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After waiting for a final answer on when the UVA football season opener would kickoff, the conference announced today that the game against Va Tech in Blacksburg will start at 7:30pm on the 19th.
ESPN has confirmed the following for Sept. 19: @CanesFootball at @UofLFootball
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) September 11, 2020
3:30 pm on ABC@UVAFootball at @HokiesFB
7:30 pm on ABC
For the first time since 1970 (a game the Hoos won 7-0 in Blacksburg), UVA will open the season against its landgrant school rivals. Both teams attempted to schedule out of conference games for the week prior to this Commonwealth Clash, but both games were impacted by pandemic-related changes.
Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit usually call the ABC primetime games...so it is very possible this game will be ESPN’s College Gameday location for the week. UVA has never appeared in the featured game for College Gameday (either as the home or away team). Regardless, having the Hoos defend the Commonwealth Cup as the featured network game that evening is an exciting opportunity for national exposure - and perhaps a quick opportunity to correct a lot of the preseason rankings and expectations nationally.