UVA offense explodes in 45-31 win over Ohio

ROANOKE, Va. – Courtesy of Virginia Sports:

Virginia (2-1) took advantage of early scoring opportunities and remained in control for a 45-31 win over Ohio (1-1) at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville - a game that was relocated due to Hurricane Florence.   
 
The Cavaliers scored two quick touchdowns after a fumble recovery led to the opening touchdown by running back Jordan Ellis (Suwanee, Ga.). Quarterback Bryce Perkins (Queen Creek, Ariz.) found Olamide Zaccheaus (Plainfield, N.J.) for a 76-yard touchdown reception.
 
UVA scored three straight touchdowns following Ohio's first score of the game to take a 35-7 advantage with 2:52 to go in the first half. Ohio picked up a UVA fumble and scored following that with an onside kick that resulted in a touchdown to make it 35-21 at the half. Ohio cut it to as close as 10, but Virginia never relinquished the lead.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia started the game with three one-play scoring drives in the first quarter. The Cavaliers also finished with three scoring plays over 75 yards. Ellis ran for a 75-yard touchdown rush, while Zaccheaus had touchdown receptions of 86 yards and 77 yards, respectively.
 
STAT LEADERS
• QB Bryce Perkins
Passing: 25-30, 379 yards, 3 TD
 
• RB Jordan Ellis
19 rushes, 171 yards, 3 TD
 
• WR Olamide Zaccheaus
9 receptions, 247 yards, 2 TD
 
• LB Zane Zandier
10 tackles, 1.5 sacks
 
NOTES
• Finishing with 552 total yards of offense, UVA surpassed 500 yards of total offense for the first time since tallying 626 yards of total offense last season against UConn.
• Virginia scored 38 points in the first half, which is the most the Cavaliers have scored in a half since scoring 38 in the first half against Duke in 1990. It also tied for the fourth-most points scored in a half in UVA history, coming against Duke in that same 1990 game.
• QB Bryce Perkins threw for a career-high 379 passing yards. Perkins is the 30th different UVA quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in a game.
• Olamide Zaccheaus' 86-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter was a career long and his third reception of 80 yards or more, which extends his UVA record. The 247 receiving yards by Zaccheaus is a single-game UVA record for receiving yards in a game. The previous record was 241 receiving yards by Ken Shelton in 1974 against William & Mary.
• TB Jordan Ellis rushed for three touchdowns, the first time a Cavalier has done that since Kevin Parks against William & Mary in 2011. Ellis is the first Cavalier to score three touchdowns in a game since Canaan Severin caught three receiving touchdowns at Louisville in 2015.
 
FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
"In a football game, every rep matters. And you saw the different situations and some of the things that we did well and some of the inconsistencies that we certainly have to get fixed. The game was an exact manifestation of why we needed the game and why we needed to play. And winning is important, any game is hard to win. We needed the game and I'm proud of my guys."

UP NEXT
Virginia returns home to open Atlantic Coast Conference play when it hosts Louisville on Saturday, Sept. 22, in Scott Stadium.