Saturday will definitely offer one first for the Virginia football team. The Cavaliers hope to reverse a couple of other trends as well.
Shooting for their initial road victory of the season, the Cavaliers are also underdogs for the first time in 2026. If they pull off an upset of SMU, they will also hand the 24th-ranked Mustangs their first home loss in ACC play since joining the conference in 2024.
As always, big games come down to key matchups. Here are three to watch on Saturday:
1. Virginia LB Kam Robinson vs. SMU QB Kevin Jennings
Jennings threw for 323 yards (then a career high) and two touchdowns in SMU's 33-7 win at Virginia in 2024. He's blossomed into the ACC's leading active passer and should surpass 10,000 career total yards on Saturday. He's also three shy of Tanner Mordecai's school record of 72 career touchdown passes and could break that mark with a monster game on Saturday.
He's been sacked just six times in five games this season. And because the Cavaliers haven't been able to mount a consistent pass rush for most of the year, defensive coordinator John Rudzinski could opt to unleash Robinson in blitz packages in passing situations.
Robinson finally seems to be close to his pre-injury form, and he's one of the few Cavaliers with the athleticism to disrupt Jennings' timing. Jennings is less of a running threat (just 32 attempts all season) than some of the quarterbacks who have given Virginia fits this year, so blitzing may not leave open scramble lanes like the ones West Virginia's Michael Hawkins Jr. and Florida State's Ashton Danels exploited.
2. Virginia CB Jacobie Henderson vs. SMU WR Yamir Knight
Knight has been Jennings' favorite target thus far, with two touchdown catches and team-high totals of 29 receptions for 367 yards. He's compact (5-8, 185), shifty and often operates out of the slot.
Henderson has struggled against taller receivers this season, but will have a three-inch height advantage against Knight. He injured his shoulder against Syracuse last week but should be ready to go Saturday. And the Cavaliers will need him with their other starting corner, Omillio Agard, lost for the season with a torn ACL.
Virginia boasts the ACC's statistical No. 1 pass defense (161.8 yards allowed per game). It will get its stiffest challenge yet from the conference's top pass offense (341 yards per game).
3. Virginia's offensive line vs. SMU's defensive front
In SMU's only loss this season, a 41-31 shootout defeat at Louisville, the Mustangs allowed a season-high 265 yards rushing and four touchdowns on the ground. Virginia's veteran offensive line excels at run blocking, which could be the Cavaliers' best hope for an upset.
Tackles McKale Boley and Monroe Mills, guards Noah Josey and Makilan Thomas and center Drake Metcalf will face a veteran SMU front four led by defensive end Marques White (4.5 sacks). If they can open enough holes fo Jekail Middlebrook, Zay Davis and quarterback Beau Pribula, the Cavaliers could control the clock and keep Jennings on the sidelne.
The best defense is a good offense, right?
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