Virginia RB Perris Jones stretchered off field after suffering terrifying injury

There was a scary moment in the middle of the Virginia–Louisville college football game on Thursday night, when Cavalier running back Perris Jones was loaded up on a stretcher after a scary collision with a Louisville defender at the 42-yard line.

Jones caught a screen pass from UVA freshman quarterback Anthony Colandrea in the backfield, then ran upfield where he was met by a Louisville defender with a violent collision at the 42-yard line. Jones fumbled the football, but Virginia star receiver Malik Washington picked it up and then ran 42-yards for a touchdown to put the Cavaliers up, 21-14 with less than a minute left in the third quarter. The Louisville training staff immediately attended to Jones on the field once he was down on the field.

Play was stopped for several minutes as Virginia’s medical staff tended to Jones. Players from both teams surrounded him as he was loaded onto a spine board on the field. Jones was then taken to the hospital in Louisville, according to the ESPN broadcast.

Here is the play below.

VIRGINIA LEADS 20-14

Prayers up for Perris Jones 🙏 pic.twitter.com/fdfiUGGD0y

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) November 10, 2023

While it was an unfortunate injury for the Cavaliers, it was a game-changing play that gave them the 21-14 lead in what was a highly entertaining affair on Thursday night in Louisville.

Virginia has been competitive in most of their games this season and their 2-7 record can be quite deceiving. They’ve had plenty of really close losses: JMU (36-35), NC State (24-21), Boston College (27-24), and the Miami Hurricanes (29-26 in OT). That’s four losses by three points or less.

The Cavaliers also stunned the North Carolina Tar Heels on the road in Chapel Hill, 31-27. It was their first road win over a Top 10 team in program history.

ESPN broadcast updated the status of Perris Jones

Early in the fourth quarter, ESPN sideline reporter Harry Lyles, Jr. updated fans on the status of Perris Jones.

“Guys, Perris Jones was loaded into an ambulance about five minutes after he was taken into the tunnel. The Athletic Director from Virginia, Carla Williams, was up there to greet him. She gave him a pat on the arm. He was not moving but his eyes were open. [They took] him 10 minutes away here to the University of Louisville Hospital,” Lyles noted.

Virginia led the game 24-17 with less than eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. Including the fumble recovery by Malik Washington, the Cavaliers also got a game-changing pick six from star freshman Kamren Robinson. He returned his interception 28-yards for the touchdown in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Louisville responded with a deep shot from Jack Plummer, when he connected with wide receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce for a 52-yard touchdown toss. That tied the game up at 24-24 with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter.

Louisville ended up winning the game 31-24 in a classic. The Cardinals outscored UVA 17-3 in the fourth quarter. Cardinals’ running back Isaac Guerendo delivered the dagger with 3:24 remaining in the game, a 73-yard touchdown run that ended up sealing the game for Louisville.

And in his postgame press conference, Virginia head coach Tony Elliott said he was getting “encouraging” news from the hospital regarding Perris Jones’ medical condition, according to the Virginia football Twitter page.

The Virginia Football Twitter page also issued one more update on his injury status. The statement said that Jones has “regained movement in all of his extremities after being injured during Thursday’s Louisville game.” It also said that Jones would remain in the University of Louisville Medical Center on Thursday evening.