3 things we learned from Virginia’s home win over Illinois

1. Brennan Armstrong is among the best quarterbacks in the ACC

Illinois hardly entered the game in Charlottesville as the best pass defense in the Big Ten, much less in the FBS. In their first two contests of the season, Illinois gave up an average of 256 passing yards per game. That average was blown out of the water on Saturday afternoon, as Brennan Armstrong torched the visiting secondary early and often.

In the first five minutes of the game, Armstrong had already thrown for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Virginia’s quarterback finished the first half with 282 total yards and a trio of touchdown passes.

After the intermission, Armstrong went right back to work. Three quarters into the game, the quarterback was up to 368 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. Though he threw an interception in the fourth quarter, he also broke the Cavaliers single-game passing record on a 28-yard strike to Jelani Woods right before that interception. Armstrong finished the game with 405 yards and five touchdowns on 27-of-36 passing.

While DJ Uiagalelei, Sam Howell, and D’Eriq King have received the most attention among ACC quarterbacks entering this season, Armstrong looks to be developing into a passer every bit as good as those bigger names.