UVA tops Duke: Postgame notes, highlights

Game notes and video highlights from the 28-21 UVA win over Duke on Saturday.

UVA Team Notes

UVA is now 36-33 all-time against Duke
UVA is now 25-39 all-time in ACC openers
UVA has won three straight against Duke
UVA has won its ACC opener for the second straight season (Both vs. Duke)
UVA is 4-1 for the first time since the 2007 season (started 7-1)
UVA’s 10-play, 79-yard touchdown drive on its first possession of the second half marks the fourth time in five games this season the Cavaliers have scored on their first possession of the second half
UVA has forced Duke QB Daniel Jones to throw seven combined interceptions (two today) during the 2016 and 2017 meetings

HB Olamide Zaccheaus finished with eight catches to extend his consecutive game streak with at least once reception to 21
With eight receptions Zaccheaus moves to No. 10 all-time at UVA with 110 career catches, passing Canaan Severin (102), Tyrone Davis, Bruce McGonnigal, Kevin Parks (103), Terry Kirby (105) and Patrick Jeffers (108)
Zaccheaus’ 69 receiving yards places him No. 26 all-time in program history with 1,148 career receiving yards
WR Doni Dowling recorded his third and fourth receiving touchdown of the season and now has eight for his career
With three passing touchdowns QB Kurt Benkert moves passes Scott Gardner (1972-75) and Aaron Brooks (1995-98) for No. 3 all-time at UVA with 34 career passing touchdowns
Benkert has thrown for at least three touchdowns in 8 of his 16 career games at UVA
Benkert has thrown for at least three touchdowns in four of UVA’s five games this season
TB Jordan Ellis rushed for a career-high 96 yards

FS Quin Blanding secured his first interception of the season (seventh of his career) when he returned it 58 yards for a touchdown on Duke’s first offensive possession.
Blanding’s interception return for a touchdown was the first pick-6 by a Cavalier since the 2014 game against Pitt (Max Valles, 35 yards)
Blanding’s return of 58 yards was a career long interception for an interception return
The 58-yard return ties for the fifth longest in the ACC this season
Blanding finished with eight tackles, pushing him to No. 33 all-time in ACC history
ILB Micah Kiser finished the game with 10 tackles, marking the 18th double-tackle game in 29 career starts
OLB Charles Snowden recorded a sack on his first play of the game, which came on Duke’s final drive of the game. It went for a loss of 10
Snowden has 1.5 sacks over the last two UVA fourth quarters (0.5 at Boise State)
SS/CB Juan Thornhill intercepted one pass and broke up four, becoming the first Cavalier since Max Valles in 2014 to break up at least four passes in a game
Thornhill’s interception was his first of the season and fourth of his career

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