When the Virginia football team and its fans look back on the 2021 season whenever it reaches its ultimate finish line, it's likely to be with a heavy dose of what might have been.

The Cavaliers have unleashed an offense that has posted 500+ yards in nine different games. It features quarterback Brennan Armstrong, now the program's single season record holder in passing yards and passing touchdowns (4,044 yards and 30 touchdowns), receiver Dontayvion Wicks (1,148 yards), now just 43 yards away from the single season receiving yards record, tight end Jelani Woods (7 touchdowns), now just two scores away from matching the program's season record for touchdowns by a tight end, Billy Kemp IV (171 receptions), fourth on the program's all-time receiving list, Keytaon Thompson (899 yards), who is closing in on 1,000 yards receiving this season himself, Ra'Shaun Henry (523 yards), and more. That's been countered by a struggling defense that's trying to be opportunistic with timely take-aways and stops, but that's been gashed often. What might have been.