Virginia’s penultimate home game of the season will arrive in the late afternoon on Nov. 14, with the Cavaliers set to host Cal at 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network.
The matchup at Scott Stadium also doubles as Virginia’s annual Heroes Appreciation Game. Through Virginia Athletics’ , fans can buy $25 tickets, and the school will donate those tickets to veterans and active-duty service members.
Virginia and Cal will meet for the second time ever, and both teams are trying to stop three-game losing streaks. The Cavaliers enter at 4-5 overall and 2-4 in ACC play, while the Golden Bears are 3-6 and also 2-4 in the league.
The home field has been a real advantage for Virginia this season. The Cavaliers are 4-1 at Scott Stadium and have won 10 of their last 12 games there since 2025.
Cal, meanwhile, has managed just one road win this year, a 21-18 victory at Syracuse on Sept. 12.
Last season’s first meeting between the programs came in Berkeley, where Virginia escaped with a 31-21 win. Kam Robinson’s fifth career interception, coming with less than a minute left, helped close it out for the Cavaliers.
The Cal-Virginia kickoff is part of the ACC’s Week 11 schedule, which also includes Florida State at Pitt on Friday night, Duke at Miami at noon, Wake Forest at SMU at noon, Syracuse at NC State at noon, Georgia Tech at Clemson at 12:30 p.m., Boston College at Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m., and Louisville at North Carolina in the evening.
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Thijs De Ridder Is Giving Virginia Fans Another Reason To Believe
Thijs De Ridder keeps showing up on the kind of lists that tend to matter in March, and Virginia has every reason to take notice. After earning All-ACC first-team honors last season and drawing preseason buzz as an ACC Player of the Year candidate, the forward was again recognized nationally, this time landing on the 2026-27 Mikes Naismith Trophy Mens College Player of the Year Watch List.
For a program trying to build confidence heading into a new season, it is another sign that De Ridders profile has grown well beyond Charlottesville. The watch list includes 50 players, and Virginia will get its first look at how that recognition translates on the floor when the Cavaliers open the season, with De Ridder once again positioned to be the centerpiece of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Virginias Biggest Early Test Could Decide Its Ceiling
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Johann Grunloh and freshman Favour Ibe loom as the key names in that equation, because foul trouble there would force Ryan Odom to rethink how he wants to protect the rim and finish possessions. Virginia has options, but the interesting part is how far Odom is willing to bend the lineup if the usual big-man plan gets stressed. Whether that means shifting responsibilities inside or reaching for something more unconventional, the Cavaliers ceiling may depend on how well they survive those stretches without losing their identity. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Basketball Has Real Expectations Fans Havent Felt In Years
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The challenge, of course, is that expectations come with a sharper spotlight, and Virginias schedule is not offering any favors. Odom is already drawing attention in the ACC coach of the year conversation, which tells you how much belief there is around this group before it has even played a game that counts. The Cavaliers will be tested early and often, and the road ahead includes a matchup that will tell a lot about how far this roster can go. [Read more 🡒]