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UVA football releases 2015 schedule

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UVaHelmet_1The Atlantic Coast Conference released the 2015 football schedules for its member institutions today. The UVA football slate features 12 regular season games, including seven home contests. Starting times for all contests and the home game designated for Homecomings will be announced at a later date.
Virginia will host games against Notre Dame (Sept. 12), William & Mary (Sept. 19), Boise State (Friday, Sept. 25), Syracuse (Oct. 17), Georgia Tech (Oct. 31), Duke (Nov. 21) and Virginia Tech (Nov. 28).
UVa will travel for contests at UCLA (Sept. 5), Pitt (Oct. 10), North Carolina (Oct. 24) Miami (Nov. 7) and Louisville (Nov. 14).
The Cavaliers have a bye week on Oct. 3. UVa does not face ACC foes Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, NC State and Wake Forest in 2015.
“The non-conference schedule reflects my belief that it is important to play elite competition,” said Virginia head coach Mike London. “With the requirement to now play Notre Dame, this schedule will require a great deal of focus and attention to detail as we prepare for the 2015 season. It will test our team early and help us prepare for conference play.”
During the 2014 season, five of the Cavaliers’ seven losses were by eight points or less, playing a schedule that was ranked in the preseason as the second toughest in the nation.
“Being in a position to win is great, but it is not good enough,” London said. “We have to turn the opportunity to win into victories. We have been working on that since our final game last fall.”
The Cavaliers will face a total of 10 teams that appeared in postseason bowl games in 2014, including two that played in New Year’s Six games. Five opponents won bowl games, including UCLA (Alamo Bowl), Notre Dame (Music City Bowl), Boise State (Fiesta Bowl), Georgia Tech (Orange Bowl) and Virginia Tech (Military Bowl). The other opponents that appeared in bowl games last season are Duke, Louisville, Pitt, North Carolina and Miami.
Virginia’s game against Syracuse will mark the first meeting between the teams as ACC opponents and the first game in the series since 2005. Boise State is a first-time opponent for the Cavaliers.
Season Ticket Information
Season tickets for the 2015 season will be on sale for renewals and new buyers beginning Monday, March 2. The priority-ordering deadline is April 30.
Season ticket holders receive discounted pricing compared to the single-game ticket price, preferred seating location options within each price level, the ability to purchase reserved parking for the season and the opportunity to participate in a payment plan that spreads out payments for up to three months.
2014 season ticket holders will receive renewal information on March 2. Fans interested in receiving more information about season tickets should contact the Virginia Athletics Strategic Ticketing Office at (434) 243-3300 or visit VirginiaSports.com/tickets.
Opponent/Series Notes
UCLA (Sept. 5 at Pasadena, Calif.) The 2015 season opener will be the second meeting between the two teams and just the sixth meeting between UVa and a Pac-12 opponent. UCLA earned a 28-20 win over the Cavaliers in the 2014 season opener at Scott Stadium. The Bruins completed the 2014 season ranked No. 10 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. The Bruins finished 10-3, including a victory in over Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl. UVa will be making its first trip to the historic Rose Bowl and will be playing its second all-time contest in the state of California (2010 at USC).
Notre Dame (Sept. 12 at Scott Stadium) The matchup with Notre Dame will be the second meeting in the series and the first on campus. UVa and Notre Dame’s previous meeting was in the Kickoff Classic at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., to start the 1989 season. Notre Dame earned a 36-13 victory over the Cavaliers. UVa and the Fighting Irish are also scheduled to meet at Notre Dame in 2019, in Charlottesville in 2021 and again at Notre Dame in 2024 as part of the Fighting Irish’s football scheduling partnership with the ACC. Notre Dame finished the 2014 season with an 8-5 record, including a 31-28 triumph over LSU in the Music City Bowl.
William & Mary (Sept. 19 at Scott Stadium) The matchup with the Tribe will be the 35th meeting in a series that dates back to 1908. Virginia leads the series 27-6-1 and has won seven of the last eight meetings. The teams last met in 2011 when Virginia won 40-3 at Scott Stadium. This season’s matchup will be the second time Mike London has faced William & Mary while at UVa and the fourth time overall. London’s first full-time coaching job was coaching the defensive line at William & Mary (1991-94) under current Tribe head coach Jimmye Laycock.
Boise State (Sept. 25 at Scott Stadium) UVa and Boise State will meet for the first time in series history. Boise State finished the 2014 season ranked No. 16 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. The Mountain West Champion Broncos completed the season 12-2, including a victory over Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl. UVa is 2-4 all-time against members of the Mountain West Conference. UVa last faced a Mountain West Conference squad in 2009 when TCU was in the league and visited Scott Stadium. UVa is set to return the trip to Boise on Sept. 23, 2017.
