Quick Recap: Virginia Beats Richmond 34-17 in Season-Opener

Brief summary and key stats from the UVA football win over Richmond on Saturday

Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia opened up the 2022 football season and the Tony Elliott era of UVA football with a 34-17 victory over Richmond on Saturday at Scott Stadium. Read on for a brief summary of the game, followed by a wrap-up of the key team and individual statistics. Stay tuned to CavaliersNow for more postgame coverage.

Game Summary

Richmond struck first on their second possession, using a hurry-up offense that featured mostly short passes and runs between the tackles, wearing down the UVA defense until Savon Smith ran untouched into the end zone for a nine-yard score. 

The Cavaliers responded with a 21-0 scoring run and scored touchdowns on four-straight drives. Less than 30 seconds after the Spiders drew first blood, the Cavaliers were celebrating their own touchdown as Brennan Armstrong found Lavel Davis Jr., who made a man miss and took it 56 yards for a touchdown, his first since the 2020 season and the first TD of the Tony Elliott era. 

On Virginia's next possession, the Cavaliers were more methodical, marching down the field behind some strong runs from Perris Jones, who punctuated a 14-play, 83-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run. After another defensive stop, UVA scored again as Brennan Armstrong took it himself, breaking free down the sideline for a 64-yard touchdown run. That run also made Armstrong UVA's all-time leader in total offense, passing Bryce Perkins.

Richmond stopped the bleeding with a field goal, but Virginia scored on the next drive on a touchdown run by Mike Hollins, who fumbled on his way into the end zone, but managed to jump on it. 

After building a 28-10 halftime lead, the Cavaliers were out of sorts to start the third quarter. A Dontayvion Wicks fumble led to a touchdown for Richmond on a Savon Smith five-yard catch. On the ensuing UVA possession, Armstrong was hit as the threw and had his pass intercepted by Aaron Banks, giving the ball back to Spiders with a chance to make it a one-possession game. Instead, the UVA defense made a stop and Richmond missed a field goal to keep the score at 28-17. 

The UVA offense was held scoreless in the third quarter, but managed to find the end zone early in the fourth. Richmond came at Armstrong on a blitz but he was able to find Perris Jones, who was left wide open on a wheel route. Jones bobbled the ball for a second but secured it for his first-career touchdown grab. 

The 34-17 score would hold for the rest of the game as Virginia starts the 2022 season 1-0. 

Stat Wrap-Up

Virginia: 505 total yards, 259 rushing yards, 246 passing yards

Brennan Armstrong: 21/33, 246 passing yards, 105 rushing yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TDs, 1 interception

Dontayvion Wicks: 6 receptions, 47 yards

Lavel Davis Jr.: 4 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown

Perris Jones: 19 carries, 104 yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 1 receiving touchdown

Richmond: 330 total yards, 170 rushing yards, 160 passing yards

Reece Udinski: 23/34, 160 passing yards, 1 touchdown

Jasiah Williams: 9 receptions, 67 yards

Savon Smith: 13 carries, 88 yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 4 receptions, 26 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown

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