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Are Virginia’s Bowl hopes gone?
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Are Virginia’s Bowl hopes gone?

Since an impressive 4-1 start, the belief in a revolutionized country Virginia football the program took a turn for the worse. Despite a close loss to Louisville at home and a blowout loss to Clemson in Death Valley, with a victory over a North Carolina team that had lost its last four games and whose starting quarterback was out with an injury-ending At the end of the season, the Hoos would have found themselves with the mission of grabbing just one more win in their final four games to punch a ticket to bowl eligibility.

Instead, behind their biggest crowd of the season, the Cavaliers delivered their worst performance of the year with a nauseating 41-14 loss to the Tar Heels.

With the loss to North Carolina, most bowl analysts we could find are no longer suggesting the Hoos head to a bowl game. ESPN Football Power Index gives Virginia just a 13.2% chance of reaching six wins and the Cavaliers have the 11th remaining strength of the schedule.

Here’s a look at Virginia’s final four games and analysis for whether UVA will go bowling or, more realistically, on its way to ending its season on a seven-game losing streak.

Following the bye week, the Cavaliers face the seven-game undefeated Pittsburgh Panthers as they travel to face the SMU Mustangs, their most formidable opponent of the season to this point. Coming into the season, on paper the Panthers didn’t seem like that tough of an opponent, but quarterback Eli Holstein and a solid defense transformed Pittsburgh into one of the best teams in the ACC. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Virginia a 22% chance of leaving Acrisure Stadium with a win.

If you thought Pitt was a tough battle for the Hoos, the Cavaliers next travel to South Bend, Indiana to face No. 8 Notre Dame after facing the Panthers. Virginia has faced the Fighting Irish four times, losing in all four games, with the most recent game being a 28-3 loss at home in 2021. ESPN gives Virginia a 4.2% chance of winning this game, so the only thing to do is Al Michaels Quote: “Do you believe in miracles?”

With the brutal two-game streak behind the Hoos, Virginia returns to Charlottesville for its final home game of the season to host new ACC foe SMU at Scott Stadium. The Mustangs, like Pitt, have exceeded expectations this season, a team we ranked No. 2 in our ACC Week 10 Power Rankings. The Mustangs have yet to lose a game in the ACC, with ESPN giving the Cavaliers only a 20.2% chance of properly hosting SMU in the ACC, which is unlikely.

When it comes to winning games, facing Virginia Tech has not been a favorable matchup for the Hoos, who have won one of the last 19 matchups against the Hokies. Additionally, the Cavaliers haven’t won in Blacksburg since 1998. Not surprisingly, ESPN gives Virginia an 18.4 percent chance of winning; even that is nice.

Will Virginia play a bowl game?

On any given Saturday, anything can happen, but based on recent performances and the strength of the schedule, a continued bowl drought is the most likely scenario for a season in Charlottesville that started with a 4-1 record . If Virginia can win one of these tough battles, it should be considered the highlight of the season and something to build on in 2025.

Virginia Football: ACC Football Week 10 Power Rankings

UVA football report: Scores distribution for Virginia vs. North Carolina

By the numbers: Breaking down Virginia’s loss to North Carolina

Virginia Football Suffers 41-14 Loss to North Carolina

Five takeaways from Virginia Football’s 41-14 loss to North Carolina