Pittsburgh (Oct. 10 at Pittsburgh, Pa.)
The Cavaliers and Panthers will meet for the third time at Heinz Field and for the fourth time at Pitt. This will be the eighth all-time meeting in the series the Panthers lead 4-3. Since Pitt’s entrance into the ACC the series is tied, 1-1, including UVa’s 24-19 win over the Panthers at Scott Stadium in 2014. The teams have met once in the postseason when the Cavaliers handed the Panthers a 23-16 loss at the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl. Pitt is coming off a 6-7 season that saw the Panthers fall to Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl in Forth Worth, Texas. Pitt returns the reigning ACC Player of the Year in running back James Conner, who set and ACC and Pitt record with 24 rushing touchdowns. His 1,765 rushing yards were the seventh-most in the nation in 2014.
Syracuse (Oct. 17 at Scott Stadium) Virginia and Syracuse will meet as ACC foes for the first time in 2015. The all-time series between the Cavaliers and Orange is knotted at 2-2. UVa has won two straight in the series that was first played in 1975 at Scott Stadium.  UVa tallied its wins in the 2004 and 2005 meetings. UVa earned a 27-24 triumph at the Carrier Dome in 2005, the last time these programs met. The Orange finished the 2014 season with a 3-9 record.
North Carolina (Oct. 24 at Chapel Hill, N.C.)
The South’s oldest college football rivalry will continue when UVa travels to Chapel Hill for the 120th game in the series. UNC currently leads the series 61-54-4, which is tied for the third longest in FBS history. The Tar Heels finished 6-7 in 2014, including an appearance against Rutgers in the Quick Lane Bowl. UNC returns quarterback Marquise Williams who finished 2014 No. 11 in the nation with 212 total points and No. 18 in the nation in total offense (296.6 total yards per game).
Georgia Tech (Oct. 31 at Scott Stadium)
Virginia and Georgia Tech will meet for the 38th time in series history and the two teams have met every season since 1982. The reigning ACC Coastal Division champion, Georgia Tech finished the 2014 season ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press poll and No. 7 in the USA Today poll. The Yellow Jackets posted an 11-3 record, including a victory over Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl. 2014 ACC Coach of the Year Paul Johnson’s offense ranked No. 1 nationally with 342.1 rushing yards per game. The series between the two schools leans slightly in the Yellow Jackets’ favor, 19-17-1, as Georgia Tech has won three straight.
Miami (Nov. 7 at Miami Gardens, Fla.)
Virginia has won four of the last five meetings over the Hurricanes to bring the all-time series to a 6-6 tie. Miami finished the 2014 campaign with a 6-7 record and faced South Carolina in the Independence Bowl. Miami returns quarterback Brad Kaaya who was No. 2 in the ACC with 246 passing yards per game on his way to being named ACC Rookie of the Year. This will be the 13th meeting between the teams.
Louisville (Nov. 14 at Louisville, Ky.)
Virginia will make its second-ever trip to Louisville and first since the Cardinals joined the ACC. The all-time series between UVa and Louisville is tilted in the Cavaliers’ favor, 2-1. UVa won the first ACC meeting between the two teams last season when they topped the then-No. 21 Cardinals at Scott Stadium, 23-21. UVa last played at Louisville in 1988 before the building of the current Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Louisville completed the 2014 season ranked No. 24 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. The Cardinals finished 9-4 after losing to Georgia in the Belk Bowl. Louisville finished the 2014 season No. 6 in the nation in total defense (308.5 yards per game), No. 5 in team passing efficiency defense (105.65), No. 9 in team sacks (3.15 sacks per game) and No. 1 in interceptions (26).
Duke (Nov. 21 at Scott Stadium)
Duke and Virginia will be meeting for the 53rd consecutive season. The series between the Cavaliers and Blue Devils is knotted at 33-33. Duke completed the 2014 season with a 9-4 record and made an appearance against Arizona State in the Sun Bowl. The Duke offensive line was stout in 2014, finishing No. 1 in the nation in tackles for loss allowed (3.15 tackles for loss allowed per game) and No. 8 nationally for sacks allowed (1.00 sacks allowed per game).
Virginia Tech (Nov. 28 at Scott Stadium)
The 2014 matchup will be the 97th in series history. The Hokies finished 7-6 in 2014, including a win over Cincinnati in the Military Bowl. Virginia Tech was No. 21 in the nation in total defense in 2014, allowing 343.8 yards per game. The Hokies also were No. 14 in the nation in passing efficiency defense (109.17), No. 3 in team tackles for loss (8.4) and No. 3 in team sacks per game (3.69).

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