Boise State Football: 3 takeaways from home loss to Virginia

1. Virginia is no ACC slouch as Bronco Mendenhall rehabilitates program

That said, it is worth taking a moment to note that Virginia is not nearly as bad as their reputation of past seasons. The Cavaliers are rapidly improving under second-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall. After winning only two games last year, Virginia is now 3-1 and could be a spoiler in the ACC Coastal.

The win over Boise State is as much of a statement victory as it would have been for the Broncos had the result been reversed. Halfway to bowl eligibility, the Cavaliers are on their way to the postseason for the first time since 2011. They have the tools to get at least three ACC wins once conference play starts next week, especially since they avoid both Clemson and Florida State from the Atlantic.

But at this point Virginia looks like they could finish above .500 in conference play. In addition to Benkert at quarterback, the Cavaliers also have a solid backfield tandem in Jordan Ellis and Olamide Zaccheaus. The defense is playing at a high level, especially when opponents get into the red zone.

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Add it all up, and Virginia could be one of the great surprises of 2017. While they are probably a year or two from conference contention in the ACC, they will upset at least one more team in league play this season.