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UVA football tops Ohio U. in Nashville, 45-31

Chris Graham

UVA footballOlamide Zaccheaus had an OK day, with two long touchdowns and 247 yards receiving, lifting UVA football to a 45-31 win over Ohio U. on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.

The ‘Hoos (2-1), five-point favorites coming in, led 35-7 late in the second quarter, before a pair of Bobcats touchdowns made it interesting late in the first half.

An A.J. Mejia 32-yard field goal with two seconds left in the first half left it at 38-21 Virginia at the half.

Ohio U. (1-1) closed to down 10 on a Maleek Irons 1-yard TD, capping a six-play, 80-yard drive, cutting the Virginia lead to 10, at 38-28, at the 9:27 mark of the third quarter.

Mejia hit the upright on a 30-yard field-goal try in the fourth quarter. After the UVA D got a stop, Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins connected with Zaccheaus on a 77-yard catch-and-run TD pass, their second long connection of the game.

UVA got on the board first, after a Bobcats turnover, on an 18-yard TD run by Jordan Ellis, on Virginia’s first play from scrimmage.

Perkins hooked up with Zaccheaus on an 86-yard catch-and-run on UVA’s next play from scrimmage.

Ellis scored on runs of 75 and six yards, and Hasise Dubois caught a 10-yard TD pass from Perkins, as the ‘Hoos rolled out to that 35-7 second-quarter lead.

The Bobcats pulled closer with touchdown catches by Papi White and Isiah Cox before the Mejia field goal that closed out the first-half scoring for the Cavaliers.

Perkins was 25-for-30 passing for 379 yards and three touchdowns.

Ellis ran for 171 yards on 19 carries with three scores on the ground.

Virginia outgained Ohio U. 552-364.

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].