Virginia’s top ACC competitor is abundantly clear

Miami looks like the team to beat

Aug 29, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers punter Daniel Sparks (38) punts the ball during the third quarter of the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week, Virginia took center stage in the ACC. The Cavaliers destroyed NC State 34-8, receiving College Football Playoff hype from national pundits. Some analysts said the Cavaliers might even be the team to beat in the ACC.

Not so fast.

Week zero overreactions are all too common and all too exaggerated. While Virginia is certainly one of the best teams in the conference, the clear top heavyweight is No. 7 Miami. The 2025 national runner-up got even better this offseason — adding Duke star quarterback Darian Mensah and his top receiver, Cooper Barkate.

The Hurricanes reminded the world why they are the consensus favorite to represent the ACC in the CFP. Miami trounced a middling Stanford squad 45-6 on the road. Mensah completed 27 of his 30 passing attempts for 401 yards and five touchdowns. He looked like a Heisman Trophy contender.

Star receiver Malachi Toney may have leapfrogged his quarterback in that race — he caught 12 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns. The Cardinal are one of the ACC’s rare bottomfeeders, but still, the Hurricanes looked like a true juggernaut.

Virginia cannot put its cart before the horse, but if the Cavaliers make it to Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game, they would almost certainly encounter Miami.

Elite offense versus elite defense

The Hurricanes offense should be one of the best in the entire country. Virginia’s defense might be able to say the same after how ugly NC State quarterback CJ Bailey performed. However, Mensah, Toney, Barkate and running back Mark Fletcher present a challenge these Cavaliers may have never seen.

Virginia is familiar with Mensah — beating him on the road when he was at Duke, before Mensah conquered the Cavaliers to win the ACC title a few weeks later. Here is how he and Barkate played against Virginia last year:

• Mensah vs Virginia (Nov. 15): Completed 18 of 35 attempts for 213 yards and one touchdown, eight rushes for -4 yards
• Barkate vs Virginia (Nov. 15): Three catches for 45 yards, one touchdown
• Mensah vs Virginia (Dec. 6): Completed 19 of 25 attempts for 196 yards and two touchdowns, one interception and five rushes for zero yards
• Barkate vs Virginia (Dec. 6): Five catches for 91 yards

Neither player exactly torched the Cavaliers, but both made plays to keep drives alive in December. Virginia’s offense sat on the sidelines for far too long as the Blue Devils kept holding the ball and converting third downs. 

Then there is Toney — an all-purpose player who is unlike any these Cavaliers have faced. He is extraordinarily agile, with vertical speed and elite route running to boot. He is worth circling on the drawing board, but that could come at the cost of containing Fletcher.

Fletcher is a true No. 1 running back who runs behind a ginormous offensive line. Doubling a player like Barkate or Toney comes at the cost of fewer players to focus on stopping the run game. 

Sep 4, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah (10) hands off to running back CharMar Brown (6) against the Stanford Cardinal during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are a few surprises Virginia can throw at Miami. First of all, these Hurricanes have seldom seen a player like Kam Robinson, Brandyn Hillman or Fisher Camac. There is also the fact that Mensah is a solid scrambler but a mediocre runner — he can only extend plays for so long.

The Cavaliers also have abundant depth at every position, which enables them to cycle fresh defenders and hunt for specific matchups.

Still far too early

Even though these look like the ACC’s top two teams, both have to earn their place in the conference title game. Anything can happen over the course of a chaotic college football season. But if Miami and Virginia do end up meeting in Charlotte, it would be a fascinating game.