AFP editor Chris Graham reports from Scott Stadium as Virginia (3-4) faces Abilene Christian (1-4) in college football action.
No COVID: Saturday, 3:35 p.m. There are no Virginia Football student-athletes or staff in quarantine or isolation for today’s game vs. Abilene Christian following recent COVID-19 testing, per a release from the school.
Where is everybody? Saturday, 3:36 p.m. It wasn’t weird when I got here an hour ago not to see anybody. I usually get to games way early, long before there’s anybody in the stands. Now that we’re within a half-hour of the opening kickoff, it’s weird.
Injury updates: Saturday, 3:53 p.m. Joey Blount was not announced in the starting lineup. Tavares Kelly Jr. was listed in the starting lineup.
How many? Saturday, 3:57 p.m. I just counted 167 people in the stands. Which is roughly 67 percent of the 250 allowed. And would work out to roughly 40,000 out of a full 60,000 capacity. Typical UVA …
First UVA possession: Saturday, 4:06 p.m. Brennan Armstrong missed Ra’Shaun Henry on second-and-five from the ACU 36. Keytaon Thompson got a no-gain on a wildcat on third down. On fourth, BA missed Lavel Davis Jr. high, which is hard to do.
Still scoreless midway through the first: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Virginia senior linebacker Charles Snowden got rolled over on a tackle on ACU’s first drive and was taken back to the locker room. UVA went three-and-out on its second drive. Stagnant on both sides early.
As I’m typing that: Saturday, 4:32 p.m. Brennan Armstrong, who scrambled for 33 yards earlier in the drive, hit Tony Poljan on a 28-yard TD pass play, capping a five-play, 80-yard scoring drive. ‘Hoos lead 7-0, 4:40/1st.
This just in … Lavel Davis Jr. is good: Saturday, 4:42 p.m. Brennan Armstrong with a nice long ball, hitting Lavel Davis Jr. in stride past midfield, on what turned into a 90-yard TD pass. UVA 14-0 at the end of one.
Stat of the day: Saturday, 4:45 p.m. Lavel Davis Jr. has 14 catches, five of them for TDs. Currently averaging 26.7 yards per catch.
Fourth Side Update: Saturday, 4:54 p.m. Them Abilene Christian guys are loud on their sideline.
Nice drive: Saturday, 5:05 p.m. Shane Simpson scored from a yard out to cap a 14-play, 61-yard drive. Armstrong picked up a third-and-long with a scramble, and Wayne Taulapapa converted a fourth-and-1 (barely!) at the 20.
Abilene Christian gets on the board: Saturday, 5:25 p.m. A D’Angelo Amos picksix was taken off the board on a dubious PI call, and Abilene Christian took advantage, going 75 yards on 14 plays, the last a 2-yard TD pass from Stone Earle to Kobe Clark. UVA leads 21-7 with 30 seconds left in the half.
ACU outsmarts itself: Saturday, 5:36 p.m. Abilene Christian went squib kick after its TD, and UVA took advantage, with a quick five-play, 64-yard TD drive, aided by an untimed down after a PI on first-and-goal from the 1 with two seconds left on a pass to Tony Poljan. On the untimed down, Shane Simpson scored his second TD of the day to put the ‘Hoos up 28-7 at the break.
Halftime stats: Saturday, 5:38 p.m.
- Total offense: Virginia 317, Abilene Christian 151
- Brennan Armstrong: 12-of-18 passing, 246 yards, 2 TDs; 52 yards on six runs on the ground
- Stone Earle: 16-of-25 passing, 117 yards, 1 TD; 26 yards on 11 carries on the ground
- Billy Kemp: four catches on four targets for 69 yards
- Tony Poljan: four catches on five targets for 58 yards
- Nick Jackson: eight tackles
- Zane Zandier: six tackles
- Coen King: five tackles
Keytaon Thompson is fast: Saturday, 6:05 p.m. The backup QB scored on what was officially a 56-yard TD pass, basically a shovel pass that KT turned into a long TD by breaking a tackle at the line. Armstrong now has 331 yards passing and three TDs through the air.
Trick play alert: Saturday, 6:14 p.m. Now, they’re just putting stuff on game tape to make you have to think. KT took the snap, pitched to BA, who found Ra’Shaun Henry more open than the average punt returner for the 52-yard TD.
Here’s where we are: Saturday, 6:39 p.m. UVA leads 42-7 after three. As expected. Brennan Armstrong threw for 383 yards and three TDs. Great. He’s done for the day, and at least didn’t get hurt. Charles Snowden is sitting on the sidelines with a cast on his right ankle. His season is done. D’Angelo Amos left after making a tackle on special teams, is limping on the sidelines but is still in uniform.
Nice moment: Saturday, 6:57 p.m. Demick Starling gets his first career TD, on a score that for the moment makes it that UVA (a 39.5-point favorite) would cover, now up 49-7 with 5:57 left.
Bad beat: Saturday, 7:10 p.m. Backup QB Peyton Mansell scored on a 2-yard run with 1:26 to go. The extra point was no good, but the score is 49-13. The over/under was 59.5, so if you had over, good for you. If you took Abilene Christian to cover, good for you. All others: a shot of whiskey can help.
If that don’t beat all: Saturday, 7:24 p.m. Freshman linebacker D’Sean Perry returned an INT 84 yards on the final play. Final: Virginia 55, Abilene Christian 15. Virginia covers.
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