Virginia’s Armstrong Opens Game vs. Pitt With Back-to-Back Pick-Sixes (Video)

The Cavaliers got off to an inauspicious start on Saturday.

Considering Virginia received the opening kickoff in Saturday’s game against Pitt, their offensive start could not have gone worse. Cavaliers quarterback Brennan Armstrong immediately threw a pick-six on the first play from scrimmage, giving the Panthers a 7–0 lead.

Somehow, things only got worse from there. On the very next offensive play, Armstrong threw another pick-six, and all of a sudden Pitt was up 14–0 just 16 seconds into the game without ever getting the ball on offense. For Armstrong, it is probably the worst possible start to a game for a quarterback to have.

Two plays and two pick-sixes for @Pitt_FB’s defense 🤯

(via @accnetwork)pic.twitter.com/drV4IJgN5S

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 12, 2022

According to ESPN Stats & Info and reporter Andrea Adelson, this appears to be the first time in at least the last 15 college football seasons where a team has scored defensive touchdowns on the first two plays from scrimmage in a game.

Armstrong, a fifth-year senior, entered the game with just six touchdowns and 10 interceptions in nine games on the season. He’s been the Cavaliers primary starter for three seasons, and broke out last year with 31 passing touchdowns.

However, this year hasn’t been nearly as productive for Armstrong, culminating in a rough start to this game against Pitt. Virginia has lost five of their lost six games and has won just a single conference game all year.

After a pair of offensive touchdown drives for the Panthers, Virginia now trails 28–0 in the first quarter.

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