Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Live Updates: Virginia Cavaliers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini | College Football
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Follow along with score updates and live analysis for the Virginia Cavaliers at Illinois Fighting Illini football game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
This article will be updated after each drive. Most recent updates will be at the top of the article.
Final Score: Virginia 3, Illinois 24
Illinois Drive - 0:56 4Q
Illinois kneels it out and completes the revenge mission. Virginia puts out one of the worst offensive performances in recent memory. Onto the next.
Virginia Drive - 2:40 4Q
If UVA fans thought things couldn't get any worse, Brennan Armstrong exits the game with what appears to be an injured right arm (non-throwing arm). Jay Woolfolk has entered the game. UVA converts its first third down of the game as Illinois commits a holding penalty. Woolfolk breaks contain and rushes for 31 yards to the Illinois five-yard line. Brennan Armstrong returns to the game and appears to be alright. With the Cavaliers threatening to score their first touchdown of the game, the Illini defense stands tall and keeps the Hoos out of the end zone. Armstrong throws two-straight incompletion and his streak of 18-consecutive games with a touchdown pass will come to an end.
Illinois Drive - 4:19 4Q
Pinned deep in their own zone, the Illini run the ball three times and punt it away.
Virginia Drive - 6:27 4Q
Brennan Armstrong continues to have no time to throw. He scrambles for 12 yards and a first down but then gets sacked for the fourth time on the very next play. Armstrong has to scramble again and finds Wicks on the run for a first down. Armstrong then connects with Keytaon Thompson on a crossing route and Thompson carries multiple Illinois defenders for several yards as he gains 31. Armstrong throws a deep ball for Dontayvion Wicks but Wicks is unable to come up with it in the end zone. Illinois brings the house and Armstrong just chucks the ball up in the air and it is easily intercepted by Kendall Smith. The Cavaliers squander their best chance to score points in a long time.
Illinois Drive - 10:57 4Q
The Illini have fully entered clock-killing mode on offense. Nick Jackson gets to DeVito for a sack on third down to force an Illinois punt.
Virginia Drive - 12:23 4Q
Armstrong throws a pair of incompletions, but a roughing the passer penalty gives UVA a fresh set of downs. Virginia runs it with Mike Hollins, who reverses field and makes a nice run out of it for 15 yards. UVA gets trick on a flea flicker, but Armstrong is just off his game today and his throw falls well-short of a wide-open Grant Misch, who likely would have scored had the pass been on target.
Armstrong connects with Keytaon Thompson, who surprisingly shies away from contact and fails to pick up the first down. That proves costly as Armstrong's third down throw to Demick Starling falls incomplete and then after a false start, Armstrong's fourth-and-six pass attempt is deflected and then intercepted by Matthew Bailey. Everything is going wrong for the UVA offense today.
Illinois Drive - 1:12 3Q
Illinois runs a couple of plays and then lets the clock run out on the third quarter. The period saw the Illini score just three points as the UVA defense did everything it could to give the Virginia offense a chance to catch up, but the Cavaliers simply can't get anything going on that side of the ball. UVA manages just six total yards in the third quarter and has still yet to convert on a third down.
The UVA defense comes up with a stop and holds Illinois to a field goal. Caleb Griffin pushes his 45-yarder wide right and the score remains 24-3. Time is running out for the Cavaliers to wake up on offense.
Virginia Drive - 3:32 3Q
Armstrong takes a sack on first down, then finds Lavel Davis Jr. for a short completion. On third and 9, Armstrong is sacked again for a loss of 11 yards and the Cavaliers are forced to punt after yet another three-and-out. So much for halftime adjustments.
Illinois Drive - 7:11 3Q
Chase Brown continues to have a strong day and spins for a first down. DeVito throws to Brian Hightower on the sideline for a third down conversion. Casey Washington is left wide open on the right sideline and DeVito finds him for a pickup of 24 yards to the UVA five-yard line. The Virginia defense then comes up with a stop, as DeVito throws three-straight incompletions and Illinois settles for a 23-yard field goal by Caleb Griffin.
