Virginia dominates Abilene Christian 55-15 in Charlottesville (11-21-20)

By: Darrell Owens

Headline Photo Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network

It was Game 8 of this crazy 2020 college football season for the Virginia Cavaliers (3-4) and they hosted Abilene Christian Wildcats (1-4). The Cavaliers just like Abilene Christian started the season off with a 1-4 record but were able to bounce back from the last two games defeating at time #15 North Carolina and Louisville. The Cavs were looking to make it 3 in a row, but a very energetic Wildcat would not make that an easy task.

After both teams would stall on their first drives, UVA would go on 5 play, 80-yard drive capped off by Tony Poljan 28-yard catch and touchdown run (5th Receiving TD) give UVA a 7-0 with 4:40 left in the 1st qtr. On the Wildcats next drive, UVA would force a punt and on the very next play Brendan Armstrong would throw touchdown number two of the day, a 90-yard touchdown pass to Lavel Davis Jr (Davis 5th TD of the season), the longest touchdown pass caught by a freshman since 1990 for UVA and longest play for the team since 2005, given UVA a 14-0 lead to end the 1st quarter.

Midway through the 2nd quarter (7:53 left), Shane Simpson would punch in a 1-yard touchdown, his 1st rushing touchdown of the year increasing Virginia’s lead to 21-0. Abilene Christian started their next drive at their own 25-yard line. After a UVA Interception return for a touchdown was brought back to because of pass interference, the Wildcats would take it 75 yards down the field for their first points of the game. Kobe Clark would catch the touchdown from Stone Earle to make this a 21-7 game with 30 seconds left in the half. UVA answered immediately with a 5 play, 64-yard drive, and rushing touchdown number two for Shane Simpson, UVA up 28-7 at the half.

In the 3rd quarter, we saw more and more offense from Virginia. UVA QB Keytaon Thompson, who plays a “Taysom Hill” type role for the Cavaliers shows off his run after the catch skills finishing a 5 play, 83-yard drive with a 58-yard catch for a touchdown. Cavaliers up 35-7 with 11:18 left in the 3rd quarter. The next possession for the Wildcats would lead to a turnover on downs and UVA capitalized on their 1st play with a 52-yard bomb from Armstrong to Ra’Shaun Henry and the Cavaliers’ onslaught continued increasing the lead 42-7 with 9:06 left in the 3rd.

UVA would tact on another 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter, winning the game 55-15. Brennan Armstrong had an amazing day going 16-23 on pass attempts, 383 yards passing, and 4 passing touchdowns. He is my LegacyMaker Player of the Game. Virginia (4-4) heads to Tallahassee next Saturday to take on ACC rival Florida State.