Auburn Tigers at Virginia Cavaliers | College Football | September, 4th 1997. Auburn 28, Virginia 17. Played at Scott Stadium Charlottesville on a Thursday night. Broadcast on ESPN at 8:00PM EST.
Dameyune Craig hit Karsten Bailey on scoring passes of 57 and 77 yards and Ryan Taylor returned an interception for a touchdown as Auburn opened the 1997 season with a road non-conference win at Virginia, 28-17.
Craig passed for 247 yards and also ran in a score.
On Auburn’s first possession, UVA blocked a Jaret Holmes punt, but Holmes recovered in the endzone for a safety and a 2-0 Virginia lead.
While Auburn’s offense misfired on its first three possessions, the Cavaliers lost their best chance to add to their lead when Thomas Jones fumbled a pitch on the Auburn one and Tiger Brad Ware recovered.
Auburn followed with a 10-play, 98-yard drive that was capped by Craig’s 17-yard touchdown scramble to give the Tigers a 7-2 halftime lead.
Taylor, a converted safety playing his first game at linebacker, picked off Virginia’s Aaron Brooks on the first play of the second half and returned the interception 25 yards for a 14-2 Tiger advantage.
Craig hit Bailey on his two long scores in the second half to put the game away. On both scores, Bailey beat the UVA defender deep.