I don't mean to be cavalier about it, but Virginia is one of those teams I had high hopes for that's been slightly disappointing instead. Truthfully, the Cavaliers have been a mixed bag, losing games they arguably should have won before bouncing back the following week, and they currently sit at a respectable 4-2. Even so, I can't shake the feeling that Virginia still has something left in the tank that could surprise the ACC, SMU, and perhaps even the nation.
If you don't know Beau, you should. Beau Pribula, Virginia's quarterback, has thrown for 1,074 yards, 13 touchdowns, and just one interception through six games, impressive numbers for a quarterback at any level. Virginia even cracked the Top 25 for a week, and while the Cavaliers have since fallen out of the rankings, they're still averaging nearly 33 points per game while boasting one of the nation's best touchdown-to-interception ratios. In my opinion, the Mustangs will have their work cut out for them on Saturday.
SMU sits at 4-1 and has recently cracked the Top 25, checking in at No. 24 in the nation. That said, the level of competition the Mustangs have faced is arguably less demanding than that of many other ranked teams. If Virginia can pull off the upset, it would likely knock SMU out of the rankings and could even put the Cavaliers back in the conversation for the No. 25 spot. I'm not saying that's a certainty, but I do believe Virginia has more than enough to cover the spread with points to spare.
SMU vs Virginia prediction: Virginia +9.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable to +8.5 (-110).
