The Cavaliers followed a 2–0 start with a 2–8 finish that saw the team lose six straight before shocking NC State on the road and the Miami Hurricanes at home before closing the season, and their bowl hopes, with losses to rivals UNC and VT.

The offseason saw a period of coaching upheaval and reassignment that was headlined by the arrivals of Jon Tenuta, Steve Fairchild, and the return of Tom O'Brien, among others.

13 Daquan Romero 14 Andre Levrone 14 Ian Frye 15 Matt Johns 16 Brendan Marshall 17 Miles Gooch 18 Andrew Mackay 18 Anthony Cooper 19 E.J.

Scott 20 Tim Smith 21 Brandon Phelps 22 Daniel Hamm 22 DreQuan Hoskey 23 Khalek Shepherd 25 David Marrs 25 Kevin Parks 26 Maurice Canady 26 Anthony Calloway 27 Rijo Walker 28 Wilfred Wahee 28 Willem van Reesema 29 Adam Caplinger 29 D.J.

Willenbrock 36 Kye Morgan 37 Divante Walker 38 Nicholas Conte 38 Kelvin Rainey 39 Malcolm Cook 40 Darius Lee 41 Connor Wingo-Reeves 42 Demeitre Brim 43 Trent Corney 44 Henry Coley 45 Matt Fortin 45 Israel Vaughan 46 Mason Thomas 47 Vincent Croce 49 Zachary Swanson 50 Marco Jones 50 Tyler Shirley 51 Zach Bradshaw 52 Sammy MacFarlane 52 Jon Goss 53 Micah Kiser 54 Alex Foertsch 55 David Dean 56 Andre Miles-Redmond 57 Stephen Lawe 59 Mark Hall 60 John Pond 60 Jeb Byrne 61 Cody Wallace 62 Sean Karl 63 Ryan Doull 64 Nick Koutris 65 Ross Burbank 66 George Adeosun 67 Jackson Matteo 68 Eric Tetlow 69 Phillip Berry 70 Luke Bowanko 71 Jack McDonald 72 Eric Smith 74 Conner Davis 75 Sadiq Olanrewaju 76 Michael Mooney 77 Jay Whitmire 78 Morgan Moses 79 Jack Babcock 79 Sean Cascarano 80 Adrian Gamble 81 Jamall Brown 82 Mario Nixon 83 TE Jake McGee, Jr. 84 Canaan Severin 85 Keeon Johnson 86 Jeremy Dollin 87 Kyle Dockins 88 Ryan Santoro 88 Max Valles 89 Rob Burns 90 Jake Snyder 91 Jack English 91 Dylan Sims 92 Greg Gallop 93 Donte Wilkins 95 Tyrell Chavis 96 Cameron Fitch 99 Brent Urban Depth Chart release before October 6, 2012 Duke game.