Virginia no longer a sleeper after statement win over NC State

Last season, Virginia surprised practically every college football fan by ending the campaign with an appearance in the ACC championship and a record of 11-3. The Cavaliers entered the 2026 season surrounded by questions of whether or not they would be able to play at that level again.

Their 34-8 win over NC State on Saturday proves that this Virginia team has came ready to perform at a high standard again.

Head coach Tony Elliott's team took control from the first whistle, creating a 17-0 lead heading into halftime. The Cavaliers finished with 413 total yards, while holding NC State to just 168 total yards. This was Virginia's first home win over NC State since 2006, and it came in front of 62,779 fans.

Beau Pribula, a transfer quarterback from Missouri, ran for 110 yards and threw for 155 yards with two touchdowns. He will be a dual-threat option in this offense. 

The offensive line stood its ground for the majority of the game, which allowed the run game to control the tempo for most of the afternoon. NC State's only touchdown came from a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Will Wilson late in the third quarter.

Virginia could make noise during 2026 season

Now, winning this game wasn't exactly surprising, given the fact that Virginia was favored to win entering play. The term "sleeper" might not be the best word to use to describe where the Cavaliers sit right now. But it does accurately describe where Virginia sits in the national conversation. There is a very likely scenario where Virginia ends the season with two or three losses and finds itself in the ACC Championship, where, if it wins, it could potentially make the College Football Playoff.

That gap between performance and profile is what makes this Cavaliers team exciting to watch. They return most of the foundation of last year's team that won 11 games and beat Missouri in their bowl game.

The biggest test for this team is still ahead of them. Virginia still has to play Florida State on the road on Oct. 3 and has a neutral-site game against West Virginia. The Cavaliers' play in their ACC games will determine whether the win over NC State was a continuation of last year's breakthrough or a ceiling. 

But for a program that already proved it belongs in championship conversations once, a 26-point win over a fairly decent conference opponent is exactly the kind of result that keeps them in that conversation for another year. A true question may be whether they are at the level to make a push for the College Football Playoff this season or not.