At least six games remain on Virginia's 2026 football season. How the Cavaliers navigate the second half of their schedule will determine whether or not there's (at least) a seventh contest.
At 4-2, Virginia is still two wins away from bowl eligibility. That seemed a given before the season, with high internal expectations and a veteran roster.
Disappointing losses to West Virginia and Florida State -- neither of which has won a game since defeating the Cavaliers -- have lowered Virginia's prospects. A second straight berth in the ACC championship game now seems unlikely, if not impossible.
That's because the second half of Virginia's schedule suddenly looks more challenging than it did in August.
The second half will determine a lot
It starts with a visit to 24th-ranked SMU, which is 8-1 in ACC home games since joining the league in 2024, is coming off a bye week, and owns a potent offense that seems at least as dangerous as the Mountaineers' or Seminoles'.
It also includes a trip to No. 21 Wake Forest, which is 5-1 and gave third-ranked Miami its only close game of the season in a 33-20 loss. There are also home games against defending ACC champion Duke (4-1) and much-improved North Carolina (3-2), which just knocked off then-No. 25 Pittsburgh for Bill Belichick's first win over a ranked opponent.
The other two games are at state rival Virginia Tech (4-2), which will be hell-bent on regaining the Commonwealth Cup, and at home against California (3-3), which edged the Hokies last weekend with backup quarterback Jackson Brosseau at the helm.
In short, getting to six wins is not a given, especially as injuries to key players start to pile up. We'll be awaiting word on Tuesday from coach Tony Elliott on the status of safety Brandyn Hillman and receiver Rico Flores Jr., each of whom left the Syracuse game and did not return.
Six wins would probably put the Cavaliers near the bottom of the ACC's pecking order and land them in a low-profile game like the Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 18 in Tampa) or the Dec. 29 Birmingham Bowl. Eight victories could still make them worthy of the Duke's Mayo Bowl (Dec. 26 in Charlotte) or the Sun Bowl (Dec. 29 in El Paso, Texas).
Splitting the difference and finishing 7-5 seems like a reasonable projection at this point, given the Cavaliers' penchant for winning at home and struggling away from Scott Stadium. In that case, a suitable destination might be the Military Bowl on Dec. 28 in Annapolis, MD.
It would make for an easy drive for Cavalier fans in the state and the D.C. area. Of course, that could also be said of Hokie fans, so there could be more at stake than just the Commonwealth Cup in the Nov. 28 season finale in Blacksburg. The winner might earn a trip to Annapolis, with the loser sent farther away to a less-prestigious bowl game.
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