Virginia Drive - 8:27 3Q
Dontayvion Wicks finally gets his first reception of the game, a pickup of five yards. On third and 5, Armstrong tries to throw deep to Lavel Davis Jr. but is off target with his throw. Virginia is 0/12 on third down today.
Illinois Drive - 13:01 3Q
The UVA defense does well to hold Chase Brown in check on a pair of short runs and then DeVito is stopped short of the marker on a third-down scramble. Illinois goes for it on fourth down and Brown picks it up on a sweep to the right side. Brown knifes ahead for another first down. Virginia should have had its fifth takeaway of the day as Antonio Clary steps in front of DeVito's pass at the goal line but he drops it. UVA manages to get the stop and then Caleb Griffin pulls his 31-yard field goal attempt wide left as the Illini come up empty-handed. Virginia is still in this game.
Virginia Drive - 15:00 3Q
Mike Hollins makes a great one-handed catch and runs for a first down on third down, but it gets called back for a holding penalty on Logan Taylor. Now facing third and 17, Armstrong is forced to dump it off again to Mike Hollins, who breaks several tackles but is still tackled well short of the first down. Brendan Farrell replaces Daniel Sparks at punter but he shanks his punt and Illinois will start its drive at the UVA 48-yard line.
Illinois Drive - 0:58 2Q
The Virginia defense does its job and makes sure Illinois doesn't get anything else on the board before halftime. Kam Butler tackles Chase Brown after a gain of four and then Chico Bennett Jr. gets to DeVito for a sack to end the half. The UVA defense has recovered well after giving up a pair of touchdowns. Need the Virginia offense to do the same when the Cavaliers get the ball to start the second half.
Virginia Drive 2:30 2Q
UVA takes over at the Illinois 45-yard line with a great opportunity to score right before the half. Xavier Brown runs for a 1-yard gain and then catches a pass for a 7-yard pickup. On third and 2, Mike Hollins is brought down for no gain. On fourth down, Armstrong throws to Dontayvion Wicks for the eighth time today. And for the eighth time, Wicks and Armstrong are not on the same page and the pass falls incomplete. This has been a disastrous first half for the Virginia offense. Major adjustments needed at halftime.
Illinois Drive - 3:15 2Q
Illinois begins to run the ball effectively again, but the Cavaliers come up with another timely takeaway as Kameron Butler gets to DeVito from the blind side and knocks the ball loose and Jahmeer Carter recovers the fumble for the fourth Illinois turnover of the game.
Virginia Drive - 5:16 2Q
True freshman Xavier Brown sees some first-half action, getting two-straight carries. He runs for five yards and then three yards to setup third and short. Armstrong scrambles on third down and Devon Witherspoon makes the stop as UVA goes three-and-out.
Illinois Drive - 6:39 2Q
The Virginia defense starts to get its feet back. UVA stops Chase Brown for a short gain, then DeVito's pass for Jonah Morris is incomplete, and then Kam Butler and Chico Bennett bring down DeVito well short of the line to gain on third down and Illinois goes three-and-out.
Virginia Drive - 9:25 2Q
Virginia uses some misdirection, sending the offensive line to the right side while Armstrong rolls out to his left and fires a deep pass from his own end zone and connects with Lavel Davis Jr. for a massive 62-yard pickup. Finally some signs of life for the UVA offense. Perris Jones runs for a short gain on two-consecutive snaps. On third down, Armstrong tries to get it to Wicks but his pass is nearly intercepted by Tarique Barnes, who drops the ball but gets the pass breakup. The Virginia offense stays on the field on fourth and three and Armstrong throws to Keytaon Thompson who is brought down right at the marker. The refs bring out the chains and the ball clears the marker by an inch to give UVA a fresh set of downs. Armstrong throws a beautiful ball that hits Dontayvion Wicks in the hands in the end zone but Wicks is unable to come up with the touchdown catch. After a run for Mike Hollins goes for no gain, Armstrong goes back to Wicks on the right side but Wicks was stopped on his route and the pass sails well high and incomplete. Brendan Farrell's 41-yard field goal attempt hits the right upright and is no good and Virginia's drive ends with zero points.
