UVA Falls Late at No. 1 Clemson, 41-23

CLEMSON, S.C. – Brennan Armstrong (Shelby, Ohio) threw for three touchdowns and led Virginia (1-1, 1-1 ACC) in rushing in the 41-23 loss at No. 1 Clemson (3-0, 2-0 ACC) on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C.

Armstrong connected with wide receivers Terrell Jana (Vancouver, B.C.) and Keytaon Thompson (New Orleands, La.) along with tight end Tony Poljan (Lansing, Mich.) on the touchdowns, while kicker Brian Delaney (Chantilly, Va.) added a field goal.

UVA had 417 yards of total offense, with 270 passing and 147 rushing. The Cavaliers had just one penalty and led Clemson 25-22 on first downs. Virginia converted 4-of-5 fourth downs.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Clemson scored a field goal on the opening drive of the game and then added a touchdown to lead Virginia, 10-0, after the first quarter. The Cavaliers drove 66 yards for a 27-yard field goal by Brian Delaney for their first score of the game. UVA scored a touchdown when Armstrong connected with Terrell Jana for 28-yards just before the half as the Cavaliers trailed 24-10 at the break.

Virginia cut it to 27-17 as Armstrong connected with Thompson for a touchdown with 6:05 to go in the third quarter. Clemson scored two more touchdowns before Virginia closed the game with Armstrong’s pass to Poljan in the end zone for his first touchdown as a Cavalier.

STAT LEADERS
Brennan Armstrong, QB
Rushing: 89
Passing: 270

Billy Kemp IV, WR
Receiving Yards: 96
Receptions: 10

Nick Jackson, ILB
12 tackles

FROM BRONCO MENDENHALL
“We were anxious to play, eager to play and believed we could win. A handful of plays, a handful meaning five or six, were the difference in the game. To Clemson’s credit, they made those plays. [Travis] Etienne was difficult to tackle and probably the difference in the game, maybe a turnover by us and an interception in the end zone by them.”

NOTES
• QB Brennan Armstrong finished with a career-high 270 yards passing. He joins Matt Blundin as the only UVA quarterbacks to throw for 200+ yards in each of their first two career starts. Blundin did so over the 1989 and 1990 seasons.
• Armstrong also rushed for a career-high 89 yards and threw a career-high three touchdowns.
• WR Billy Kemp IV finished with 10 receptions for 96 yards, both career highs.
• In two career games against Clemson, Kemp IV has 19 career receptions for 162 yards against the Tigers.
• On UVA’s first touchdown-scoring drive that came at the end of the second quarter, the Cavaliers had three pass plays of 20+ yards after having only two such plays in game one of the season vs. Duke.

UP NEXT
Virginia returns home to host NC State at noon at Scott Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ACCN.