How about this early TB era ACC/Big 10 Challenge trio?
Hoos knock off then 15 Minnesota on the road in 2010 in what may be the first big win of the TB era. Big games from Joe Harris, Mike Scott, and Mu Farrakhan.
Hoos knock off another top 15 B1G team the next year when they host 14th ranked Michigan featuring Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. Joe Harris and Mike Scott again have big games and it’s also kind of the national coming out party for a first year Malcolm Brogdon.
And finally, the next season the Hoos head to Wisconsin for a Bennett homecoming in Madison. UVA makes an early season statement knocking off the Badgers behind big games from Joe Harris, Akil Mitchell, and Darion Atkins.
Another game was 2020 Duke at home. Huff’s block on Casey to preserve the win! That was another nail biter but felt meaningful since we were coming off the natty and had lost so many players.
Y’all are bringing up some really good ones and it’s just a reminder how lucky we’ve been over the last decade.
Couple more that popped into my head:
@Pitt - Brogdon game winner! Shocked we all forgot about this one. Would add this to my top 5 if I had to re-do it
@VCU when Guy went off. That was a hectic environment and we didn’t really know what we had with that squad but that performance signaled we could be pretty explosive offensively
UNC home game that same year. Hunter’s dunk was just so epic
@Duke back in 2014. Even though we lost it signaled that team had turned a corner and it took a fluke Sulaimon 3 to beat us
#1 for me was also beating #4 Syracuse to win the outright ACC regular season… But, beating FSU that year when Harris got hurt, was a huge catalyst. Coming off the Tennessee loss, winning at FSU set the tone for the rest of that year.
I remember a really fun game against Villanova at home. Definitely one of my favorites was beating UNC at home in 2016-2017. That team wasn’t very good and we got payback for getting killed at their place on College Gameday
Speaking of David Padgett, I hadn’t heard his name in a while and was curious where he’s coaching these days. Turns out, he’s not coaching at all and is now a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley: Details on former Louisville coach David Padgett's career change