Sept. 09, 2017

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Redshirt freshman Peyton Ramsey completed 16 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns to lead Indiana to a 34-17 victory over Virginia on Saturday.

Ramsey replaced ineffective starter Richard Lagow in the second quarter. Lagow passed for 420 yards on 65 attempts last week, a school record, in a 49-21 loss to Ohio State. But when Lagow started this game 3 for 10 with an interception, he was pulled by coach Tom Allen.

Virginia (1-1) again struggled to run the ball until it was forced by its deficit to throw 66 times. The Hoosiers (1-1) held the Cavaliers to 55 yards on 25 rushing attempts, a week after Virginia gained only 92 yards against FBS opponent William and Mary.

After A.J. Mejia’s 22-yard field goal put Virginia up 3-0 in the second quarter, Indiana scored three times in the final 6:30 of the half for a 17-3 lead.

Ramsey led a six-play, 59-yard touchdown drive to send Indiana ahead for good. Simmie Cobbs scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass, J-Shun Harris’ 43-yard punt return set up Ramsey’s 26-yard touchdown run, and Griffin Oakes closed the half with a 51-yard field goal, his school-record 54th. Oakes added a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers opened the second half with a 12-yard touchdown run by Jordan Ellis, Virginia’s longest run of the day. They got no closer, and Harris put the game out of reach by returning a punt 44 yards for a touchdown with just under six minutes left. Harris returned five punts for 109 yards.

THE TAKEAWAY

Indiana: Ramsey completed his first 11 passes and is now 18 for 23 this season. Aside from his 26-yard touchdown run, Ramsey showed a good ability to throw on the run, as he did on a 32-yard scoring pass to Donavan Hale in the third quarter. Ramsey, 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, played for his father, Doug, at Elder High School in Cincinnati.

Virginia: Kurt Benkert finished his busy day with 259 yards passing with a touchdown and no interceptions. Olamide Zaccheaus caught 12 of Benkert’s passes, but only for 72 yards. Virginia has completed only one pass for more than 26 yards in 105 attempts so far this season.

UP NEXT

Indiana: Plays host to Florida International of Conference USA. FIU is coached by former University of Miami and Cleveland Browns coach Butch Davis.

Virginia: Meets Connecticut in Charlottesville. The Huskies upset the Cavaliers 13-10 last year in East Hartford.