UVa wins toss, defers, UConn methodically goes down the field on an 11-play, 70-yard drive and takes a 7-0 lead with 8:44 remaining in the first quarter.
The Huskies only had one third down on the drive and blew Virginia off the ball.
An end-zone interception by Chase Minniefield has given Virginia some comfort, up 10-0 with 4:10 left.
Mikell Simpson's 1-yard run with 7:25 left puts Virginia ahead 10-0 over Richmond..
Total offense: 237-123, UVa.
First downs: 14-11, UVa
UVa quarterback Peter Lalich 19-36-2-184
Richmond QB Eric Ward 11-21-0-100
A missed 29-yard field goal by Richmond's Andrew Howard with one second remaining in the second quarter has allowed Virginia to go into halftime with a 3-0 lead over the Spiders.
The Cavaliers passed up a field goal to go for first down on fourth-and-goal from the UR 15 with 49 seconds left, but Peter Lalich's pass was intercepted by Richmond sophomore Jordan Shoop, who was hauled down Cary Koch and John Phillips after a 63-yard return.
Virginia got a 26-yard field goal from Yannick Reyering on its first possession, but that followed a series of running plays for lost yardage after Lalich had found Kevin Ogletree for a completion that gave UVa a first-and-goal at the UR 1.
The weather has cleared, the field has drained and Virginia and Richmond are set to kick before a small crowd, at least by Scott Stadium standards.
Early word is that the jerseys of Herman Moore, Terry Kirby, Chris Slade, Mark Dixon and Ray Savage will be retired in halftime ceremonies.
Virginia football coach Al Groh said Thursday that he was unaware of a no-sign policy that was instituted prior to the Cavaliers’ season-opening football home game with Southern California.
“Actually, I heard about it on Tuesday,” Groh said. “I was asked after the press conference by somebody about it.”
As for his feelings about the policy, Groh responded, “No feelings whatsoever. I didn’t read ‘em when they were up, so I won’t miss ‘em when they’re down.”
The change in policy may have been precipitated when ushers removed a “Groh Must Go” poster from a spectator at Scott Stadium last year.
Groh has been known to visit the UVa student section before games and concedes that signs may have crossed his field of vision, “but they didn’t have any impact on me,” he said.
“I’ve got enough things to deal with than what’s on the signs and how many signs are up there. So, really, it’s an irrelevant matter to me.
“I don’t know the pros and cons to it and I don’t know the reaction to it. I’m not a good person to ask an opinion of.”
ESPN.com columnist Rick Reilly is among those who have criticized the policy, invoking the name of UVa founder and former United States President Thomas Jefferson as a champion of free speech.
-- DOUG DOUGHTY
Sophomore cornerback Ras-I Dowling is not in uniform for Virginia and will be replaced in the starting lineup by Chase Minniefield, a redshirt freshman playing in his first college game.
Minniefield is the son of former NFL cornerback Frank Minniefield, who played for the Cleveland Browns when UVa coach Al Groh was a Browns' defensive assistant.
Groh's only mention of a Dowling injury came two weeks ago, when Groh said Dowling had a sore leg that had limited his running.
Enough, already, from all these people talking about Wimbledon!
How many were actually watching the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal final that is being hailed as the finest tennis match ever?
Three times I turned it on, but I didn’t come close to watching the full six hours, including postponements. I was watching at the end, however, when Federer’s final forehand found the middle of the net, and, frankly, that left me a little flat.
Better a spectacular passing shot or a killer overhead. If you’re talking about history-making event in a time frame that fit my schedule, I’ll take 41-year-old Dara Torres’ 50 freestyle in the swimming Olympic Trials. An American record and it took less than 24 seconds. — Doug Doughty
Bradley shot 56.7 percent from the field in the second half Wednesday night and outlasted Virginia 96-85 in a third-round College Basketball Invitational game at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville.
Senior guard Sean Singletary finished his UVa career with a school-record 55th consecutive double-figure scoring game, although it took 10 points in the final 6:53 for him to finish with 17 points. He also had eight assists.
Freshman Jeff Jones was 6-of-8 on 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 26 points for the Cavaliers (17-15). Senior Jeremy Crouch was 5-of-12 on 3-pointers, including 5-for-7 in the second half, and finished with a team-high 27 points for the Braves (20-15).
Bradley outrebounded UVa 43-38.
RSS feed 