For Virginia football, defending home turf is the top job

To sustain ACC title hopes, Cavaliers need to take care of business in Scott Stadium

Virginia has won all of its home games in Scott Stadium just once this century, in 2019. | Virginia Athletic

Just once this century has Virginia's football team managed to win every game it played in Scott Stadium.

It didn't happen last year, when the Cavaliers claimed the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title and reached the ACC title game. Virginia fell 16-9 to visiting Wake Forest on Oct. 8, 2025, but rallied to beat Duke and Virginia Tech and reach the ACC championship game for just the second time.

It's not a coincidence, though, that the only time in the 2000s that the Cavaliers went unblemished at home resulted in their first ACC title game appearance. They were 7-0 in Scott Stadium in 2019 en route to a Coastal Division crown (when the league had divisions), as Bryce Perkins orchestrated an explosive offense.

Protect home field

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott looks on from the sideline during the third quarter against the Missouri Tigers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

If you're wondering, Virginia also went undefeated at home four times under Hall of Fame coach George Welsh: in 1987 (5-0), 1989 (6-0), 1991 (7-0) and 1998 (5-0). Each of those seasons ended in bowl bids before the ACC expanded and introduced its championship game in 2005.

And if these Cavaliers hope to return to Charlotte in December for a second straight ACC final, it's imperative that they run the table at home. Barring injuries, they figure to be favored in each of their seven home dates.

On paper, at least, their toughest ACC matchups appear to be road games at SMU (Oct. 17), Wake Forest (Oct. 31) and Virginia Tech (Nov. 28).

In a league as big as the 17-team ACC, two regular-sesaon conference losses will probably be disqualifying for any team with title hopes. (It wasn't last year, when Duke emerged from a wild five-way tie for second and upset Virginia in the title game, but few observers expect that to happen again any time soon.)

Which is why the Cavaliers can't afford any stumbles at home. And it starts with the opener on Aug. 29 against N.C. State, which topped Virginia last season in what was designated a nonconference game in Raleigh.

The Cavaliers caught a break when this year's game against the Wolfpack was moved to Scott Stadium from Brazil due to logistical concerns. Season openers are always unpredictable, and it will be beneficial to Tony Elliott's players to have roughly 50,000 fans rooting for them rather than playing in a neutral, unfamiliar environment.

Virginia's other ACC home games (Oct. 10 vs. Syracuse, Oct. 23 vs. Duke, Nov. 14 vs. California and Nov. 21 vs. North Carolina) all come against opponents expected to be ranked below the Cavaliers in preseason predictions.

As we have discussed before, all of them come with pitfalls, including the dreaded "trap game" implications. Syracuse and Cal have athletic playmakers; Duke lost star quarterback Darian Mensah to Miami in the portal but is still dangerous, and UNC's Bill Belichick knows defense. Still, all are winnable games -- as are nonconference home games against Norfolk State (Sept. 11) and Delaware (Sept. 26).

If the Cavaliers can take care of business at home, their ACC fate will rest with their performances away from Scott Stadium. They were 4-0 in official conference road games last year (not including the nonconference loss to the Wolfpack in Raleigh.) In 2019, they lost one-score road games at Louisville and Miami but managed to win the Coastal Division.

There are many variables to success in a long season. Priority No. 1, though, is defending home turf.