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Postgame Notes: UVA 42, Illinois 14

Chris Graham

Team Notes

  • uva footballVirginia recorded it first win over Illinois in three all-time meetings. The two teams had only met in bowl games, the 1999 MicronPc.com Bowl and the 1990 Citrus Bowl.
  • Virginia has won five of its last seven matchups against Big Ten foes.
  • Since 2019, UVA is 14-1 at Scott Stadium and have won 10-straight games at home against non-conference opponents.
  • Virginia is 2-0 for the second time under Bronco Mendenhall (2019) and sixth time since 2000.
  • Virginia has held its first two opponents of the season to 14 points, the fewest since shutting out both of its first two opponents in 1952.
  • 13 different UVA receivers caught a pass in the contest, a new UVA single-game record.

Player Notes

  • Brennan Armstrong became the third Cavalier quarterback to throw for 400 yards in a game. His 405 yards passing are the fourth most in a single game in program history.
  • Armstrong threw five touchdown passes, a career-high and the most by a UVA quarterback since Kurt Benkert against Central Michigan in 2016. Armstrong has thrown multiple touchdown passes in three-straight games dating back to last season.
  • Armstrong completed a career-high 27 passes. He was 7-for-13 with 171 yards (career-best) and two touchdowns in the first quarter. He completed seven of his first eight passes and completed six-straight passes starting with the Jelani Woods touchdown.
  • Tight end Jelani Woods recorded a career-high 122 yards receiving, the most by a Cavalier tight end since Tom Santi (128 yards) in the 2005 Music City Bowl against Minnesota. Woods’ previous career high of 54 yards receiving was established against Iowa State on Oct. 24, 2020 while at Oklahoma State.
  • Woods’ touchdown in the first quarter was the fifth of his career.
  • Wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks caught three passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. The two touchdown performance was the first of his career and the first by a UVA wideout since Lavel Davis Jr. caught two in the opener against Duke last season.
  • Billy Kemp IV caught six passes bringing his career total up to 112, the 19th most in school history, two behind Herman Moore (1988-90) and Wali Lundy (2002-05). • Kemp IV has caught a pass in 17-straight games dating back to the 2019 season.
  • Kemp’s TD reception in the third quarter was his first of the season and third of his career.
  • Brennan Armstrong caught his first pass of his career on the first career completion thrown by WR Dontayvion Wicks for 18 yards in the third quarter.
  • Wayne Taulapapa’s capped the UVA scoring in the fourth quarter with his first career receiving touchdown, a three-yard pass from Armstrong.
  • Linebacker Noah Taylor recorded a career-high two sacks and now has six for his career.

Provided by UVA Media Relations

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, and Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, and The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, published in 2018. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].