Notre Dame football: Virginia will be no match for the 2021 Irish

The Notre Dame football team will take on Virginia during the 2021 regular season, and the Cavaliers will be no match for the Irish.

In November, Notre Dame football will meet Virginia for only the fourth time in their respective histories, once during the Lou Holtz era, and twice during the Brian Kelly era. Notre Dame has won all three of these games, most recently by a score of 25-20 in 2019.

They currently have four more games scheduled with Virginia, going through the 2028 season. The ramp-up in games now, compared to their historic series, is part of Notre Dame’s ACC deal, meaning they play more games against ACC opponents than ever before.

As far as ACC opponents go, Virginia is a good one to play. They don’t present the same prestige as playing someone like Clemson or have a history with Notre Dame football like Miami, Florida State, Boston College, and Pitt, but they do offer a few benefits.

For one, Virginia is typically a respectable Power Five opponent. More importantly, they’re located squarely in the DMV, which stands for D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. This is one of the most important regions in the country for recruitment, including at Notre Dame.

In recent memory, Chris Tyree came to Notre Dame from Virginia.

By the time these two meet in 2021, we’ll have a good idea of the trend these two teams are heading towards. Notre Dame football could likely be pushing for a New Year’s Six Bowl berth, but most people agree that the College Football Playoff is unlikely. There is also a chance that Notre Dame has faltered by this point, and will be in desperate need of a win, though this is unlikely too.

Virginia’s win probability will likely top out around eight wins or so, and there is a chance they may even be fighting to make a bowl at this point. In other words, this is likely a key game for both teams.

So, what should you know about the Virginia Cavaliers?