1956 Virginia Cavaliers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1956
| team = Virginia Cavaliers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Atlantic Coast Conference
| short_conf = ACC
| record = 3–7
| conf_record = 1–4
| head_coach = Ben Martin
| hc_year = 1st
| captain = Henry Jordan{{cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/va/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2017-18/misc_non_event/2017FootballFactBook82-134.pdf |title=2017 Cavalier Football Fact Book |publisher=Virginia Cavaliers Athletics |page=120 |access-date=2018-06-17 |archive-date=2017-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228054224/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/va/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2017-18/misc_non_event/2017FootballFactBook82-134.pdf |url-status=dead }}
| stadium = Scott Stadium
}}
{{1956 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings}}
The 1956 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia during the 1956 college football season. The Cavaliers were led by first-year head coach Ben Martin and played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in last. Their win against Wake Forest was Virginia's first ACC victory as members of the conference, coming in their third year of membership.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1956
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 22
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = VMI
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| score = 18–0
| attend = 22,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91849855/bakhtiar-leads-cavaliers-over-vmi-180/|work=The Progress-Index|title=Bakhtiar leads Cavaliers over VMI, 18–0|date=September 23, 1956|accessdate=January 4, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 29
| w/l = l
| opponent = Duke
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| score = 7–40
| attend = 17,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-devils-gain-easy-w/138157764/|work=The News and Observer|title=Devils gain easy win over Cavaliers, 40–7|date=September 30, 1956|accessdate=January 6, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 6
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Wake Forest
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| score = 7–6
| attend = 12,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/asheville-citizen-times-virginia-wins-fi/138161865/|work=Asheville Citizen-Times|title=Virginia wins first ACC game, beating Wake Forest, 7–6|date=October 7, 1956|accessdate=January 6, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 13
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| opponent = South Carolina
| opprank = 20
| site_stadium = City Stadium
| site_cityst = Richmond, VA
| gamename = Tobacco Bowl
| score = 13–27
| attend = 19,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-and-record-dixon-paces-gamecocks-in/138158936/|work=Greensboro Daily News|title=Dixon paces Gamecocks in 27–13 win|date=October 14, 1956|accessdate=January 6, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 20
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Lehigh
| site_stadium = Taylor Stadium
| site_cityst = Bethlehem, PA
| score = 24–12
| attend = 9,000
| source = {{cite news |title=Virginia Triumphs by 24-12 |first=Coulter J. |last=Aubrey |date=October 21, 1956 |page=41 |newspaper=Sunday Call-Chronicle |location=Allentown, Pa.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67987096/1956-lehigh-virginia/ }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| neutral = y
| opponent = VPI
| opprank = 16
| site_stadium = Victory Stadium
| site_cityst = Roanoke, VA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 7–14
| attend = 16,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/richmond-times-dispatch-gobblers-trip-ca/138141315/|work=Richmond Times-Dispatch|title=Gobblers trip Cavaliers, 14–7|date=October 28, 1956|accessdate=January 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 3
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Vanderbilt
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| score = 2–6
| attend = 8,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-vandy-edges-cavaliers/133061719/|work=The Roanoke Times|title=Vandy edges Cavaliers|date=November 4, 1956|accessdate=October 7, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 10
| w/l = l
| opponent = North Carolina
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| gamename = South's Oldest Rivalry
| score = 7–21
| attend = 16,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/san-angelo-standard-times-tar-heels-rip/138160905/|work=San Angelo Standard-Times|title=Tar Heels rip by Virginians in 21–7 game|date=November 11, 1956|accessdate=January 6, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 17
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| neutral = y
| opponent = Navy
| opprank = 15
| site_stadium = Municipal Stadium
| site_cityst = Baltimore, MD
| score = 7–34
| attend = 12,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-state-virginia-loses-347-decision-t/138208562/|work=The State|title=Virginia loses 34–7 decision to Middies|date=November 18, 1956|accessdate=January 6, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 24
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Clemson
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Clemson, SC
| score = 0–7
| attend = 16,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-clemson-trips-virginia-7/138157128/|work=St. Petersburg Times|title=Clemson trips Virginia 7–0; Eyes Orange bid|date=November 25, 1956|accessdate=January 6, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}