Way-too-early 2026 opponent preview: Virginia and Duke, primetime 10 months in the making

Virginia and Duke, for the ACC title. Sounds like a men’s basketball game. Maybe it could be a men’s lacrosse game.

But no, this 2025 duel was for the ACC Championship in football. And the Cavaliers were favored. A victory would vault them to new heights — the College Football Playoff.

Ten months later, these teams meet on the gridiron again. It does not carry the same gravitas as the previous matchup. It is, to some extent, just another conference game between two teams who play each other often. Will Bettridge told UVA On SI that it is just another game, and all focus is on one opponent at a time.

This game will probably mean little in terms of the 2026 ACC standings. But if that is the case, why is this a Friday night game at 7 p.m. on ESPN proper?

Well, it probably has something to do with the fact that the previous duel meant absolutely everything.

Against a team the Cavaliers crushed just two weeks earlier, they lost the ACC Championship game. It had been their best opportunity to win it. Ever. Virginia was heartbroken. Coach Tony Elliott was able to rebound, though, rallying his team to end the season on a high note with a victory in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.

The Blue Devils ended their 2025 season with a bowl win, too. But even under the leadership of Coach Manny Diaz, their immediate future looks rather grim for a team that won the ACC Championship.

High hopes stolen away

Duke was primed to contend for another ACC title this year — until Mensah entered the transfer portal Jan. 16 and officially joined Miami 11 days later. Star receiver Cooper Barkate also left the Blue Devils, joining the Hurricanes on the same day Mensah did.

Had the duo entered the portal days before the deadline — instead of hours, or in Barkate’s case, days later due to processing — perhaps other talents would have wanted to fill their spots at Duke. After all, the Blue Devils were reigning ACC champions. Alternatively, maybe more Duke players would have entered the transfer portal. 2026 could have been a rebuilding year. Now, it is somewhere in the middle.

Additionally, the Blue Devils saw transfer exits from receiver Que’Sean Brown to Virginia Tech, safety Terry Moore to Ohio State and safety Ma’Khi Jones to Florida State. Duke also lost three key starters to the NFL Draft. Factoring in Mensah and Barkate, Duke lost eight All-ACC candidates this offseason.

It also lost veteran kicker Todd Pelino, who scored nine points in the Blue Devils’ 27-20 win in the ACC Championship game. The new kicker is Cosme Salas — who played at Will Bettridge’s high school. Salas has never attempted a collegiate field goal. He was previously a kickoff specialist.

That is a major exodus of talent. And while there are not many ACC general managers as skilled as Binuk Kodituwakku, losing multiple stars is incredibly alarming for a team that won the ACC title.

Every team loses stars. Virginia did too. However, the Cavaliers are not letting elite players like Kam Robinson walk out the door. Instead, Justin Speros and company went to work keeping their players and adding high-end talent from the Big Ten. The Blue Devils have gone dipping into the mid-major pool to replenish their roster — Virginia did the same — but the difference is that the Cavaliers also added highly coveted transfers, kept far more returners and feature loads of continuity.

From Elliott's team, just three 2025 starters left in the portal. The only ones without a star waiting in the wings were Trell Harris and Emmanuel Karnley. The difference between Virginia and Duke lies in what Coach Tony Elliott calls “competitive depth.” The Cavaliers have the most experienced roster in the country, and the foundation to have one of the best ground attacks in all of college football.

The Blue Devils are trying to make wine out of water. They have done it before, but this time, their quarterback’s highest honors were Honorable Mention All-Mountain West. This new starter, Walker Eget, ranked outside 247 Sports’ top 55 transfer quarterbacks. He has five years of college football experience, but he will have to prove himself against ACC competition.

Who does Duke have now?

One area that did not go wrong for Duke this offseason is the running back position. Nate Sheppard was a freshman phenom for the Blue Devils in 2025, turning 237 touches into 1,418 total yards and 12 total touchdowns. He should be one of the best running backs in the ACC.

At receiver, Duke once found a star in Barkate at Harvard. It went back to the FCS level to snag Jared Richardson from Penn. Richardson starred at the lower level, producing three All-Ivy League seasons. He recorded over 150 receiving yards twice last year. While Richardson will have to make an extremely massive jump from the FCS to a Power Four conference, he has the talent to do so.

Another intriguing transfer add is receiver Nicholas Javen, formerly of Charlotte — and before that, LSU. Javen barely touched the ball with the Tigers, but with the 49ers, he produced 740 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. He also offers upside as a returner.

As for returning players, Duke still has linebacker Luke Mergott — who intercepted Morris in the ACC Championship game — and tight end Jeremiah Hasley, who caught the go-ahead touchdown in overtime.

The Blue Devils are only projected to start roughly eight transfers. The rest of the lineup, aside from the few stars, will be filled by previous depth pieces with a very limited history of statistical production.

The verdict

Virginia could be a significant favorite in this rematch. Something else to keep in mind — Robinson missed the ACC title game and most of the regular season matchup. He tore his ACL at Duke. If Robinson is healthy come late October, he presents a new, overwhelming challenge to the Blue Devils.

Another note — Duke is 0-6 in Charlottesville since 2015. In that same timeframe, the Blue Devils are 2-9 against the Cavaliers overall. Virginia will aim to broaden that margin at home, in primetime with thousands of fans hoping to see the Cavaliers take revenge.

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