CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (1-1) returns to Scott Stadium on Saturday (Sept. 17) for a Commonwealth showdown against Old Dominion (1-1). The contest will kick-off at 2 p.m. and is scheduled to air live on ACC Network as well the Virginia Sports Radio Network.

GAME COVERAGE: For information on providers that carry the ACC Network visit GetACCN.com. In addition, the game will be streamed live to authenticated subscribers on ESPN.com and the ESPN app. The pregame radio show on the Virginia Sports Radio Network will begin at 1 p.m. EST. Fans can listen to the game on the Virginia Sports App, the TuneIn App and any one of the VSRN affiliates across the commonwealth. For a list of expanded coverage visit: virginiasports.com/radio

INSIDE SATURDAY’S MATCHUP

  • Saturday will only be the second meeting between ODU and Virginia. The only previous matchup was won by the Cavaliers, 28-17 at Scott Stadium in 2019.
  • Virginia is 11-2 at home in the month of September since the 2017 season.
  • UVA boasts a 21-5 mark at Scott Stadium since 2018.
  • The Cavaliers have won six of the last seven home games against non-conference foes dating back to 2018. The only blemish in that span came last season against Notre Dame.
  • Playing its first season in the Sun Belt Conference, ODU is the first active member of the SBC to visit Scott Stadium. UVA’s only other previous matchup against an active member of the SBC was in 2007, a 23-21 win at Middle Tennessee which left the league in 2013.
  • Virginia is scheduled to play the 2020 SBC Champion Coastal Carolina at Scott Stadium on Nov. 19.

TOP STORYLINES

  • Saturday’s contest will feature two of the country’s top tackling linebackers in UVA’s Nick Jackson and ODU’s Jason Henderson. In the first two games, Henderson has been in on 32 stops, the third most in the nation while Jackson leads the ACC with 11.5 tackles per game. Henderson has 26 assisted tackles, the most in the country.
  • Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong is on the verge breaking two UVA passing records. He is 253 yards away from eclipsing the UVA career passing record and four touchdowns shy of the school’s career touchdown mark. Both records are owned by Matt Schaub (2000-03).
  • The Cavaliers are looking to bounce back from a 24-3 loss at Illinois last Saturday. It was only the second time since 2019 in which UVA did not score an offensive touchdown (Miami – 2019 & Notre Dame 2021).
  • UVA’s defense against Illinois forced four turnovers (3 fumble recoveries & 1 interception) with two coming on Illinois’ first two drives. The Cavaliers haven’t recovered three fumbles in a game since the 2019 against Duke.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
253 – Yards Brennan Armstrong needs to break UVA career passing record. He has gone over 250 passing yards in 17 of his 22 career starts.
4 – Armstrong needs four touchdowns to become UVA’s all-time leader in career touchdown passes.
90.8 – Virginia’s grade for defensive coverage against receivers after the first two games of the season according to Pro Football Focus, the fourth highest in the country.
5 – Receptions Keytaon Thompson needs to go reach 100 for his career. 94 of his 95 career catches have come at UVA.

STREAKS COME TO AN END

  • Against Illinois Wide receiver Billy Kemp was held without a reception for the first time since Nov. 2, 2019, a span of 28 games. It was tied for the seventh-longest streak in college football going into the game.
  • Brennan Armstrong’s school-record streak of 18 straight-games with a touchdown pass came to a close against Illinois in week two. He has a touchdown pass in 20 of his 22 starts as the Cavalier quarterback.
  • Armstrong also had thrown for 200 or more yards in 17-straight games. He finished with 180 against Illinois, the fewest since coming out of the game early against NC State in 2020 due to injury.

MILESTONE WATCH

  • Billy Kemp needs 21 yards receiving to pass Heath Miller for 10th all-time on UVA’s career receiving list.
  Name Career Yards
8. Hasise Dubois (2016-19) 1,859
9. Patrick Jeffers (1992-95) 1,785
10. Heath Miller (2002-04) 1,703
11. Billy Kemp (2018-pres.) 1,683

 

  • Keytaon Thompson is five receptions away for 100 for his career. Thompson is looking to become the 27th Cavalier to haul in 100 career passes
  • Armstrong needs one more 200-yard passing game to tie Matt Schaub for the most in program history. Schaub threw for 200 or more yards 20 times in his career from 2000-03. Armstrong has the most 300 (11), 400 (5) and the only 500-yard performance in UVA history.

QB1

  • Record Watch: Armstrong needs 253 yards to break UVA’s career passing record, four touchdowns to break UVA’s career touchdown passes record. His 200-yard passing performance in week one against Richmond was his 19th of his career, one shy of tying Matt Schaub’s school record.
  • Armstrong is the school’s record holder in 300-yard games (11), 400-yard games (5) and the only player in school history to throw for 500 yards in a game.
  • The Cavalier signal caller broke UVA’s career total offense record on a 64-yard touchdown run in the season opener against Richmond. He leaped frogged Shawn Moore (7,987) and Bryce Perkins (7,910) on UVA’s all-time list.
  • His 64-yard TD run was the 15th rushing touchdown of his career, tying him with fellow southpaw Jameel Sewell for the fifth most by a quarterback in program history.
  • Armstrong has 7,250 career passing yards the second most by a lefthanded quarterback in ACC history. He trails only Wake Forest’s Tanner Price who threw 8,899 from 2010-13.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

  • Making his first collegiate start, Langston Long recorded a game-high 13 tackles, including eight solo stops, out of the Cavalier secondary against Illinois. It was only the second time in 10 career games played he recorded double-digit tackles. Long was also credited with his first fumble recovery in the contest.
  • Chico Bennett Jr. made his first start in a Cavalier uniform last Saturday against Illinois and totaled six tackles. He recorded his first career sack in the contest.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAM NOTES

  • After two weeks, Jackson leads the ACC in tackles per game with 11.5. His 23 total tackles are only behind Cedric Gray (UNC) – 33 and Power Echols (UNC) – 25 who have each played three games in 2022.
  • Farrell’s 41-yard missed field goal in the second quarter against Illinois was his first miss inside 43 yards. He had made 12-straight kicks from 43-yards and prior to the miss.
  • Daniel Sparks punted the ball six times against Illinois, averaging 46.2 yards per kick.
  • Illinois kicker Caleb Griffin missed two second half field goals (31,45), the first time an opposing kicker missed multiple field goals against UVA since 2015 against Syracuse.