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Where do Virginia’s 2026 opponents rank in the Preseason AP Poll?

The ACC may surprise
Xander Tilock|
Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Virginia finished the 2025 season ranked No. 16 in the country. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images
Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Virginia finished the 2025 season ranked No. 16 in the country. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Virginia Cavaliers

With the dawn of the college football season approaching, the 2026 AP Preseason Poll was released Monday. Some teams will begin the season with a numerical prefix — but most others will not.

Preseason polls are not a pristine predictor of overall success, as over 10 teams from the 2025 preseason list ended the season unranked. Virginia started the 2025 season unranked and finished as the No. 16 team in the country. 

The Cavaliers received just one vote in the first poll of the 2026 season. That would slot them in a tie for No. 47 overall, behind teams such as Oklahoma State, Minnesota, James Madison, Louisiana, Auburn, Memphis, Western Michigan and dozens of others whose placement may come as a surprise.

Here is where Virginia’s 2026 opponents checked in:

Ranked teams

No. 19 SMU

The Mustangs, coming off of a 9-4 season, are the only ranked team on Virginia’s schedule at the moment. SMU is one of just three ACC teams to be ranked — joining No. 7 Miami as well as No. 24 Louisville.

Receiving votes

Virginia Tech (six votes), California (two votes)

The Hokies and Golden Bears received more votes than the Cavaliers, after going 3-9 and 7-6, respectively. Virginia Tech and Cal’s arguments for receiving votes are based on the merit of predicting success, not their 2025 campaigns. In particular, some may be surprised by the Hokies being ranked over Georgia Tech and Virginia — two teams which appeared in some of the top non-Playoff bowl games.

Did not receive any votes

The other nine teams on Virginia’s schedule did not receive any votes in this preseason poll. Those teams are NC State, Norfolk State, West Virginia, Delaware, Florida State, Syracuse, Duke, Wake Forest and North Carolina.

It is rare for a Power Four team to have nine of 12 regular season opponents receive no votes in the preseason poll. Again, preseason pundits cannot guarantee how any season will play out, but this poll does feed into the idea that the Cavaliers do not have the most challenging schedule.

How was the ACC ranked?

  • No. 7 Miami 
  • No. 19 SMU
  • No. 24 Louisville
  • Clemson (112)
  • Pittsburgh (7)
  • Virginia Tech (6)
  • Georgia Tech (4)
  • California (2)
  • Virginia (1)

The Cavaliers were slotted ninth in the conference — a ranking that is incredibly low for a team that is coming off of an 11-win season, has the most experience in the country and a relatively light schedule.

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Published
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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