In a conference that already has Virginia penciled in second, there’s a real case that Ryan Odom’s group can do better than that.
The Cavaliers are set to open their 2026-27 season at John Paul Jones Arena in just under three weeks, and this is the kind of roster that can change the conversation quickly. Virginia brings back Preseason All-ACC selections Thijs De Ridder and Chance Mallory, along with Sam Lewis and Johann Grunloh.
That group was enough to land the Cavaliers a No. 2 projection in the league race. But given what’s back and what this team already showed last season, that might be selling them short.
Virginia was one of the few teams in the country to return every eligible rotation player from a year ago. In this era of college basketball, that’s almost unheard of.
No other ACC team is bringing back anything close to Virginia’s core four, plus six depth pieces. And that same group already pushed the Cavaliers to 30 wins last season.
Another year together only sharpens the edge.
That continuity matters even more when you look at how close Virginia came against Duke in the 2026 ACC Championship Game. The Cavaliers were a few shots from taking the title before costly fouls, sloppy turnovers and poor rebounding swung a 74-70 loss the other way. Even so, Virginia did one thing that stands out: it shut down Cameron Boozer, holding the Duke star to 3-for-17 shooting in a rough night.
The Blue Devils and Cavaliers are scheduled to meet twice this season, once in Charlottesville and once on the road. A third matchup feels likely, too.
Most people around the league see Virginia and Duke as the top two teams in the ACC, but Odom’s team has a clear edge in familiarity. This is a group that has already spent a full season learning how to function together, and that kind of chemistry can show up when the pressure climbs.
Virginia also looked more settled in its second crack at Duke last season than it did in the blowout loss in Durham. That kind of adjustment is a good sign, because the Cavaliers are about to run into a brutal slate again.
This schedule is going to test them early and often. Virginia has UConn, Arkansas, Kentucky, Duke twice, North Carolina, Louisville, Miami, Marquette, Xavier and more waiting on the other side.
There won’t be many soft spots. But that’s exactly the point: the Cavaliers should be hardened by it.
That kind of week-to-week punishment can pay off later. Virginia ought to be better prepared for postseason basketball because of the grind ahead, and that could leave the door open for something bigger than a second-place prediction. Finishing first in the league standings or winning the ACC Tournament is on the table if this team keeps moving forward.
In Other News...
Anthony Britton Has Become A Virginia Bright Spot Up Front
Anthony Britton has quietly turned into one of Virginias most encouraging stories up front. The defensive tackle arrived in 2023 as a raw prospect, but his development has been steady enough to make him a real factor on the Cavaliers line, the kind of interior presence coaches can lean on as the season wears on.
His rise has also come with opportunity, as Britton moved into a starting role after an injury opened the door. The more he has played, the more dependable he has looked, and he was recognized after the 2023 season as Virginias most improved defensive player, a label that now feels like a sign of what the Cavaliers may have found in the middle of their defense. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia's Upset Hopes Rest On A Shorthanded Defense At SMU
Virginia heads into its trip to SMU carrying a defense that is already stretched thin before kickoff. The Cavaliers will be without defensive linemen Devon Baxter, Jason Hammond, Jewett Hayes, Bull Richardson, Chase Morrison and Tyler Simmons, along with defensive backs Omillio Agard and Alex Dunn and linebacker Isaiah Reese, a long list of absences that leaves the unit scrambling to piece together its rotation against one of the ACCs tougher passing attacks.
The concern only deepens with safeties Brandyn Hillman and Corey Costner listed as doubtful, which pushes even more weight onto the players still available. Britton, Robinson and Williams now look set to absorb major snaps in a matchup where Virginia will need discipline, communication and a few timely stops just to give itself a chance to hang around. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Faces A Massive ACC Test Against SMUs Biggest Strength
Virginia and SMU meet in Week 7 with both teams sitting at 2-1 in ACC play, and the matchup brings one of the conferences more interesting strength-on-strength battles. The Mustangs have leaned heavily on the passing game, while Virginia has made life difficult through the air for opposing offenses, giving this one a clear backbone even before the odds and the surrounding buzz around the game come into focus.
Yamir Knight has emerged as SMUs clear go-to receiver and will be central to everything the Mustangs want to do, especially against a Cavaliers defense that has quietly been one of the toughest in the nation against the pass. Virginias challenge is obvious, though, because SMUs ground game has not been nearly as dependable, which leaves the Cavaliers trying to control a matchup where both defenses may know exactly what is coming and still have to stop it. [Read more 🡒]