Virginia’s secondary took a major hit this week, and the biggest loss is now confirmed: starting cornerback Omillio Agard is done for the year.
Coach Tony Elliott said Tuesday that Agard tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the 2026 season. He sat out the Syracuse game and is scheduled to have surgery today.
The third-year Wisconsin transfer had been one of Virginia’s most reliable defenders, with Pro Football Network giving him a season grade of 92.1, which ranked No. 5 in college football. After this season, he’ll still have two seasons of eligibility left.
The injuries aren’t limited to one spot. Virginia is heading into Saturday’s trip to No.
24 SMU with a long list of key players either out or uncertain. Among those already sidelined are WR Dillon Newton-Short, S Jaylen Jones, OL Noah Hartsoe, DL Bull Richardson and OL Dylan Biehl, along with other deep reserves.
Elliott said the Cavaliers have been dealing with a punishing run of injuries around the middle of the 2026 season.
There’s also concern at receiver. Flores, Virginia’s presumed No. 1 target, will not play Saturday after going down with a non-contact injury against Syracuse.
The Cavaliers are still waiting on imaging results. He was down for more than a minute, clutching his knee, before heading into the blue medical tent.
A few minutes later, he walked slowly to the locker room with a trainer.
At safety, Hillman is headed toward a game-time call. He’s day-to-day with a shoulder injury, and Virginia may decide to be careful with him because of his physical style. Still, the Cavaliers would love to have their star safety available against SMU.
The good news is that Henderson appears likely to go. He injured his shoulder late against Syracuse, but he remains day-to-day and is scheduled to play Saturday.
Marcellus is dealing with stingers and is also day-to-day. He’s expected to suit up against the Mustangs, though Virginia may choose to be cautious and manage his workload. Caleb Hardy and Myles Brown have both seen steady snaps this season and have held up well when called on.
On the defensive line, Baxter’s absence will continue. He has missed the last three games and will be out for several more after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Elliott said he could miss the rest of the regular season. The third-year Michigan transfer had been one of Virginia’s top backup defensive linemen, and he still has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
In Other News...
Virginia Fans Have A New Name To Watch In This Weeks Poll
Virginia high school football turned in another busy stretch from Oct. 8-10, and the latest batch of standout performances gives fans around the commonwealth plenty to sort through. The weekly High School On SI Virginia Football Player of the Week poll is once again packed with eye-catching names after a slate of games that produced big passing nights, explosive receiving totals and plenty of momentum-shifting plays across the state.
The field includes several players whose efforts stood out well beyond the final scores, with Ryan Turpin and Xavier Price among the headliners from a statistical standpoint. Voting runs through Oct. 11, and the winner will be revealed in next weeks poll, so Virginia fans have a short window to make their choice among a deep list of performances that made this one of the more competitive weeks yet. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Fans Get A Timely Look At A Key Starter This Week
Fans heading to Dairy Market on Tuesday will get a useful midseason glimpse at one of Virginias steadier pieces up front when Coachs Corner with Tony Elliott airs from Charlottesville. The weekly radio show has become a spot for fan interaction, and this weeks edition also includes ticket and merchandise giveaways, giving supporters a chance to hear directly from the program while checking in on the offensive line.
Among the guests is graduate transfer Makilan Thomas, who came to Virginia from Arkansas State and has quietly settled in as a regular starter this fall. For a Cavaliers team still working to build consistency, the timing matters, especially with Thomas having opened all six games on the line after missing last season with an injury. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Faces A Real Road Test Against A Flawed ACC Threat
Virginia is heading into a tricky ACC road trip with enough flaws of its own to keep the spotlight on the details. The Cavaliers have dealt with penalties, injuries and uneven play on defense, and they still have not won away from home this season. They are also coming off a game against Syracuse that left several injuries to monitor, adding another layer of uncertainty as they prepare for a matchup that asks a lot of their coverage unit and run defense.
SMU has looked beatable despite its 4-2 start, with close calls against weaker opponents and a turnover problem that has kept a few games tighter than expected. The Mustangs have had extra time to sort through those issues after an early bye week, which makes Virginias task even less forgiving. For a Cavaliers team trying to steady itself on the road, this is the kind of test that can expose whether the progress is real or still more promise than proof. [Read more 🡒]