Virginia Football: Can Cavaliers meet lofty 2019 expectations?
How will the Cavaliers fare in 2019?
- Week 1: at Pittsburgh (Aug. 31)
- Week 2: William & Mary (Sept. 6)
- Week 3: Florida State (Sept. 14)
- Week 4: Old Dominion (Sept. 21)
- Week 5: at Notre Dame (Sept. 28)
- Week 6: BYE
- Week 7: at Miami (Oct. 11)
- Week 8: Duke (Oct. 19)
- Week 9: at Louisville (Oct. 26)
- Week 10: at North Carolina (Nov. 2)
- Week 11: Georgia Tech (Nov. 9)
- Week 12: BYE
- Week 13: Liberty (Nov. 23)
- Week 14: Virginia Tech (Nov. 29)
Can Virginia win the Coastal?
It’s been a question that has been asked throughout this piece and throughout the entirety of the off-season.
The schedule sets up nicely for Virginia to establish itself as one of the best programs in the Coastal this year.
Virginia opens the season with an important game on the road against Pitt. Virginia is a better team that Pittsburgh and should win the opener, but it is certainly an important conference tilt to open the year for the Cavaliers.
The ‘Hoos follow with home games against William & Mary, Florida State, and Old Dominion. Wins are expected against both William & Mary and ODU, and the toughest game of the three is certainly Florida State.
Even so, nobody knows what to expect out of the Seminoles after a raucous year one for Willie Taggart, but a change at offensive coordinator could wake up the offensive side of the football in Tallahassee. But at this point, it would be tough to pick against Virginia in that match-up due to the certainty of Bryce Perkins and what the Cavaliers have returning on defense.
Road games at Notre Dame and at Miami in the last weekend in September and the second weekend in October following a bye will give a good indication of where Virginia is heading in 2019.
Notre Dame is expected to be a premier power once again this season, while Miami should take steps forward under Manny Diaz. Having those two games back-to-back on the road is a tough ask, even for one of the most talented returning rosters in the ACC. Virginia would do well to split those games there.
Virginia then has a home game with duke, road games at Louisville and North Carolina, and three straight home games against Georgia Tech, Liberty, and in-state rival Virginia Tech, to close the season.
The Virginia Tech game in particular, one that Bronco Mendenhall wants to win so desperately, has the potential to be a huge game on the Friday after Thanksgiving, as the tilt has the potential to decide the Coastal Division. Can Virginia finally beat the Hokies for the first time in 15 years? That game could go a long way towards determining Virginia’s hopes of reaching Charlotte for the ACC Championship.
I like Virginia’s roster, and believe that they have the highest floor of any team in the Coastal. However, Miami and Virginia Tech have more top-end talent, and while Virginia is likely the best team other than Miami and Virginia Tech, I just don’t have total confidence that they’ll make it through their remaining ACC games unscathed.
Plus, Notre Dame should outclass them in their non-conference tilt.
dark. Next. Top 50 players in college football for 2019
Prediction: 8-4, 5-3 ACC
I’m going to lean conservative on the Cavaliers and say that they come up just short of their preseason projection of winning the Coastal Division. But beating Miami and Virginia Tech would all but seal their fate of reaching the ACC Championship in Charlotte.
All-in-all, Virginia should be very good. They hype is legitimate.