It was not the cleanest performance, but the Tony Elliott era started off with a win for the Virginia football team. The Cavaliers started slowly before picking it up right before halftime on the way to a 34-17 victory over the Richmond Spiders. Although there were some scares in the second half, UVA managed to pull it out.

Up next for the Cavaliers will be a rematch from last season with the Illinois Fighting Illini (1-1). They head on the road for the first time under Elliott on Saturday. The game will take place at Memorial Stadium at 4 p.m. on ESPNU.

Let’s take a closer look at the contest with Illinois.

What Virginia Learned From Week 1

Balanced Offense

We knew this unit was capable of creating big plays through the air with the weapons. Brennan Armstrong returned for another year and along with him are Dontayvion Wicks, Keytaon Thompson, Lavel Davis Jr., and Billy Kemp IV as wide receivers. Armstrong came out the gates quick, starting 6-6 and connecting with Davis on a 56-yard touchdown for his first reception since the 2020 season.

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