FINAL: Virginia 48, Duke 14

After a bit of a slow start, Virginia (5-2, 3-1 ACC) put together a complete performance in all three phases with a dominating 48-14 win over Duke at Scott Stadium Saturday to stay atop the Coastal Division standings with five games to go.

With Virginia Tech’s six-overtime win over North Carolina, UVA is back in first place all alone and still face the Hokies, Tar Heels and another Coastal foe, Georgia Tech, over the remainder of the season.

The defense held the Blue Devils (4-3, 2-2) in check all day and doubled its turnover output on the season with five takeaways, Bryce Perkins and Wayne Taulapapa combined to rush for five touchdowns, and Joe Reed totaled 179 all-purpose yards (138 returning, 45 receiving and minus-4 rushing), including a 95-yard score on a kick return.

Hasise Dubois had a game-high 62 receiving yards, including a few for the highlight reel, while Taulapapa set a career high with 77 rushing yards.

Defensively, junior safety Chris Moore led the Wahoos with 12 tackles (4 solo), while Joey Blount added 10 stops (3 solo) and an interception. Third-year safety Brenton Nelson also had a pick, while senior linebacker Jordan Mack recorded his team-leading seventh sack of the season and forced a fumble, as did Noah Taylor. Charles Snowden and Eli Hanback each had fumble recoveries, and Zane Zandier posted three of the team’s seven pass breakups on the day.

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: DU — Quentin Harris 8-37; Deon Jackson 12-35; Elijah Deveaux 6-18; Austin Parker 2-17; Eli Pancol 1-8; Chris Katrenick 3-7; Mataeo Durant 5-7; Jalon Calhoun 1-2; Jaylen Coleman 3-1. UVA — Wayne Taulapapa 14-77; Bryce Perkins 22-62; Tavares Kelly Jr. 1-17; Lamont Atkins 1-5; TEAM 2-(-3); Joe Reed 1-(-4).

PASSING: DU — Quentin Harris 13-26-2-88; Chris Katrenick 2-4-0-30. UVA — Bryce Perkins 13-26-1-141; Lindell Stone 1-2-1-12.

RECEIVING: DU — Scott Bracey 2-43; Eli Pancol 2-33; Aaron Young 1-15; Noah Gray 3-12; Jake Marwede 1-7; Mataeo Durant 2-5; Jalon Calhoun 4-3. UVA — Hasise Dubois 4-62; Joe Reed 5-45; Tanner Cowley 1-19; Terrell Jana 1-13; Dontayvion Wicks 1-12; Billy Kemp IV 2-2.

Attendance — 52,847.

First Quarter

Virginia senior Joe Reed took the game’s opening kickoff back 43 yards to give his team excellent starting field position near midfield. Perkins went to work, accounting for all but one yard on a 12-play, 45-yard drive down to the Devils’ 11-yard line, but it ended with a Duke interception in the end zone by Leonard Johnson.

The Wahoo defense limited the Blue Devils to one first down and 24 total yards over their first two possessions, both of which resulted in punts, but the UVA offense couldn’t capitalize. Virginia gained just five total yards over its following two three-and-out drives.

Zane Zandier tipped a Quentin Harris pass at the line and it fell incomplete on Duke’s ensuing third-down try, and the Devils punted for a third straight time with time ticking down on the scoreless opening period that featured a combined 83 total yards of offense between the two teams.

Second Quarter

Hasise Dubois made a stellar, over-the-shoulder grab and got a foot down along the sideline to keep the chains moving on UVA’s ensuing possession, the team’s first first down since the game’s opening drive, then made another solid catch on the opposite side of the field to advance the ‘Hoos back into Duke territory. Perkins then hit tight end Tanner Cowley on the next play for 19 yards and into the red zone before connecting with Reed for another first down to the 5-yard line.

Perkins rushed down to the Duke 1 on the next snap before getting stuffed on second-and-goal. On third down, Perkins faked a give to Wayne Taulapapa and took it in himself, hurdling over a Duke defender in the process, and Virginia was on the board with 11:10 left in the half. Perkins was 4 for 5 for 67 yards on the drive. Wahoos 7, Blue Devils 0.

Duke was facing a third-and-long as Harris threw a wayward pass attempt into the waiting arms of Brenton Nelson, who returned his first pick of the season 17 yards down to the Duke 21-yard line less than a minute later. The ‘Hoos couldn’t gain much more on three consecutive rushing attempts up the middle, but Brian Delaney came on for a 30-yard field goal to push the lead to double digits with 8:01 left on the clock. Wahoos 10, Blue Devils 0.

Sophomore linebacker Noah Taylor came away with a huge stop of Harris on fourth-and-one on Duke’s next possession, giving the ball back to the ‘Hoos at the Devils’ 34-yard line. Three plays later, Perkins picked up a first down and Virginia was back in the red zone. Dubois then made another incredible, one-handed reception along the sideline, even with defensive pass interference (declined) on the play, for 12 yards down to the 2-yard line. The play was reviewed and overturned, but UVA still wound up with a first-and-goal at the 2.

After a pair of failed rushing attempts, another questionable play call out of the shotgun from the 1 resulted in a Perkins fumble into the end zone, even though it appeared that he crossed the plane of the goal line before coughing up the ball. After a lengthy review, the call was reversed and UVA took a 17-point lead after Delaney’s PAT with 1:56 left in the half. Wahoos 17, Blue Devils 0.

