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ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit Lists Virginia Among Top Performing CFB Teams in Week 2

Matt Newton

ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit says Virginia was one of the top performing college football teams in week 2.
ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit says Virginia was one of the top performing college football teams in week 2. / GREG SWIERCZ / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Each week, ESPN college football analyst and College GameDay mainstay Kirk Herbstreit puts together a list of the top performing players, teams, and coaches in college football for that week. Herbstreit listed Virginia as one of seven top performing teams and UVA's Tony Elliott as one of the top seven performing head coaches in college football in week 2.

It may say something about Herbstreit's low expectations for Virginia this season that he was this impressed by a one-point victory over Wake Forest, but it's still significant that Herbstreit, whose job it is to keep his finger on the pulse of college football on a national level, felt that Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers were among the top performers in the country last weekend.

Virginia Football Report Card: Handing Out Grades for UVA's Win at Wake Forest

The other teams who were included in Herbstreit's top performances of week 2 were Northern Illinois, who pulled off a stunning upset at Notre Dame, Texas, who crushed Michigan in the Big House, Tennessee, who demolished NC State in Charlotte, Cal, who went on the road and took down Auburn, South Carolina, who dominated Kentucky on the road, and Syracuse, who improved to 2-0 with a solid victory over previously-ranked Georgia Tech.

While UVA's win at Wake Forest is maybe lacking in the marquee opponent or dominant performance categories that the others on the list have checked, Herbstreit is correct in identifying this as a massive victory for the Cavaliers, considering they hadn't defeated the Demon Deacons since 2007, hadn't won in Winston-Salem since 2002, and had struggled mightily under Tony Elliott to finish games, but outscored the Deacs 14-0 in the fourth quarter.

Now, Virginia will look to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2019 and maybe make Herbstreit's Top 7 again next week as the Cavaliers host their old border rivals the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday at 8pm (ACC Network) at Scott Stadium.

For More Virginia Football News

A Test From the Terps: What to Expect From Maryland on Saturday at Virginia

Virginia Football: Players to Watch in UVA's Matchup Against Maryland

UVA Football: Anthony Colandrea Shows Poise Through First Two Games

Virginia Football Injury Report: Updates on Kam Robinson, McKale Boley

Malachi Fields Thriving in WR1 Role for Virginia Football

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Matt Newton

MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.