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Nov 16, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott watches in the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Five Opponents Virginia Should Add To Its Future Football Schedules

Originally posted on Virginia Cavaliers on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 1:13 PM ET

This season, Virginia Football has one of the easiest schedules in the Power four and a very reasonable path to a bowl game, which would be their first under head coach Tony Elliott. There are no marquee out-of-conference games for the Cavaliers this season, although there is a very interesting game in the middle of October against Washington State, which is making the long trip to Charlottesville. One of the big things with the new ACC revenue sharing agreement is that TV ratings are going to be a big boost to the amount of money that you can make as a program, and it puts a bonus for teams willing to schedule tougher games.

With that in mind, who are some future opponents that Virginia should consider scheduling, not just to toughen the schedule and get marquee games, but which opponents might Virginia fans want to see on the schedule? Here are five possibilities. For this exercise, I wanted to include programs that are not already on future schedules for Virginia. They are currently scheduled to have a home-and-home with Kansas (2029 and 2030), host Indiana in 2028, face West Virginia in Charlotte in 2026 and 2032, and make the return trip to Washington State in 2031.

Colorado

The two programs have never met before and after Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders made comments in the offseason about UVA, now seems like the perfect time to schedule this series.

Deion Sanders is mad about the bags UVA football is dropping in the portal.

"Virginia, you gotta stop."https://t.co/zAmLODPSaT
— Zach Carey (@Zach_Carey_) April 17, 2025

Colorado is a huge ratings draw no matter who they are playing and this would be a super fun series for both programs. Colorado is booked up for the most part over the next few years, but this is a set of games that should happen.

Penn State

These two programs are not that far apart geographically, but have only met eight times in history and not since 2012. The Nittany Lions are one of the top programs in the country and are set to be a national championship contender in 2025. Any series with them would be a huge ratings boost and cool for fans of both programs. Penn State holds the all-time series lead between the two schools 5-3.

James Madison

Virginia has to want revenge for the last time these two teams met right? While this is not a game that would draw huge ratings, it would be one that fans of both fanbases would certainly care about. The only place the two teams have played is Charlottesville and the all-time series is tied at 2-2. James Madison is one of the premier group of five programs in the country and would actually be better for the Cavaliers strength of schedule than some of the teams that they are going to be playing in the future. It would be fun.

South Carolina

Let's add in a little SEC flavor. South Carolina is the only team in the SEC that Virginia has a little history with and they are the SEC program UVA has played the most. South Carolina currently holds the all-time series lead 21-14 and the two last met in the 2018 Belk Bowl, which was a 28-0 Cavalier win. The last time the two schools played in either Charlottesville or Columbia was in 2002 and 2003. Shane Beamer has the Gamecocks going in the right direction and Columbia is one of the best gameday atmospheres in the country. This would be fun for both sides.

Maryland

This would be one that both schools would enjoy and one that just happened. Maryland beat UVA last season 27-13 in Charlottesville and beat them 42-14 in College Park in 2023. That was the first time that either of the former ACC foes had played each other since 2013 and this is something that both programs should do often. It was an underrated rivalry when the Terrapins were in the ACC and it would be a shame if it was another decade plus before they met again.

This article first appeared on Virginia Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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