, Fla.

Certainly, there was a time – when Elliott was at Clemson and Florida State was the Tigers’ chief rival – when that sentiment was accurate. Nowadays, the Seminoles are more a spoiler than the league’s gold standard. 

Still, for Elliott’s team this season, Saturday in the Florida panhandle could be a defining moment, much the way last year’s double-overtime upset of the Seminoles at Scott Stadium vaulted the 2025 Cavaliers toward the ACC title game. 

“It might not have national rankings and recognition, but it’s still Florida State, right?” Elliott said. “And if you want to be a champion in this league, I just believe that, man, you got to go through Tallahassee.”

These days, the Seminoles are both chaotic and capable. They’ve fired their athletic director, and their coach, Mike Norvell, is sitting on one of the sport’s toastiest hot seats.

Still, FSU (2-2, 0-1 ACC) – especially in Tallahassee – won’t be easy. 

The same Seminoles who struggled past New Mexico State in the season opener and underwhelmed in a home win over Central Arkansas this past weekend, hung with Alabama for a half and nearly upset then-No. 19 SMU in between.

Offensively, FSU may have the league’s most talented receiving corps, led by Duce Robinson, Micahi Danzy and Jayvan Boggs. That group won’t be easy to jam at the line of scrimmage or stick with downfield on Saturday. 

Part of what makes the Seminole receivers difficult to defend is the danger posed by running back Ousmane Kromah, who is averaging 6.2 yards per carry and has scored five touchdowns in four games. 

“They’ve always had the best talent in college football,” Elliott said. “It’s blue blood. It’s one of the big-time logos. So, that’s what’s been consistent. There’s always been a ton of talent in Tallahassee.”

A year ago, Florida State was undefeated, had a win over Alabama and was ranked No. 8 in the nation when it visited Scott Stadium. A 46-38 double-overtime victory later – one complete with arguably the fastest field storming in college football history – and it was UVA being viewed as an ACC title contender.

“It really showed us and the country and the world that we were for real,” running back Xavier Brown said this week. “It kind of just pushed us forward.”

That victory had ripples beyond last season. UVA cornerback Omillo Agard said he can remember watching the Cavaliers’ fight past FSU while he was at Wisconsin. In fact, he and a number of teammates stayed up late to see how the game ended.

“We were supposed to go to sleep, but we were still watching it,” Agard said. “And they pulled it off.”

Students on the hill behind the north end zone rushed onto the field as soon as UVA corner Ja’Son Prevard intercepted FSU’s final pass, diving in front of receiver Squirrel White to secure the pick. The wave of fans rolled over Prevard, White and other players as they rushed to celebrate the win. 

Brown and other UVA players who weren’t on the field also took off in a jubilant sprint toward midfield.

“Everyone ran to the left so I ran to the right,” Brown recalled this week. “When I turned around, I was just consumed with fans.”

After that, Virginia went to a program-record 11-win season, including an ACC title game loss to Duke and a bowl win over Missouri. And here is where Elliott is correct. With challenging road games at SMU, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech and a home game against Duke still to come, UVA (3-1, 1-0) may need a win Saturday to have a shot at getting back to Charlotte.

No, the road to the ACC title no longer runs through Tallahassee for the rest of the league. But for the Cavaliers, it just might.