Harris and the Virginia aerial attack dominated the Cardinal.
The Virginia Cavaliers topped 500 yards of total offense for the third-straight game on Saturday as the ’Hoos routed Stanford 48-20 inside Scott Stadium.
UVA — which now sits at 3-1 (1-0 ACC) ahead of Friday night’s showdown with No. 8 Florida State — wasted no time against the overmatched Cardinal, hanging 21 points on the Stanford defense in the first quarter behind an extraordinary outburst from wide receiver Trell Harris.
Harris, a 6-foot, 200-pound senior from La Grange, Illinois, hauled in three catches for 105 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter alone. His early outburst made him only the second ACC player with three house calls in the opening quarter of a game in the last 20 years.
“We felt like this week we were going to get some opportunities to put the ball in the air,” Head Coach Tony Elliott said after the game. “So, really good for Trell [Harris]. [For] a guy that’s been working his way back to have a breakout game like that … I’m just super happy for him.”
Harris got his evening started with a quick, three-yard catch and run for a touchdown off a bubble screen to punctuate the Cavaliers’ opening drive.
Then, on Virginia’s next offensive play, Harris beat the Stanford defense over the top on a deep post, flashing his speed and catching a beautiful Chandler Morris moon-ball in stride for a 75-yard touchdown.
To cap off the quarter, Harris completed his trifecta of scores with a 27-yard touchdown catch on a pinpoint back-shoulder ball in the end zone.
Harris — who entered Saturday’s game with 14 receptions for 176 yards on the season — finished his night with four grabs for 145 yards and three scores, nearly doubling his total yards output.
“I just see ball get ball,” Harris said after his performance on Saturday. “I see the ball in the air, just try to make a play. Try to make a play for the team.”
An Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Fourth-Team selection, Harris spent his first two collegiate seasons at Kent State, where, in 2023, he posted 26 receptions for 400 yards and one touchdown in 11 appearances. After bringing his talents to Charlottesville last offseason, Harris was primed for a breakout season in 2024 before an injury cost him the final eight games of his junior campaign.
Now healthy and back on the field, Harris is proving to be the perfect do-it-all weapon in the Cavaliers’ receiving room alongside speedster Cam Ross and big-bodied target Jahmal Edrine. The trio combined for 279 yards receiving on Saturday as the unit continues to be a significant strength for the ’Hoos and one of the best receiver groups in the conference.
With Harris, Ross, and Edrine causing headaches for opposing defensive coordinators, the ’Hoos offense is operating at a truly elite level. Virginia’s 564.5 yards per game of total offense ranks fifth in the country and second in the ACC (behind only Florida State) while its 45.5 points per game is 11th-best in the nation.
While the vibes in the Virginia locker room are undoubtedly high, the ’Hoos aren’t resting on their laurels. With a top-ten opponent in FSU on its way to Charlottesville this week, Harris knows that his team still has its toughest tests to come.
“Just get back to work,” Harris said on how the ’Hoos will move forward after Saturday’s rout of Stanford. “We haven’t really done anything. We won a game … so what? Now what? Just get ready for practice on Monday, get our bodies right, get our minds right, and be ready for Friday.”
Category: General Sports
