Virginia Routs California 36-7 at Scott Stadium

Two defensive touchdowns and a 100-yard interception return helped Virginia pull away from California in Charlottesville.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Football

Virginia Routs California 36-7 at Scott Stadium

Virginia defeated California 36-7 at Scott Stadium on Nov. 14. Brandyn Hillman returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, and Kam Robinson added a 33-yard interception return touchdown in the third quarter.

Why it matters

The win gives Virginia's home fans a dominant result and highlights a secondary that created multiple scoring chances off turnovers. For Charlottesville, a game-day crowd at Scott Stadium is a visible local boost.

The box score shows Virginia scoring on a 12-yard Da'Shawn Martin touchdown catch, a 100-yard Hillman interception return, and a 33-yard Robinson interception return, with Will Bettridge making all three field-goal attempts. The report does not give season-level defensive rankings to compare this performance against.

The players

Virginia Cavaliers

The University of Virginia's football program, competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference and playing home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville.

California Golden Bears

The University of California's football program, which plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.

The details

Virginia took a 16-0 lead with two minutes left in the first half after Hillman's return against a scrambled Cal formation. Robinson's pick-six in the final minute of the third quarter pushed the margin to 26-7 and effectively settled the game.

Oct. 10: Hillman suffered an ankle injury in Virginia's win over Syracuse.
Last year: Robinson returned an interception for a touchdown at California in Berkeley.
Nov. 14: Virginia defeated California 36-7 at Scott Stadium.

Season Trajectory

Robinson's interception return at Cal last year and this year's defensive touchdowns show Virginia's secondary repeating a turnover-driven pattern against the same opponent. The result underlines how Virginia's defense has produced scoring that goes beyond its offense in this matchup.

Robinson's 12 tackles and two interception-return touchdowns make him a notable name for fantasy and defensive-stat watchers. Fans attending Scott Stadium can expect a team that has been generating points off turnovers.

The takeaway

Turnovers decided this game, with two defensive touchdowns accounting for much of Virginia's margin. Watching how a defense creates scoring chances often reveals more about a game's outcome than yardage totals.