The Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason poll for the 2026 season has positioned the University of Virginia’s football team sixth overall, a stark contrast to the modest expectations that surrounded the program just a year ago.
A Turnaround in Charlottesville
The Cavaliers capped the 2025 campaign with an 11‑3 record, securing seventh place in ACC play and punching their ticket to the ACC Championship Game, where they ultimately fell, but not before adding a Gator Bowl victory to their résumé.
Head coach Tony Elliott, now in his fifth year at the helm, returns with a roster that blends senior leadership on the offensive line with fresh talent acquired through the transfer portal, a combination that analysts believe can sustain the momentum.
The ACC Race Heats Up
Miami emerged as the clear favorite, gathering 165 of 188 first‑place votes, while SMU was slotted second. Behind them, Louisville, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia, NC State and Virginia Tech are projected to finish third through eighth, with Virginia Tech cracking the top ten despite a sub‑.500 record the previous season.
The competition is tightly knit, with just 607 points separating the six teams from third to eighth, underscoring the volatility of the conference and the realistic chance for any of them to ascend.
If the Cavaliers can translate preseason optimism into on‑field execution, they stand to reshape the ACC narrative, turning a program once written off as a long shot into a legitimate contender for the conference crown.