Illinois Drive - 13:16 2Q
Chase Brown runs up the middle for five yards to give Illinois some breathing room. DeVito throws to Isaiah Williams on the sideline and he breaks a tackle and runs for a first down. DeVito connects with Tip Reiman for a 12-yard gain. Chase Brown finds a huge gap at the line of scrimmage and runs 36 yards before finally getting caught by Antonio Clary. Illinois gives Chase Brown a break and Reggie Love III gets back-to-back carries, picking up eight and six yards to get into the red zone. DeVito connects with Pat Bryant, who tries to score a touchdown, but Antonio Clary hits him at the goal line and knocks the ball loose into the end zone, where it is recovered by Fentrell Cypress II. Cypress mistakenly takes the ball out of the end zone to try to return it but is tackled at the UVA five-yard line. Nonetheless, the Virginia defense gets a crucial takeaway, their third of the game, to prevent Illinois from scoring.
Virginia Drive - 14:51 2Q
Virginia runs an option to the right side and Armstrong keeps it for a pickup of ten yards and a first down. Mike Hollins is stopped for no gain and then Armstrong's slant pass to Dontayvion Wicks falls incomplete. Armstrong has targeted Wicks three times and they have yet to connect for a completion. Armstrong is quickly pressured on third down and is forced to dump it off to Hollins, who is forced out of bounds short of the first down. UVA punts again. Daniel Sparks' punt goes 56 yards and bounces to a stop at the Illinois 4-yard line.
Illinois Drive - 1:17 1Q
Illinois opens the drive with back-to-back passes to Luke Ford. Aaron Faumui is flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, which moves the Illini into UVA territory. DeVito throws deep to Pat Bryant, who beats Antonio Clary and makes the catch for a gain of 43 yards to the UVA 2-yard line. The first quarter comes to an end and the Cavaliers desperately need to put this opening period behind them.
The Illini pick up right where they left off on the first play of the second quarter. Illinois fakes the run and DeVito finds a wide open tight end Tip Reiman in the back right corner of the end zone for an Illinois touchdown. After getting stumped by the UVA defense on their first four offensive possessions, the Illini have started clicking on all cylinders on offense.
Virginia Drive - 3:35 1Q
Illinois has been able to effectively pressure Brennan Armstrong with only four rushers. On the first play of this drive, the Illini bring only three pass rushers but they still manage to flush Armstrong out of the pocket and bring him down after a gain of just two yards. The Virginia offensive line must get better. Armstrong makes the wrong read again on an option and Keith Randolph tackles him for a loss of two to bring up another third and long. Armstrong scrambles on third down and picks up six yards but is tackled well short of the first down. Another drive, another three-and-out for Virginia. Isaiah Williams nearly takes the punt to the house as he is tackled inside the UVA 20-yard line but Illinois is penalized for an illegal block in the back and the return is wiped away.
Illinois Drive - 4:31 1Q
Daniel Sparks punts the ball 54 yards, but Isaiah Williams breaks a few tackles and returns it 20 yards. Chase Brown gets the carry and takes it 15 yards for a first down before getting brought down by Lex Long. After a short run by Brown, UVA linebacker Josh Ahern lets Illinois tight end Michael Marchese get by him on a wheel route and DeVito finds him wide open for an easy 39-yard touchdown.
