CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (WTKR)- Beau Pribula threw three first-quarter touchdown passes, and No. 25 Virginia rolled to a 59-3 win over Norfolk State on Friday night.
Jacquon Gibson caught scoring tosses of 30 and 6 yards and Ty’Liric Coleman, Da’Shawn Martin, Isaiah Robinson and Hayden Rollison also hauled in touchdown catches for the Cavaliers (2-0). After rushing for 258 yards against N.C. State in its opener, Virginia threw for 229 yards and six scores.
“I'm excited about the pieces we have,” coach Tony Elliott said.
The Cavaliers exacted a measure of revenge on former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick, now Norfolk State's coach. Vick led the Hokies to wins over Virginia in 1999 and 2000 by a combined score of 73-28.
Deljay Bailey threw interceptions on the Spartans’ first two drives and finished 15 for 25 for 152 yards.
Pribula went 12 of 14 for 162 yards before yielding to backups Eli Holstein and Cole Geer. Holstein, a Pittsburgh transfer, threw for two scores.
Reserve linebacker Justin Rowe capped the scoring with a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown with 4:17 left in the game.
“When you watch them on film, they don’t try and trick you,” Vick said. “They line up, they believe in what they do, they’re well-coached, they’re where they’re supposed to be and you have to earn every blade of grass against them.”
Hillman continues creating turnovers
Michigan transfer safety Brandyn Hillman picked off a pair of first-quarter passes to set up Virginia’s first two touchdowns. Hillman also had an interception and forced a fumble in the Cavaliers' win over N.C. State.
“I'm just glad he's on my team,” Elliott said. “He plays with such intensity, such passion and love for the game. And he's a natural playmaker.”
Bettridge kicks his way into Virginia record book
Senior kicker Will Bettridge, with his sixth extra point of the game, became Virginia's career scoring leader. Bettridge passed Connor Hughes, who had 332 points from 2002-05. Bettridge wears No. 41 in honor of high school teammate D’Sean Perry, one of three Virginia football players shot and killed on campus in 2022.
“Going into the week, I knew it was pretty close,” Bettridge said of the record. “I tried not to think about it too much. I just wanted to do my job and get a win.”
Robinson returns for Cavaliers
Virginia got star linebacker Kam Robinson back. Robinson, a preseason All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, suffered a season ending-knee injury late in the 2025 season and sat out this year’s opener. He started against Norfolk State and finished with five tackles. His first of the game was the 200th of his career.
“I was definitely anxious out there,” Robinson said. “I just couldn't wait to get back out there. Once the game got on, I got more comfortable.”
The takeaway
Norfolk State: While their coach was a dynamic NFL quarterback, play behind center remains a problem for the Spartans. They threw for just 94 yards in their loss to Old Dominion and finished with 168 Friday.
Virginia: The Cavaliers showed they could pass the ball after their run-dominant opener. Virginia should get a tougher test next weekend when it faces West Virginia.
Up next
Norfolk State: The Spartans host Tidewater region rival Hampton on Sept. 19.
Virginia: The Cavaliers play West Virginia on Sept. 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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