PHILADELPHIA -- Marques Hagans made a successful debut as Virginia's full-time starting quarterback, and Wali Lundy ran for 104 yards and three scores, as Virginia trounced Temple, 44-14, at Lincoln Financial Field. Saturday's game was the season opener for both teams.
Hagans completed 17 of his 22 pass attempts for 211 yards and a four-yard touchdown pass to Heath Miller. He also ran five times for 25 yards, including a one-yard TD on a play-action bootleg in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers pounced on Temple early, forcing fumbles on each of the Owls' first two possessions. Virginia subsequently turned those turnovers into 10 quick points.
"I think it certainly gave the players a charge because they accomplished something very early," Virginia coach Al Groh said of the first quarter turnovers. "When you can accomplish something pretty early it gives you a spark and gives you some confidence."
Virginia's offense and special teams built off the momentum created by its defense. Senior Alvin Pearman eluded six would-be Temple tacklers on his way to a 70-yard punt return touchdown. After being forced to punt on the game's first possession, Virginia's offense scored on its next four drives, including two of more than 75 yards.
"I think the main thing was that the whole offense was able to move the ball up the field and get first downs," Hagans said. "The offensive line did a beautiful job blocking for Wali who was able to establish the running game early."
For Lundy, who grew up in nearby Willingboro, N.J., Saturday's game was a homecoming of sorts, and he provided some dazzling highlights for friends and family. Midway through the first quarter, Lundy took the ball at the three yard line and appeared stopped in the backfield before he changed direction and outsprinted two Temple defenders to the left corner of the endzone to give Virginia an early 10-0 lead.
Later in the quarter he added power to his earlier flash, bowling over Temple defensive tackle Randy Johnson for a two-yard TD plunge. In the second period, he dashed six yards on a sweep right, breaking two tackles en route to his third touchdown of the game.
"I'm very happy for him, he's a great kid," Groh said of Lundy. "Everything he does right and he does well, whether it's academic work, his role on the team, running the ball or pass protection. Certainly I'm sure [Saturday's game was] a heartwarming thing for him and his family."
Defensively, the Cavaliers consistently hounded standout quarterback Walter Washington, limiting him to 28 yards on 19 rushes and an 11-of-23 completion rate for 132 yards.
"We didn't want [Washington] to get in a groove," said Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who had five tackles and 1.5 sacks. "He's the best rusher on their team. If he felt comfortable in the pocket, we knew we were going to have a long day ahead of us."
In all, the Virginia defense combined for five sacks and eight tackles for loss. The Cavaliers' athletic front-seven successfully disrupted Temple's offense and reduced the effectiveness of the Owls' pass-happy, four-receiver offense.
"They ran the ball more than I expected them to," Virginia linebacker Darryl Blackstock said. "The pressure on the quarterback was so heavy that I guess they couldn't throw the ball."
Reigning second-team All-American kicker Connor Hughes missed two field goals and an extra point, and the defense allowed two second half touchdowns. Those were among the Cavaliers' lapses in their first game.
"The team performed pretty good, not great," said senior defensive end and co-captain Chris Canty, who led the team with nine tackles. "We left a lot of [opportunities] on the field. We didn't execute as crisply as we should have. To compete for a conference championship and a national championship, you have to do those things."
With the 30-point win over non-conference Temple in hand, Virginia next begins a four-game homestand, starting with its ACC opener against North Carolina Saturday.
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