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Virginia ranked in week two AP Poll

Where did the Cavaliers check in?
Xander Tilock|
Aug 29, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott congratulates offensive lineman Jon Adair (79) during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images
Aug 29, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott congratulates offensive lineman Jon Adair (79) during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Virginia Cavaliers

After blasting NC State 34-8 during week zero, Virginia had a bye week during the first full weekend of college football. Even without a second game, the Cavaliers have a strong body of work and were rewarded in the form of being ranked No. 25 in this week’s AP Poll. This marks Virginia's rankings debut in the 2026 season.

Over the first two weeks of play, very few teams authored a more impressive win than Virginia. There is a case to be made that only Ole Miss’ win over No. 24 Louisville and No. 11 LSU’s win over Clemson were superior to the Cavaliers’ trouncing of the Wolfpack.

Virginia ended the 2025 season as a ranked team, but was slotted all the way down at No. 47 (in terms of total votes) to start the 2026 campaign. The Cavaliers made a quantum leap, as the lowest-ranked team from the preseason poll to be ranked in the week two rendition.

Where is the rest of the ACC?

Miami leads the conference, checking in at No. 7. SMU is the second-highest ACC team at No. 17, Louisville is third at No. 24 and Virginia is fourth at No. 25. 

The Cardinals, who started the season 0-1, were rewarded for nearly upsetting No. 9 Ole Miss on a neutral site. Louisville received 74 more votes than the Cavaliers, who are 1-0 in ACC play.

The only other ACC teams to receive votes this week are Pittsburgh (11), Virginia Tech (6). Both teams authored blowout victories, although those came against vastly inferior opponents.

A note on the Coaches Poll

The Coaches Poll was slightly different. Miami was No. 7, SMU was No. 17 and Virginia was tied for No. 25 with Florida. Other ACC teams were in the “receiving votes section” — Louisville (125 votes), Pitt (14), Virginia Tech (11), Duke (4) and Clemson (3).

Some may argue that this alignment better reflects the ACC compared to the AP Poll, especially when considering how each team performed to start the season. More movement should be expected after each team plays a few more games and the ACC landscape evolves.

As of Tuesday, Virginia only has one ranked opponent left on its schedule (No. 17 SMU), and just one other team receiving any votes (Virginia Tech). The Cavaliers do not face Miami or Louisville during the regular season.

Virginia's next game is Friday against Norfolk State, against whom the Cavaliers are favored by over 40 points.

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Xander Tilock
XANDER TILOCK

Xander Tilock serves as the lead editor for Virginia on SI. He previously spent four years as a Senior Writer/Sports Editor for The Cavalier Daily, where he authored the publication’s most articles since 2017 and was named Literary Writer of the Year in 2023. Xander has been referenced on ACC Network, Yahoo Sports, Sirius XM ACC Radio, UVA Today, The Virginian-Pilot, and dozens of other publications nationwide. Outside of journalistic endeavors, Xander graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia in 2026. He is also a proud owner of the Green Bay Packers — and for a final twist, you can find him acting, writing, directing, and producing films and plays. Follow Xander on X @xandertilock

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