How many of you were alive on September 22nd, 1973? That was the first and last time Missouri and Virginia played each other on the football field. I was not around yet. But Missouri won the game 31-7
in Columbia, MO.
There is no real Mizzou vs Virginia rivalry in any sport. Which is one of the reasons I kind of dig this matchup. Missouri has only played Virginia five times in Men’s basketball, with no matchups in the last 20 years. As an athletics program, Virginia is one of those schools you kind of know about and they’re always there but they’re rarely elite. Not too dissimiliar from Mizzou, actually. I’m much more familiar with them as a basketball program, thanks to Tony Bennett’s tenure there. And of course I know about them historically thanks to guys like Ralph Sampson and Corey Alexander. But football? I barely know ye, Virginia!
This isn’t a Virginia preview, I leave that kind of heavy lifting for Nate Edwards. But UVa is 10-3 this year and are coached by Tony Elliot, after he spent most of his coaching career under Dabo Swinney at Clemson. This 10 win season in the Cavaliers first since 1989 under George Welsh. In the 90s the Cavs (is Cavs a thing?) were good, winning 9 games 3 times, 8 games twice, and never winning fewer than 7 games. The 2000s were similar with a lower floor, but largely quality seasons. Then in the 2010s things took a bit ofa hit with the last two years of Al Groh turning over to a pretty abysmal Mike London tenure. London was fired after the 2015 season with only a single winning year in 6, and Bronco Mendenhall was hired away from BYU. You used to be able to do that!
Mendenhall was better than London but after an 8 win and a 9 win season, he struggled to get UVa back over the hump and was replaced by Elliot in 2022.
As a program Virginia has played in 21 Bowls and are going back to the Gator Bowl for the first time since 2007, and their third time in program history. Meanwhile this is Mizzou’s first trip to the Gator since 1968 when they spanked Alabama!
Missouri-Virginia football: Time, Location
TIME: 6:30 p.m. CT
DATE: Saturday, December 27, 2025
LOCATION: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Missouri-Virginia football: Follow the game, TV Channel
TELEVISION: ABC
STREAM: WatchESPN
TWITTER: @MizzouFootball
FACEBOOK: MizzouFootballShowMe
FORUMS: Rockm.Plus/Forums
Missouri-Virginia football: Betting odds, predictions
As of last evening, Missouri is a -7 point favorite in their game against Virginia, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over under has been set at 47.5.
RockMNation has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though RockMNation may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See FanDuel Sportsbook for details.