Duke managed just its second and third first downs of the game on the ensuing drive, but Taylor proceeded to strip Mataeo Durant of the football and Mandy Alonso pounced on it to give the ball back to the ‘Hoos with 56 ticks left around midfield. The Cavaliers couldn’t add any more points to the total, but went into the locker room with a comfortable advantage. Perkins was responsible for 152 of the team’s 153 total yards (111 passing, 41 rushing) in the opening half, as the defense held the Devils to three first downs and 73 total yards.

Third Quarter

After a dominant first half, Virginia’s Charles Snowden made another momentum-swinging play for the defense on the first play from scrimmage of the second half, falling on a Deon Jackson fumble at the Duke 21-yard line. Delaney booted a 33-yarder with 13:55 showing to add to the total before the defense forced another Duke three-and-out. Wahoos 20, Blue Devils 0.

When the ‘Hoos got it back, Dubois made a 22-yard catch down to Duke’s 31 before Tavares Kelly Jr. got the ball on a reverse for 17 more, and UVA was back in scoring position again. Perkins carried for 11 yards and a first-and-goal on the next snap, and then Taulapapa muscled his way into the end zone from three yards out with 8:13 left in the quarter to cap an eight-play, 70-yard march. Wahoos 27, Blue Devils 0.

The Devils were set up to punt for a fifth time (due to yet another three-and-out caused by the ‘Hoos) before punter Austin Parker bobbled the snap and had to run for the first down to move the sticks for just the fourth time all day. Duke could only muster five yards and were ready to punt it away again, but Parker again rushed for a first down with just under six minutes on the clock, marking the first time all day that Duke cracked into Virginia territory.

A few plays later, Harris found Scott Bracey for a 36-yard touchdown strike to finally get something going for the visitors with 4:57 left in the third. Wahoos 27, Blue Devils 7.

Reed had an immediate answer, his second kickoff return of the season from 95 yards away in just 14 seconds. Reed got around the edge and hustled down the UVA sideline, making a sweet cut to avoid potential tacklers before punching it in. Wahoos 34, Blue Devils 7.

Just three plays later, UVA linebacker Jordan Mack delivered a hit to Harris and senior Eli Hanback was there for the recovery at Duke’s 21-yard line with 3:54 on the clock. Dejon Brissett was held in the end zone by Duke corner Jeremiah Lewis to set the Cavaliers up with a first-and-goal at the 6. Perkins danced one in from three yards out to extend the lead with 2:13 remaining in the quarter, his third rushing score of the day and fifth of the season. Wahoos 41, Blue Devils 7.

With seven seconds left in the period, Joey Blount intercepted Harris and returned it 20 yards to Duke’s 40-yard line, and then Taulapapa busted loose for 31 yards, his longest carry of the season (by 17 yards) down inside the 10 to send it to the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

Taulapapa kept the momentum rolling on the first play of the quarter from nine yards out for his second TD of the day and seventh of the year with 14:54 remaining. Wahoos 48, Blue Devils 7.

With Brennan Armstrong still unable to go, sophomore backup Lindell Stone came in at quarterback to engineer an eight-play, 36-yard march inside the red zone, but was picked off on a fourth-down conversion by Duke safety Jalen Alexander in the end zone with 6:58 to go.

The Devils got a late touchdown on a 23-yard pass from their backup QB, Chris Katrenick, to Eli Pancol with 2:41 to play. Wahoos 48, Blue Devils 14.

Duke recovered a Dubois fumble on the ensuing kickoff and took over at the UVA 30-yard line, but it was a case of too little, too late for the Devils.

Team Notes

• Virginia and Duke each wore the CFB 150 logo decal on both sides of its helmet to honor the 150th anniversary of college football.
• UVA is 38-33 all-time against Duke.
• UVA is 21-11 all-time against Duke at Scott Stadium.
• UVA’s winning streak over Duke increases to five games.
• UVA’s 48 points is the most by the Cavaliers in an ACC game since scoring 48 points in a loss at Duke in 2010. It is the most in an ACC win since scoring 48 points at Miami in 2007.
• During the current five-game winning streak against Duke, the Cavaliers have recorded 12 interceptions. 
• UVA’s defense held its seventh opponent this season under 400 yards of total offense. It is the first time since 1995 that a Cavalier team started the first seven games holding an opponent under 400 yards. 
• UVA’s defense held Duke to 73 total yards in the first half, while forcing four three-and-outs.
• UVA’s offense held the ball for 21:54 in the first half.
• UVA’s 24 points in the third quarter rank No. 4 all-time in program history for points scored in the third quarter.

Player Notes

• WR Joe Reed returned two kicks for 138 yards, pushing him past 2700 career kick return yards. He is the only player in FBS history to have 2,700+ kick return yards with a career kick return average of 28+.
• Reed returned his fifth career kick return for a touchdown, going 95 yards, which is tied for the No. 8 in program history. Reed is now tied for No. 9 in FBS history and tied for No. 3 in ACC history with five career kick returns for touchdowns. 
• With 179 all-purpose yards, Reed became the ninth Cavalier in program history to record 4,000+ career all-purpose yards. 
• SS Brenton Nelson recorded his first interception of the season and the sixth of his career in the second quarter. 
• QB Bryce Perkins rushed for three touchdowns. It is his first multi-rushing touchdown game of the season and fourth of his career. 
• Perkins was responsible for 152 of UVA’s 153 yards of total offense in the first half. He passed for 111 yards and rushed for 41 yards. 
• Chris Moore finished the game with a career-high 12 tackles.

Up Next

UVA will visit Louisville (4-3, 2-2) next Saturday at 3:30 p.m.