The Atlantic Coast Conference released the 2016 football schedules for its member institutions today (Jan. 26). Virginia’s slate features 12 regular season games, including six 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 Richmond (Sept. 3), Central Michigan (Sept. 24), Pitt (Oct. 15), North Carolina (Oct. 22), Louisville (Oct. 29) and Miami (Nov. 12).
UVA will travel for contests at Oregon (Sept. 10), Connecticut (Sept. 17), Duke (Oct. 1), Wake Forest (Nov. 5), Georgia Tech (Nov. 19) and Virginia Tech (Nov. 26)
The Cavaliers have a bye week on Oct. 8. UVA does not face ACC foes Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, NC State and Syracuse in 2016.
The Richmond game marks the debut of Bronco Mendenhall as Virginia’s head coach. He enters that contest with a career record of 99-43 over 11 seasons at BYU. During his tenure with the Cougars, Mendenhall’s teams tied for 13th among all NCAA FBS programs in terms of wins. His winning percentage (.697) ranks 10th among all active NCAA FBS coaches with at least 10 years of head coaching experience. Mendenhall led BYU to bowl games in all 11 seasons he was the head coach in Provo.
“I am excited about the quality of our schedule and look forward to the opportunities and challenges that the 2016 schedule and competing in the ACC provides,” Mendenhall said. “The reception my family and staff have received has been nothing short of amazing. I want to thank all of the former UVA players, our fans, the University and Charlottesville community for making us feel so welcome.
“We have a lot of work to do before we start playing games, but the team and our staff are unified and determined to see Virginia football reach its potential. I look forward to partnering with all of our supporters and making Scott Stadium an incredible place to be in the fall.”
The Cavaliers will face a total of nine teams that appeared in postseason bowl games in 2015. Those teams are Central Michigan (Quick Lane Bowl), Connecticut (St. Petersburg Bowl), Duke (Pinstripe Bowl), Louisville (Music City Bowl), Miami (Sun Bowl), North Carolina (Russell Athletic Bowl), Oregon (Alamo Bowl), Pitt (Military Bowl) and Virginia Tech (Independence Bowl).
Season Ticket Information
Season tickets for the 2016 season will be on sale for renewals and new buyers beginning Monday, Feb. 29. Season ticket prices range from $160-$300 and have been adjusted for the six-game home schedule. 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.
2015 season ticket holders will receive season ticket and season parking renewal information on Feb. 29. Fans not holding season tickets in 2015 interested in receiving more information about season tickets and season parking should contact CavForce at (800) 542-8821 or visit VirginiaSports.com/tickets.
Opponent/Series Notes
Richmond (Sept. 3 at Scott Stadium) The matchup with the Spiders will be the 33rd meeting in a series that dates back to 1893. Virginia leads the series 28-2-2 and has won the last 10 games between the schools, a streak that started in 1947. The teams last met in 2014 when Virginia won 45-13 at Scott Stadium. The Spiders are coming off a 10-4 campaign in 2015, which included an appearance in the FCS semifinals where UR lost to eventual national champion North Dakota State.
Oregon (Sept. 10 at Eugene, Ore.) Virginia travels west of the Mississippi River for the third-straight season and for the fifth time since 2010. UVA’s seventh meeting with a Pac-12 opponent will also be the Cavaliers’ first-ever contest in the state of Oregon. It is also the fourth season in a row that UVA’s regular season slate includes a team from the Pac-12. Oregon is coming off a 9-4 record, which included an appearance in the Alamo Bowl, a No. 19 ranking in the Associated Press poll and a No. 20 ranking in the coaches poll. Oregon leads the all-time series record against UVA, 1-0.
Connecticut (Sept. 17 at East Hartford, Conn.) Virginia and Connecticut will meet for the third time, and for the first time since a 2008 clash in East Hartford. It is UVA’s first meeting against an active member of the American Athletic Conference since the league’s inception in 2013. The series with the Huskies is tied, 1-1, and dates back to 2007. UConn is coming off a 6-7 season in 2015 and an appearance in the St. Petersburg Bowl.
