Best / Worse Case Record for :
Clemson | Georgia Tech | Miami | Louisville | Duke | Boston College | Pittsburgh | Florida State |Virginia Tech | NC State | Syracuse | North Carolina | Wake Forest
Virginia
15… That’s the total number of games Virginia has won the last 4 years. Virginia football has developed such a culture a losing. They haven’t beat arch-rival Virginia Tech since 2003. Virginia needed a change in the worst way. They got it in a what I believe was a solid hire in Bronco Mendenhall. The only way I can can describe Virginia the last several years is that it was a team without an identity. Mendenhall made BYU one of the tougher more physical teams in the country to deal with. I think he can do that at Virginia, and for the first time in years, there is optimism surrounding Virginia football.
Will Go 7-5 (4-4)
If Virginia can take advantage of a soft opening schedule. Oregon is probably a loss in game 2, but Richmond opens the schedule, then after Oregon is a game at UCONN, Central Michigan, at Duke, then Pitt at home. That’s not an overwhelming start to the year. A 4-2 start is not out of the question. If that happens Virginia has a good shot to get to a bowl game. There’s not great talent at Virginia, but there is enough for 7 win type season. The Cavaliers just need a mental boost of winning.
There is depth at the running back position, and Micah Kiser and Quin Blanding are two of the better defensive players in the ACC. The end of schedule features UNC, Louisville, Miami, and at Virginia Tech. A fast start to the season is a must.
Will Go 4-8 (2-6) if:
Bronco Mendenall can’t really install the physical style of football we saw so much of at BYU due to pre-existing issues with the Offensive and Defensive lines. Virginia isn’t terribly talented or deep at either line. It may take some time for Mendendall to build that up.
I said Virginia needed to start the year 4-2, but that could also be a 2-4 start. If that happens there won’t be a recovery the 2nd half of the season. Mendenhall will make Virginia better, but we are probably still a year away from seeing the difference he can make.
