FB: Eastern Michigan at Virginia Game Notes

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Virginia vs. Eastern Michigan Game Notes

• While Saturday’s matchup marked the 1,000th game for the Eastern Michigan football program and the first-ever meeting between the Cavaliers and Eagles, it was also a noteworthy day for minority football coaches and athletic directors on the Division I FBS and FCS levels (excluding historically black colleges). Virginia coach Mike London and UVa athletic director Craig Littlepage hosted Eastern Michigan coach Ron English and EMU athletic director Dr. Derrick Craig in what is believed to be the first Division I football game with the opposing coaches and athletic directors being African-Americans.
• Sophomore center Mike Price and sophomore defensive end Jake Snyder earned their first career starts for the Cavaliers against EMU.
• Running back Keith Payne’s 4-yard touchdown run marked the third time this season Virginia has scored a touchdown on its opening drive. The Cavaliers also made it into the end zone on their first possession against Richmond and VMI.
• Tight end Paul Freedman scored his first career touchdown against the Eagles. His 21-yard reception for a score also marked the longest catch of his career, passing his previous long of five yards.
• Raynard Horne had a career day rushing against EMU, running for 44 yards on 11 carries to pass his previous career-high of 19 yards against Richmond in the season-opener. His 16-yard rush in the second quarter also marked the longest of his career. Horne’s previous long was for 8 yards against USC in 2008.
• Terence Fells-Danzer recorded his first career touchdown on a three-yard pass from Marc Verica in the third quarter. The catch was his second reception as a Cavalier.
• Fells-Danzer also notched the second touchdown of his career against the Eagles, recording his first-ever kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter. The 70-yard return for a score was the second shortest in Virginia history, the shortest coming on a 46-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Joe Crocker against Maryland in 1994. Ironically, both players had other types of touchdowns in the game-Fells-Danzer rushing and Crocker on an interception return.
• Trey Womack recorded his first career touchdown on a fake punt and pass by Jimmy Howell in the third quarter. The 56-yard play marked the first pass attempt and completion of Howell’s career and Womack’s first-ever reception.
• Howell’s pass was the first completion by a Virginia punter since Tom Hagan’s 8-yard completion in 2002.
• With Howell’s TD pass, four different Cavaliers-Marc Verica, Ross Metheny, Michael Rocco, and Jimmy Howell-have now thrown for a touchdown this season. The last time Virginia accomplished the feat was in 2003, when Matt Schaub, Marques Hagans, Wali Lundy, and Anthony Martinez all recorded passing touchdowns.
• Chase Minnifield tallied his team-high fourth interception this season and the eighth of his career against the Eagles.
• Keith Payne recorded his third multiple touchdown game this season, running for two scores against EMU. With 10 touchdowns on the year, Payne is now tied with Wali Lundy for the most rushing touchdowns by a UVa player in a single season since 2005.
• Notching three receptions against the Eagles, Kris Burd tied his career high for catches in a season with 31.
• Matt Snyder had a career-high six receptions against EMU, passing his previous career mark of four at Georgia Tech earlier this season.
• The game against EMU was the first time Virginia quarterbacks have avoided a sack since a home game against Duke in 2007.