Overreactions After Virginia Football Team’s Win Over Richmond

The first week of the Virginia football season is over. A lot happened in this game, so let’s do what every sports talk show and media outlet does and go overboard. With that in mind, here are our overreactions to Virginia’s Week 1 win over Richmond, as well as one ACC overreaction:

Quick Game Recap: UVA Football: Virginia beats Richmond 34-13

Anthony Colandrea will be the best quarterback in college football

Whether it’s this season or the rest of his college career, Anthony Colandrea will be a star for the Cavaliers and a big name in college football. Against Richmond, Colandrea showed improvement over last season, throwing for 297 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The sophomore consistently made smart plays, showing he’s worked hard to get better with a year under his belt. When pressured, instead of trying to throw the ball into double coverage to be the hero, Colandrea ran and took what the defense gave him, allowing Virginia’s offense to survive one more down.

Colandrea’s performance on Saturday was one of maturity. It was a great sign of what the future holds for the sophomore, and there were high expectations for her.

Virginia will once again finish last in ACC sacks

The Cavaliers had one sack against Richmond, which came in the fourth quarter as the game was winding down. Only having one sack against an FCS opponent is concerning, as the offensive lines Virginia will face will only improve as the season progresses. A defensive line that underperformed last season could fall short of expectations again this year.

Malachi Fields to Go Far in Biletnikoff Award Voting

Fields had his first 100-yard game of his career against Richmond, showing that the senior has risen to the occasion in the wide receiver room following the departure of Malik Washington and is eager to step into the role of the Hoos’ top wide receiver. Fields’ rushing late in the first half was an NFL-caliber catch for the top college wide receiver, who looks to build on that performance against Wake Forest.

Chris Tyree may have been overrated

Let’s take a step back and admit that all the comparisons between Malik Washington and Chris Tyree were a bit over the top. Washington had the most productive season for a wide receiver in Virginia history, finishing with 110 receptions and a school-record 1,426 yards in a season. The expectations for Tyree are over the top.

As for his performance, Tyree had zero catches and three drops, a tough first night in the blue and orange that likely stemmed from pregame nerves. The solution: give Tyree an early dose against Wake Forest with a jet sweep or screen to eliminate any early confidence issues. He may not be Malik Washington, but he’s still a big part of Virginia’s offense.

Virginia Tech is in last place in the ACC

By the time the Cavaliers took the court Saturday night, their rival Virginia Tech Hokies had already suffered their first loss of the season, a 34-27 overtime loss to Vanderbilt. So when the orange-clad players walked out to a packed house at Scott Stadium, they took the field looking for their second win of the day.

Virginia Football Report Card: Grading UVA’s win over Richmond

VIDEO: Colandrea, Clary, Pace and Butler react to Virginia’s win over Richmond

Five Takeaways from Virginia Football’s Win Over Richmond