Instead of making history in South America, Virginia will debut the nation’s most experienced roster at home in a season-opening clash Saturday against NC State.
The contest originally was scheduled to be played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the first college football game ever on that continent. Organizers ultimately abandoned that plan in June and moved the Atlantic Coast Conference tilt to Charlottesville, Va.
The Cavaliers are coming off an 11-3 season (7-1 ACC) that included an overtime loss to Duke in the conference title game and a victory against Missouri in the Gator Bowl.
Only eight starters return, but the Cavaliers reloaded in the transfer portal and now feature a roster with more combined starts (571) and snaps (39,158) than any team in the country — and it’s not even close. The runners-up on that list of 138 FBS schools, compiled by CBS Sports, have 82 fewer starts (Houston) and 3,320 fewer snaps (Texas Tech).
NC State has fewer than half of Virginia’s numbers. The Wolfpack rank 70th on the list in starts (248) and 73rd in total snaps (19,428).
“I think it’s probably the deepest roster we’ve had,” fifth-year Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott said. “… We have all those guys rocking and rolling with more experience. … I think we’ve got great competitive depth, which will serve us really well throughout the season.”
NC State coach Dave Doeren’s squad also has eight starters returning from a team that finished 8-5 (4-4 ACC) and defeated Memphis in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Although not quite at Virginia’s experience level, the Wolfpack roster has more than 30 players listed as seniors, fifth-year players or graduate students.
NC State has the experience edge at the most important position.
Junior quarterback CJ Bailey enters his third season as the starter. He passed for 3,105 yards and accounted for 31 total touchdowns last season.
“The past couple of years, I was learning, learning from other leaders,” Bailey said earlier this summer. “Those NFL guys helping me, teaching me how to lead, and you know, just practicing it, speaking a lot, using my voice, stepping out in front has just prepared me for this moment.”
Graduate transfer Beau Pribula is the new Virginia signal-caller. After two seasons as a backup at Penn State, he made 10 starts last season at Missouri and threw for 1,941 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions plus six TDs on the ground.
The Cavaliers and Wolfpack were picked to finish sixth and seventh, respectively, in the ACC preseason poll.
NC State has won the last four meetings against Virginia, including 35-31 last season in Raleigh, N.C., and has not lost in Charlottesville since 2006.