Virginia will decline to participate in a bowl game this season, becoming the third school to announce it would not play in a postseason contest.
In a statement Sunday, the school said coach Bronco Mendenhall asked the program’s captains and task-unit leaders to make a decision about continuing the season.
“I told our team I valued their feedback and I wanted this to be their decision,” Mendenhall said in a statement. “Just as we met at the beginning of the year to make the choice to play, this was their choice to end the season at this time. I think it is appropriate for this team.
“They have all grown tremendously from the challenges put before them this year. But now is the time to return to families and loved ones. This team will always be special for how it handled competing during a pandemic. It is one more example of the amazing capacity and leadership of the young men that allow me to coach them every day.”
Virginia had made three consecutive bowl appearances. The Cavaliers finish the season 5-5 and join fellow ACC programs Pittsburgh and Boston College in declining the opportunity to participate in a bowl.