SB Nation Editor Projects Virginia To Play In Sun Bowl

The Virginia football team has gone to the postseason just once in the last nine years and three times in the last 12. That didn’t stop SN Nation college football editor Jason Kirk from projecting the Cavaliers to make a bowl game in 2017.

Using Vegas lines, Kirk released a full slate of would-be bowl games Thursday. Not only was UVa among the group, but they were slotted into a pretty prestigious game.

Kirk has UVa playing UCLA in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas this December. The prediction comes with a caveat, however. The Vegas lines Kirk used listed UVa’s win-loss over/under at 5.5. Kirk gave eligibility to a number of 5.5 teams in order to fill every bowl slot. So take this projection with a healthy heap of salt, Wahoo fans.

It’s not wholly ridiculous to suggest Virginia will make the postseason. For the first time since the Mike London years, the Cavaliers have a returning starting quarterback in Kurt Benkert - now without the knee brace that stifled his running ability in 2016. Virginia will also boast NFL talent in each level of the defense, two grad transfers on its offensive line, and a relatively easy non-conference schedule.

The season starts September 2nd.