Central Michigan (Sept. 24 at Scott Stadium) The Cavaliers and Chippewas will meet for the second time and it will be the first contest between the two schools since 1996. UVA owns the 1-0 advantage in the series after a 55-21 victory at Scott Stadium. UVA is 11-2-1 all-time against teams that currently represent the MAC with all but one of those games having been played at Scott Stadium. Central Michigan finished the year with a 7-6 record and an appearance in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Duke (Oct. 1 at Durham, N.C.) Duke and Virginia will be meeting for the 54th consecutive season. After UVA’s 42-34 victory over Duke in 2015, the Cavaliers own a narrow advantage in the all-time series, 34-33. Duke completed the 2015 season with an 8-5 record and an overtime triumph against Indiana in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Duke offensive line was strong in 2015, finishing No. 6 in the nation in tackles for loss allowed (4.15 tackles for loss allowed per game).
Pittsburgh (Oct. 15 at Scott Stadium) The Cavaliers and Panthers will meet for the fourth time at Scott Stadium. This will be the ninth all-time meeting in the series which the Panthers lead 5-3. Since Pitt’s entrance into the ACC Pitt leads the series, 2-1. 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 an 8-5 season that saw the Panthers fall to Navy in the Military Bowl.
North Carolina (Oct. 22 at Scott Stadium) The South’s oldest college football rivalry will continue when the Tar Heels come to Charlottesville for the 121st game in the series. UNC currently leads the series 62-54-4, which is tied for the second longest in FBS history. The Tar Heels finished as Coastal Division champions in 2015 and posted an overall record of 11-3. UNC lost to Baylor in the Russell Athletic Bowl and finished the year ranked No. 15 in both the Associated Press and the coaches poll.
Louisville (Oct. 29 at Scott Stadium) Louisville and Virginia will meet for the third time in ACC play and for the fifth time overall. The series is tied, 2-2. The Cavaliers and Cardinals have split the previous two ACC meetings, each winning on its home field. The Cavaliers defeated then-No. 21 Louisville at Scott Stadium in 2014, 23-21. Louisville is coming off an 8-5 campaign in 2015, including a 27-21 triumph over Texas A&M in the Music City Bowl. Louisville returns a stout defense that finished 2015 ranked No. 9 nationally with 2.92 sacks per game and No. 13 with 7.5 tackles for loss per game.
Wake Forest (Nov. 5 at Winston-Salem, N.C.) Virginia and Wake Forest are meeting for the 49th time in a series that began in 1889. UVA holds a 34-14 all-time advantage in a series that was contested every season between 1980 and 2003. UVA and Wake Forest are meeting for the first time since 2012 and for the first time in Winston-Salem since 2008. The Demon Deacons finished the 2015 season with a 3-9 record.
Miami (Nov. 12 at Scott Stadium) Virginia has won four of the last six meetings over the Hurricanes to narrow the all-time series to 7-6 in Miami’s favor. Miami finished the 2015 campaign with an 8-5 record and faced Washington State in the Sun Bowl. Miami returns quarterback Brad Kaaya who was No. 2 in the ACC with 3,242 passing yards. This will be the 14th meeting between the teams.
Georgia Tech (Nov. 19 at Atlanta, Ga.) Virginia and Georgia Tech will meet for the 39th time in series history with the two teams having met every season since 1982. The series between the two schools leans slightly in the Yellow Jackets’ favor, 19-18-1, with Georgia Tech winning three of the last four. Georgia Tech finished the 2015 season with a 3-9 record. The nation’s least penalized team finished 2015 No. 1 in the ACC and No. 8 in the nation with 256.2 rushing yards per game.
Virginia Tech (Nov. 26 at Blacksburg, Va.) The 2016 matchup will be the 98th in series history. The Hokies lead the all-time series with Virginia, 55-37-5. The Hokies finished 7-6 in 2015, including a win over Tulsa in the Independence Bowl. Virginia Tech was No. 1 in the nation in fumbles recovered with 15 and No. 3 in the ACC with 25 takeaways. Virginia Tech returns wide receiver Isaiah Ford who was No. 20 nationally and No. 1 in the ACC with 1,164 receiving yards.
2016 Virginia Football Schedule
Sept. 3 RICHMOND
Sept. 10 at Oregon
Sept. 17 at Connecticut
Sept. 24 CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Oct. 1 at Duke
Oct. 15 PITTSBURGH
Oct. 22 NORTH CAROLINA
Oct. 29 LOUISVILLE
Nov. 5 at Wake Forest
Nov. 12 MIAMI
Nov. 19 at Georgia Tech
Nov. 26 at Virginia Tech
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