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08/30 09:12 CDT Beau Pribula dazzles in Virginia debut as Cavaliers overwhelm
NC State 34-8 in season, ACC opener
Beau Pribula dazzles in Virginia debut as Cavaliers overwhelm NC State 34-8 in
season, ACC opener
By MIKE BARBER
Associated Press
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) --- Transfer quarterback Beau Pribula dazzled in his
Virginia debut as the Cavaliers dominated North Carolina State 34-8 in the
season and ACC opener for both teams on Saturday.
Pribula, who started his career at Penn State and played last season at
Missouri, threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 110 yards,
becoming the first Virginia quarterback to run for 100 yards in a game since
Brennan Armstrong in 2022.
"I thought he was very decisive, very efficient with the ball," Virginia coach
Tony Elliott said. "He protected it, didn't put it in jeopardy for the most
part. He was looking for checkdowns. If it wasn't there, he was pulling it
down, keeping us ahead of the chains. It was fun to watch him play."
Behind a balanced offense and stifling defense, the Cavaliers jumped out to a
17-0 lead at the half.
Virginia, playing without star linebacker Kam Robinson (knee), had no trouble
containing CJ Bailey and the Wolfpack. It opened the game with a pair of
three-and-outs and then intercepted a tipped pass on NC State's third
possession.
The Wolfpack never threatened. Bailey finished 12 for 23 for 84 yards and an
interception. He also lost a red zone fumble.
"The world's not going to end, but it was disappointing as hell, to say the
least, to see how we played today," North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren
said. "I own that. That's on me. Everybody can blame the head coach. That's
great. I'm going to go in there and work my (backside) off for these guys and
help them."
Running back group Running back is one of the deepest positions on Virginia's roster and the Cavaliers leaned into that Saturday. Five different backs had at least six carries, led by Jekail Middlebrook's 15 carries for 64 yards. Xavier Brown had 40 yards on eight carries, plus a pair of receptions, including the 45-yard score. Xay Davis, Noah Vaughn and Peyton Lewis, the highly touted Tennessee transfer, combined for 44 yards on 19 carries. "We're going to need all five of those guys throughout the course of the year," said Elliott, after the Cavaliers ran for 258 yards. The takeaway North Carolina State: Bailey and the offense could not get going, and the Wolfpack defense was dominated by Virginia's offensive line. NC State will need to address both those issues if it wants to avoid squandering Bailey's talents. Virginia: Expectations are running high in Charlottesville, and Saturday's performance will only add to them. Virginia was as advertised: a team that can control the game by running the ball and playing suffocating defense. Up next Virginia: After an open date, UVA hosts Norfolk State, coached by former Virginia Tech star Michael Vick, in a Friday night game on Sept. 11. North Carolina State: The Wolfpack will look to bounce back when it faces another Virginia school, FCS Richmond, in Raleigh on Friday, Sept. 11. ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here |
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