Virginia bounces back, takes care of business against Delaware with 42-3 win

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Quarterback Beau Pribula scored five touchdowns, helping Virginia jump out to a two-score lead on its way to a 42-3 win over Delaware on Saturday night at Scott Stadium.

The Cavaliers (3-1) bounced back from their first loss of the season last week, a neutral-site defeat against West Virginia in Charlotte, dominating the Blue Hens (2-2) on both sides of the ball. Virginia out-gained Delaware 556-160, and Pribula, who connected on his first 11 passes, finished 24 for 28 with 279 yards. He also ran for a fifth score before exiting the game late in the third quarter.

“I thought what you saw tonight was a reflection of how they responded,” Virginia head coach Tony Elliott said. “I thought they responded the right way in practice and it showed in the game.”

Virginia wide receiver Kam Courtney caught a pair of scoring passes in the second quarter, including a career-long 52-yarder. Rico Flores Jr. had nine receptions for 113 yards and a score, and Da’Shawn Martin opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown catch.

Delaware starting quarterback Nick Minicucci left the game late in the second quarter with an apparent right leg injury. He was on crutches on the sideline for the second half. The Blue Hens got 11 tackles and two sacks from linebacker Blake Matthews, as the defense totaled five sacks on the night.

“There was a talent gap between us and them,” Delaware head coach Ryan Carty said. “That’s unfortunate. Kind of felt it was possible and probable based on film. Still hoping we could play a little cleaner and maybe move the ball a little bit. Then obviously Nick going down didn’t help. The game plan was kind of built around him being him. Everything that could’ve went wrong, kind of did at that point.”

UVA Strong Day

Saturday’s game was Virginia’s annual UVA Strong Day, where the program honors the memory of the three football players shot and killed on campus in 2022. The Cavaliers held a moment of silence to remember Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry during the pre-game festivities, and brought out the three men’s families, along with survivor Mike Hollins and his family for an on-field ceremony during the second quarter.

Flores wears the No. 1 jersey that Davis once wore during his time at Virginia.

“I knew his family was here,” Flores said. “The game was bigger than me.”

Passing the test

With Delaware stacking the box and focusing on stopping UVA’s running game right from the start, Pribula and the Cavaliers took to the air. Virginia had 437 passing yards, its most since a 2021 game against Pittsburgh.

“Once we can kind of get rolling, get in a rhythm, it’s hard to take us out of it,” Pribula said.

The takeaway

Delaware: The Blue Hens were outclassed in this matchup, and it showed on both sides of the field. Even before Minicucci’s injury, Delaware struggled to move the football against Virginia. Defensively, while fairly successful in selling out to stop the run, the Hens could not slow down the passing attack.

Virginia: The Cavaliers showed a measure of resilience, coming back from a loss with a “take-care-of-business” result against Delaware. The Cavaliers also took a step forward in the timing and explosiveness of their passing game.

Up next

Delaware: The Blue Hens host Liberty on Oct. 2.

Virginia: The Cavaliers visit Florida State on Oct. 3.

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