The Virginia football team is off to its best start in ACC play since 2008 after Saturday’s 28-14 win at Duke pushed the Hoos to 3-1 in the league. The defense should get a lot of credit for the strong start.

Through the first half of ACC play, Virginia has allowed just 16.25 points per game in league games. In the three wins, Duke’s 14 points actually represent the high-water mark. Louisville managed just a field goal in UVA’s 27-3 win to open ACC play, while the Hoos topped Miami 16-13 last week. That’s just 10.00 points per game in conference wins. Overall, the defense has allowed just 14.8 points per game in five wins and that ranks top 35 nationally.

Saturday’s game featured a first-half shutout for the defense. That’s the fourth half this season in ACC play where the Hoos didn’t allow a touchdown.

“Defensively, our guys played great, solid and sound,” UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “Duke really struggled to run the ball effectively. It really came down to managing the pass game and trying to get pressure. We had a couple of players go out with injuries, so there were a couple of young guys out there in the secondary the last couple of drives. It just seems like the next game of the new guys getting more work. I’m really pleased with our team and our program with the success that we’re starting to show.”

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