Syracuse Football 2026 Season Opponent Preview: The Virginia Cavaliers

Well, Syracuse football’s 42-41 overtime win over UConn last week was certainly a rollercoaster, and not necessarily the good kind. It’s now time for Fran Brown and company to get back to ACC play this week, with a primetime road game against the Virginia Cavaliers. Our preseason preview of Virginia unveiled a team hoping to build off a strong 2025 season. However, success hasn’t been a straight line for the Cavaliers, who have already endured some highs and lows this season. Let’s get to know Virginia a little better ahead of Saturday’s showdown in Charlottesville.

Where is Virginia ranked?

The Cavaliers snuck into the top 25 for a couple of weeks earlier this season, but they are no longer ranked. Ahead of last week’s action, they were receiving votes in the Coaches Poll, but that is no longer the case.

Where is Virginia in the ACC standings?

Virginia is one of five ACC teams that are 1-1 in conference play. That keeps them in the race to get back to the ACC Championship Game for a second straight season. However, a second league loss would be a big blow to those hopes.

What did Virginia do last week?

The Cavaliers are coming off a dreadful performance against Florida State last week, losing 38-7. Virginia took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but never scored again. While the Virginia offense failed to generate much, the defense watched FSU quarterback Ashton Daniels run for 136 yards and five touchdowns. It was a similar story in Virginia’s earlier loss to West Virginia, as Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. threw for two touchdowns and ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries.

To their credit, the Cavs blew out NC State 34-8 to open the season. They also have lopsided victories over Norfolk State and Delaware. But those wins over inferior opponents seem to have masked issues that were exposed by Florida State last week.

Who is Virginia’s quarterback?

Former Penn State and Missouri transfer Beau Pribula is Virginia’s starting quarterback. He was dynamic as both a passer and runner in the season opener against NC State, although his performances have been a little uneven since then. To his credit, Pribula has thrown 12 touchdown passes compared to just one interception this season. He also completed more than 80% of his passes in each of Virginia’s three wins.

However, the wheels fell off the bus against Florida State last week. Pribula only connected on 14 of his 32 passes for 168 yards. He was also ineffective as a runner and took 10 sacks. It was so bad that Pribula nearly got benched in favor of backup Eli Holstein, a Pitt transfer. There’s no indication that Pribula’s starting spot is in jeopardy, although the leash could be short if he doesn’t play well against Syracuse.

Who are Virginia’s other stars?

Wide receivers Kameron Courtney and Da’Shawn Martin have been Pribula’s top targets this season. Courtney leads the team with 15 catches through five games, while Martin leads the team with four touchdown catches. However, the former had no catches against Florida State, while the latter has seen his role increase over the last two weeks.

Defensively, Kam Robinson has been a key player for Virginia in recent years. He remains the heartbeat of the defense, although his productivity has been down this season. Meanwhile, former Tulane and Baylor transfer defensive end Matthew Fobbs-White has emerged as Virginia’s best pass rusher, leading the team with three sacks.

What is Virginia’s biggest flaw?

Stopping mobile quarterbacks has become Virginia’s biggest flaw. As mentioned, Hawkins had 123 rushing yards and three touchdowns for West Virginia when the Mountaineers beat the Cavs. It turns out that wasn’t an aberration, with Daniels running for 136 yards and five touchdowns during Florida State’s win over Virginia last week. Needless to say, Amari Odom’s legs could be a key factor for Syracuse this week.

How does Syracuse beat Virginia?

To state the obvious, Syracuse needs to stop hurting itself. Technically, eight penalties for 84 yards is an improvement, but it’s still too many free yards to give away. The two fumbles, even though they weren’t lost, as well as Odom’s two interceptions, also need to be cleaned up. The Orange barely survived UConn with continued penalty and ball security issues. Beating Virginia will be even more difficult if those issues persist.

Syracuse also needs to slow down the Virginia rushing attack. Last week, Florida State forced Pribula to beat them with his arm, and he wasn’t up for the challenge. The Seminoles also put him under constant pressure, finishing with 10 sacks. Nobody is expecting the Syracuse defense to replicate that type of performance. But the Virginia offensive line was vulnerable last week, and if Syracuse’s corners can lock up receivers without committing penalties, the Orange will be able to devote resources to winning in the trenches and have a fighting chance to pull off the road upset.

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