VIDEO: Tony Elliott, UVA Football Players React to SMU Loss

Matt Newton | 2 Hours Ago

Virginia Cavaliers On S

Virginia played its final home football game of the 2024 season and ended its home slate with an unceremonious blowout loss, falling to No. 13 SMU by a lopsided score of 33-7 on Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium. The Cavaliers will finish the season 2-4 in home games in 2024 and will now have to find a way to win on the road at Virginia Tech for the first time since 1998 in order to reach bowl eligibility for the first time under Tony Elliott.

Watch the video below to hear what head coach Tony Elliott, senior wide receiver Malachi Fields, graduate safety Corey Thomas Jr., and sophomore running back Noah Vaughn had to say to the media following UVA's defeat to SMU.

Here's what Tony Elliott said about the loss: "I thought defense did a good job early on, containing the run. It was 7-0 for a while. We had an opportunity there, situation with the substitution - that's on the coaching, so we didn't help them there - an opportunity to score some points on that fourth down conversion. But offensively, we didn't do a good job protecting the quarterback. Obviously, we took care of the ball, but we never could establish a rhythm. Playmakers gotta make plays. Gotta be able to run the ball. We just didn't do a good job and it starts with me. So, I have to figure out, quickly, how to get this offense back in rhythm."

Watch the rest of Tony Elliott's postgame press conference in the video below:

Here's what Malachi Fields said about the team's reaction in the locker room after the game: "Heartbroken, you know? Obviously, you want to leave, as seniors, on a good note, and leave Scott Stadium, last one at Scott, but also it's just another loss. We always want to win whenever we get out there. So it's just heartbroken."

Here's what Corey Thomas Jr. said about the UVA defense's performance: "I feel like we did alright. We've got some things to clean up for sure... just trying to put a stranglehold on them to not let them get some of the things they got, but it was a decent performance, but we've got things to clean up for next week for sure."

Here's what Noah Vaughn said about the injuries to Virginia's running back room: "Prayers towards them and everything, but I mean, it's a battlefield out there. People are gonna go down. You gotta realize that it's a next man up mentality and the standard's not gonna change just cause the depth chart went down. I feel like, as that happens, you gotta realize that that standard's not gonna drop. We gotta raise the standard when stuff like that happens and I feel like we can do that."

Virginia will conclude the regular season on the road at Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Clash next Saturday at 8pm on the ACC Network.

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