Virginia enters the 2026-27 season with a No. 9 spot in the preseason AP Poll, the program’s highest starting point since the COVID-19 era. That number makes sense. It also feels a little conservative.
There’s a real path for the Cavaliers to climb above it, and the schedule is the first reason why. Virginia’s third game comes against No.
12 Arkansas in Washington, D.C., and a win there would send a strong message in the rankings. After that, the Cavaliers face a run that includes Maryland, Marquette and Xavier, three high-major opponents that could give Virginia quality wins no matter what.
In the ideal version of this scenario, those teams take losses early, then finish strong enough later to make Virginia’s victories look even better.
The challenge rises again before ACC play really settles in. Virginia also draws No.
4 UConn and No. 23 Kentucky, and if the Cavaliers manage to win two of those three games against the Razorbacks and those two bluebloods, a move up in the poll should follow.
The other big reason for optimism is the roster itself. Coach Ryan Odom brought four players to ACC Tipoff instead of the usual two, a clear sign that Virginia’s identity is built around a core rather than a single star. Thijs De Ridder, Chance Mallory, Sam Lewis and Johann Grunloh all have a real shot at All-ACC recognition.
That kind of balance matters, even in a top-10 field where almost every team has talent. Virginia already showed it could hang in the ACC with this group, and with another year of development, the upside should only get better.
No. 9 is a strong placement. But it’s also fair to look a little higher and wonder whether Virginia belongs there. Jon Rothstein of 247Sports has the Cavaliers at No. 7, ahead of Tennessee and Texas, and both of those programs bring plenty of uncertainty.
Tennessee’s new backcourt of Dai Dai Ames and Juke Harris should be worth watching, but the Volunteers are breaking in a lot of fresh pieces. Rick Barnes kept only two scholarship players from last year’s Elite Eight team, while the top stars moved on to the NBA and big man JP Estrella transferred to Michigan, the same team that knocked Tennessee out of the NCAA Tournament.
Texas is dealing with an even bigger turnover. The Longhorns had to replace 11 players this offseason, while Virginia replaced five. Yes, Texas landed a strong high school recruiting class, but that still comes with the usual question mark: no one knows yet how those five-star recruits will translate once the games start.
In Other News...
Virginia Gets Another Shot At Duke With A Bigger Problem Looming
Virginia gets another crack at Duke on Saturday at Scott Stadium, and this one comes with the kind of familiarity that can cut both ways. It will be the third meeting between the programs in 11 months, and while both rosters have changed since last season, there is still plenty of film and memory for Virginias staff to sort through as it prepares for another run at a familiar opponent.
The Cavaliers also have to account for a Duke offense that still leans on Nate Sheppard, one of the most dangerous playmakers in the country. Virginias coaches have talked this week about the ways the teams have changed and the ways they have not, which is what makes this matchup tricky: the faces are different, but the challenge remains awfully recognizable. [Read more 🡒]
Virginia Secondary Takes Another Hit Before Pivotal Duke Game
Virginia heads into its ACC matchup with Duke already shorthanded, and the secondary is the biggest concern. The Cavaliers will be without free safety Ethan Minter and 19 other players for Saturdays game, leaving a defensive backfield that is already stretched thin with multiple names either out or questionable, including starting cornerback Omillio Agard.
The trouble doesnt stop there, either, with strong safety Brandyn Hillman among the key defenders dealing with an ankle issue as Virginia tries to patch together the back end of its defense. Duke has its own injury list to manage, but for the Cavaliers the timing is especially difficult, with the matchup carrying real weight and little margin for a depleted secondary to absorb another hit. [Read more 🡒]
Tony Elliott Just Put Virginia's Biggest Midseason Problem In Focus
Seven weeks into the 2026 season, Tony Elliott is looking at a Virginia team that has hit a rough patch on both sides of the ball. The defense has struggled to find consistency, and the offense has lost some of the rhythm it showed earlier in the year, leaving the Cavaliers searching for steadier production as the schedule has worn on.
Pribulas recent drop-off has become part of that larger conversation, even if Elliott is not pinning the slide on the quarterback alone. The run game has also failed to give the offense much cover in recent losses, while linebacker Robinsons return from injury has added another layer to the defenses uneven stretch, with Virginia still waiting for him to look fully like himself again. [Read more 🡒]