Way-too-early 2026 opponent preview: What will Norfolk State have in store for Virginia?

Virginia football plays one FCS opponent in 2026 — Norfolk State. It will be the second game of the season for the Cavaliers, and the back end of a two-game homestand to kick off the 2026 campaign.

Of course, anything can happen in college football, but Virginia will likely be favored by several touchdowns. It is more likely than not that the Cavaliers will eviscerate their FCS guest. Let’s take a preliminary look at the Spartans game.

The roster, the numbers

Despite their 1-11 record, the Spartans did have some talent recently — namely defensive end David Ojiegbe, linebacker Teriqe Miles and returner Jaylen White. Also of note, Norfolk State is coached by NFL veteran and former Hokie Michael Vick.

However, the Spartans were one of the worst teams across any division of college football in 2025.

Pick any statistic, and Norfolk State was probably mediocre. Collectively, opponents edged the Spartans in every defensive statistic except for tackles. Opponents also outperformed Norfolk State quarterbacks in passer rating, completions, yards and touchdowns. Special teams were disastrous too — the Spartans made less than 36 percent of their field goal attempts.

It is important to keep in mind that these statistics primarily occurred against FCS teams. Norfolk State’s only FBS opponent was Rutgers, which beat them 60-10. The Scarlet Knights went 5-7 and finished fifth-worst in the Big Ten.

Virginia, meanwhile, went 10-2 in the regular season and finished first in the ACC standings.

The Cavaliers-Spartans battle could get especially ugly given that Norfolk State only has three career appearances from its quarterback room. Adding onto a brewing blowout, the Spartans no longer deploy Ojiegbe, Miles or White.

Virginia has a strong chance of scoring 84-plus points for the first time since 1973. Keep in mind that Rutgers was favored by approximately 44 points. The Cavaliers should be favored by 50-plus.

What can Virginia take away from this game?

After the starters likely run up the score, the Cavaliers could turn to their backups —- or their backups’ backups. This is the game in which Virginia can showcase freshmen who would otherwise be buried on the depth chart for most of the 2026 campaign. The only other chance to get several reserves in a game with a safe lead could be against Delaware.

On another note, the Cavaliers will host this game on a Friday night at 7 p.m. — this could be a fun rout in which the crowd fuels Scott Stadium with a burst of energy. It is possible that many students clear out if (or perhaps when) Virginia leads by 30-plus points at halftime.

Entering this game, the Cavaliers will be coming off of a bye week unless there are any schedule changes. They will aim to keep everyone healthy against Norfolk State before heading to Charlotte, N.C. to face West Virginia the following week.

Expect highlights galore against the Spartans.

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