After Friday night’s unforgettable 46-38 upset of then-No. 8 Florida State, the Virginia Cavaliers earned a spot in the week six AP Poll, released on Sunday afternoon, checking in at No. 24 in the rankings.
The Cavaliers (3-1, 2-0 ACC) received 125 points across all the ballots and were ranked as high as No. 15 by one voter, Kirk Bohls.
It’s the first time since December of 2019 that the ’Hoos have earned a spot in the AP Top 25. With quarterback Bryce Perkins then steering the ship, Virginia climbed as high as No. 18 in the rankings that season before making a final appearance in the poll at No. 22 on December 1st.
Elsewhere in this week’s poll, the Seminoles dropped ten spots to No. 18 following their double-overtime loss inside Scott Stadium, while Miami (No. 3) and Georgia Tech (No. 17) rounded out the four ACC teams to make the cut.
Virginia’s next opponent, Louisville, is still trying to earn a spot in the rankings for the first time this season after climbing as high as No. 15 in 2024. The Cardinals, however, are the fifth team listed in the ‘others receiving votes’ category, making this Saturday’s showdown with the ’Hoos at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium a top-30 matchup.
UVA’s shiny new ranking in the Top 25 is the latest in a whirlwind of national recognition that Tony Elliott’s squad has received following Friday night’s incredible performance (and subsequent field storming):
A trio of Cavaliers — quarterback Chandler Morris, defensive lineman Mitchell Melton, and defensive back Ja’Son Prevard — were each recognized as the ACC’s player of the week at their respective positions on Monday.
And the ’Hoos — who now have the second-best odds in the ACC to win the conference (14.2%) according to ESPN’s FPI — even earned honors as the Pop-Tarts ‘Crazy Good Team of the Week.’
While Friday night at Scott Stadium is one that Wahoo fans won’t soon forget, Virginia can’t let the hype distract them from a challenging road game coming up this Saturday at Louisville. The Cardinals (4-0, 1-0 ACC), who struggled for much of their matchup with Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon before pulling out a 34-27 win, have a 56% chance to win this weekend, according to ESPN analytics, and represent Virginia’s toughest remaining test on the schedule.
