University of Virginia (UVA) and the University of Tennessee (UT) kicked off their season on Sept. 2. It was a highly anticipated week 1 game due to Tennessee’s quarterback (QB) Joe Milton’s big build mixed with his athleticism and his strong throwing arm, but the game had a much bigger meaning for the Virginia Cavaliers.
On the night of Nov. 13, 2022, tragedy struck the Charlottesville community as 22-year-old Christopher Darnell Jones, Jr. shot five people, including four Virginia football players. Three players tragically passed in the shooting, including juniors Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry, and Lavel Davis, Jr.
“One thing they all had in common, they left everything they had on the field, every time they stepped on it. I couldn’t honestly look myself in the mirror and say that I did the same last season. They would have given everything they had, and I can’t walk away saying I haven’t done that. I have debt to pay to those Three, and I plan on paying it,” said Virginia running back (RB) Perris Jones.
Kicker Will Bettridge wore number 41 for his close friend and high school, and college teammate D’Sean Perry, who passed in the fatal incident.
“It was a great feeling when I got the blessing,” stated Bettridge.
After 294 days of grieving, the Cavaliers finally played their first football game since the tragic accident. Mike Hollins, a survivor of the shooting, led his teammates onto the field as he was ready to play football.
“It’s really impressive that he was able to go through everything he went through and still be able to give his all on the field,” said Peyton Huff, sophomore at Blackman High School.
The game started off hot for the Tennessee Vols offense as their season started off with a 9-yard reception touchdown (TD) from RB Dylan Sampson.
After UT’s TD drive, both defenses locked in with no more points being scored until the 2nd quarter when RB Dylan Sampson ran it in for a 3-yard touchdown with 4;41 left.
Kicker Will Bettridge put UVA on the board with a 30-yard field goal (FG) to make the score 14-3 with 1:42 left in the first half. Tennessee’s offense, known for the hurry up offense and fast playstyle, goes down the field and scores with six seconds left with a QB sneak from Joe Milton, to make it 21-3 going into halftime.
After UT makes a stop on defense, QB Joe Milton gets a 1-yard rushing TD to extend their lead 28-3.
After another defensive stop by Tennessee, RB Dylan Sampson makes it 35-3 after a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
UVA strikes back this time after Perris Jones gets a 17-yard rushing touchdown to give the Cavaliers their first TD of the season and making the score 35-10.
Tennessee then shows off their passing game as Joe Milton finds Jacob Warren for an 11-yard touchdown to make the score 42-10.
UVA’s starting QB Tony Musket goes down with an injury in the first quarter, putting the spotlight on true freshman QB Anthony Colandrea as he got his first snaps of his college career.
Nico Lamaleava, the number two recruit out of high school for the 2023 class, also got his first snap in the fourth quarter as he helped lead Tennessee’s offense down the field for a three-yard Dylan Sampson TD run for his fourth touchdown of the day and his third rushing.
“Dylan Sampson is tough as he played a really good game and I also love how much the defense improved from last season,” stated Treydean Sanders, sophomore at Blackman High School.
As the game came to a close, kicker Will Bettridge drilled a 40-yarder to make the final score of the game 49-13.
“They played amazing, they didn’t need to force turnovers to make stops, I loved the pressure they were able to generate and also getting a lot of sacks,” said Huff on Tennessee’s defense.
The Vols finished the day with four sacks and held the Cavaliers offense to 202 total yards. Both teams will have their home opener next Saturday, Sept. 9, as Virginia hosts James Madison University (JMU) and Tennessee hosts Austin Peay.
