Xavier Brown helps lift Virginia over Coastal Carolina

Field Level Media|published: Sat 21st September, 17:42 2024

Sep 14, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott encourages his team during a change of possession against the Maryland Terrapins during the first half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Xavier Brown rushed for a career-high 171 yards and Grady Brosterhous ran for two scores as Virginia rolled to a 43-24 nonconference victory against Coastal Carolina on Saturday in Conway, S.C.

The Cavaliers (3-1) have already matched their win total from each of coach Tony Elliott's first two seasons. Virginia finished 3-7 in 2022 and 3-9 in 2023.

Anthony Colandrea threw for 131 yards with two touchdown passes to Malachi Fields and the Cavaliers piled up 384 rushing yards in the first meeting between the programs.

Ethan Vasko passed for 222 yards with a touchdown and an interception and also rushed for a score for the previously unbeaten Chanticleers (3-1).

Coming off back-to-back games without any turnovers, Coastal Carolina coughed it up twice in the first quarter and Virginia turned the mistakes into 14 points.

The Chanticleers' troubles began with a fumble on the opening kickoff. Three plays later, Colandrea's 7-yard pass to Fields gave the Cavaliers a 7-0 lead just 1:24 into the game.

It was another short field for Virginia after Antonio Clary intercepted Vasko at the 35. A 5-yard TD run by Brosterhous made it 14-3 with 4:47 left in the first quarter.

Down 17-3 in the second quarter, Coastal Carolina put together a 90-yard TD drive. Vasko's 29-yard pass to Jameson Tucker on fourth down trimmed the deficit to 17-10.

The Cavaliers answered with a 1-yard TD run by Brosterhous for a 24-10 lead. They made it 27-10 on Will Bettridge's 47-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Bettridge's 45-yarder early in the third extended the lead to 30-10. After a 75-yard run by Brown, Kobe Pace punched it in from the 1 to make it 37-10.

It was 37-17 after Vasko's 3-yard TD rush ended a run of 20 unanswered points by the Cavaliers.

In the fourth quarter, Colandrea's 37-yard strike to Fields put Virginia ahead 43-17 with 12:12 remaining.

Michigan State transfer Noah Kim replaced Vasko and threw a 15-yard TD pass to Bryson Graves with 9:06 left.

--Field Level Media

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