Virginia Drive - 5:38 1Q
After a short gain by Perris Jones on first down, Jonathan Leech, who is making his first start of the season after missing week 1 with an injury, is whistled for a false start. Armstrong throws a slant pass to Dontayvion Wicks, who is well-covered and the pass is broken up by Devon Witherspoon. On another third and long, Armstrong tries to fit a ball into a tight window to Keytaon Thompson and it is nearly intercepted by Sydney Brown. The pass falls incomplete and Virginia goes three-and-out yet again.
Illinois Drive - 7:30 1Q
DeVito gets the ball outside to Isaiah Williams, but Lex Long comes up and makes the play for a loss of three yards. DeVito then throws back-to-back short passes to Luke Ford and Virginia defends those plays well to force yet another three-and-out. Billy Kemp tries to return the punt, but has the ball punched out by Sydney Brown and Illinois' Matthew Bailey recovers the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. With both offenses struggling to do anything from scrimmage, the first touchdown of the day comes as a result of a costly special teams error by Billy Kemp, one of the most experienced players on Virginia's roster.
Virginia Drive - 9:19 1Q
Ty Furnish's snap sails over the head of Brennan Armstrong, who has to run 27 yards behind him to recover the ball at the UVA 5-yard line. Perris Jones gets a chunk of that back on the next play as he runs for a pickup of 16. Armstrong is then sacked by Seth Coleman on third down and Virginia goes three-and-out as the Cavaliers continue to struggle on the offensive end.
Illinois Drive - 11:02 1Q
Chase Brown runs for a short gain, then gets the short pass from DeVito in the flat on the next play and is tackled by Nick Jackson after a three-yard pickup. DeVito tries to scramble on third down but Langston Long hits him out of bounds short of the line to gain to force an Illinois three-and-out. So far, so good for the Virginia defense - three Illinois drives result in two turnovers and a three-and-out. Now the Cavaliers just have to get the offense going.
Virginia Drive - 12:49 1Q
UVA runs a read-option and Armstrong makes the wrong read, handing it off to Perris Jones who is blown up in the backfield for a loss of four. Then, Derek Devine is flagged for a false start - another poor start to a Virginia drive in plus territory. Illinois blitzes Armstrong who is forced to throw a jump-ball down the field to Lavel Davis Jr., who is unable to come up with it. On third and 19, Armstrong finds Keytaon Thompson, who slides and makes the catch for a pickup of 17 yards, just shy of a first down. UVA runs the field goal unit out and Brendan Farrell's field goal attempt wobbles through the uprights from 42 yards out to get the Cavaliers on the board first. The Illinois defense does well to hold UVA to just three points off of back-to-back turnovers from the Illinois offense.
Illinois Drive - 13:46 1Q
Nick Jackson stops Chase Brown after a gain of just two, then DeVito's pass to Isaiah Williams is incomplete. On third and long, DeVito goes back to Williams who makes a sliding grab to convert the first down. Chase Brown finds a hole and picks up a first down, but Antonio Clary comes in from behind and punches the ball loose and Lex Long jumps on it as Virginia forces another turnover. After not having any takeaways last week against Richmond, the Cavaliers have forced two turnovers on back-to-back Illinois drives.
Virginia Drive - 14:36 1Q
After a short Perris Jones run and an incompletion, Armstrong throws deep to Dontayvion Wicks, who was held by an Illinois defender, but that penalty went uncalled. Armstrong's pass goes over Wicks' head and Virginia squanders the early opportunity in advantageous field position with a three-and-out. Daniel Sparks' punt is fair-caught by Isaiah Williams at the Illinois 7-yard line.
Illinois Drive - 15:00 1Q
Virginia wins the coin toss and chooses to defer. Illinois will get the ball first.
On the first play from scrimmage, Chase Brown finds a hole and scampers for 13 yards. That poor start for the UVA defense is quickly corrected as Anthony Johnson intercepts Tommy DeVito's pass on the next snap. Illinois also committed a personal foul after the play so Virginia's first drive will start in Illinois territory.
