FINAL: No. 25 Virginia 31, Florida State 24

Virginia is 3-0 for the first time in 14 years after holding off Florida State in a thrilling finish at Scott Stadium Saturday night. Senior quarterback Bryce Perkins threw for 295 yards and a touchdown, Wayne Taulapapa returned to the lineup and scored three rushing touchdowns, and the Wahoos (3-0, 2-0 ACC) rallied from a second-half deficit and held on for the win.

Perkins was 17 for 19 passing in the second half alone as the ‘Hoos racked up 415 total yards and held Florida State to 95 yards rushing. UVA dominated the time of possession, 39 minutes and 44 seconds to 20 minutes and 16 seconds.

See below for a full recap:

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: FSU — Cam Akers 18-78; Khalan Laborn 3-27; Keyshawn Helton 1-5; TEAM 1-(-4). UVA — Wayne Taulapapa 18-53; Bryce Perkins 12-46; PK Kier 1-(-1).

PASSING: FSU — James Blackman 22-37-0-234. UVA — Bryce Perkins 30-40-2-295.

RECEIVING: FSU — Tamorrion Terry 4-78; Tre’ McKitty 4-70; Keyshawn Helton 5-34; Tre’Shaun Harrison 1-18; Khalan Laborn 2-11; Gabe Nabers 1-10; Cam Akers 3-9; Ontaria Wilson 2-4. UVA — Terrell Jana 7-85; Joe Reed 8-83; Hasise Dubois 7-75; Tanner Cowley 3-21; Billy Kemp 2-20; Lamont Atkins 3-11.

Attendance — 57,826.

Game Statistics

First Quarter

Virginia received the opening kick and had things working, as Bryce Perkins connected on his first four pass attempts and drove the ‘Hoos down to the FSU 20-yard line. However, Perkins threw his third interception of the season on a third-and-five to FSU’s Asante Samuel Jr.

The Seminoles got the ball up around midfield on their initial drive, but an ineligible man downfield penalty put them into a third-and-15 and Bryce Hall was there to break up the pass.

The teams traded punts until late in the period when the ‘Hoos struck first. Perkins scrambled for a first down and the Seminoles were flagged for a facemask on the play, moving the ball to the FSU 36. Brian Delaney kicked a career-long 49-yard field goal with 45 seconds left. Wahoos 3, Seminoles 0.

Second Quarter

FSU took over from the UVA 39-yard line after pinning the Cavaliers deep to start the quarter, and a Joey Blount late hit moved the ball inside the UVA 30 on the first play of the drive. James Blackman hit Tamorrion Terry for 18 yards to set up first-and-goal, and then found Gabe Nabers for a 10-yard touchdown on the next play with 12:21 left in the half. Seminoles 7, Wahoos 3.

Virginia answered quickly, picking up a key 28-yard reception by Terrell Jana into Seminole territory. Perkins scrambled for 16 on the ensuing snap, then hit Joe Reed for 14 to set up a first-and-goal from the FSU 7-yard line. After a Seminole penalty, Wayne Taulapapa trotted in from three yards out to put the Cavaliers back on top with 8:58 on the clock. Wahoos 10, Seminoles 7.

The ‘Hoos forced a punt on a solid pass breakup on third down by Nick Grant, but Perkins was sacked on third down on the ensuing drive and the ‘Noles got it back with 3:23 showing from their own 13-yard line. Virginia Beach native Khalan Laborn ran for 36 yards into Cavalier territory before Blackman hooked up with tight end Tre’ McKitty for another 28 yards down to the 5-yard line. Blackman hit Cam Akers from three yards out to give the Seminoles the four-point halftime edge with 38 seconds to play. Seminoles 14, Wahoos 10.

Third Quarter

The ‘Noles got the ball to start the second half but punted when Grant was there on coverage to break up another third-down pass. The ‘Hoos couldn’t do much with it after committing a pair of penalties and giving up another Perkins sack.

Ricky Aguayo kicked a 53-yard field goal with 5:48 on the clock for the only points of the period. Seminoles 17, Wahoos 10.

Fourth Quarter

The ‘Hoos began the fourth with a 1st down at FSU’s 16-yard line, and on the second play of the period, Perkins connected with Joe Reed from 13 yards out to tie the ballgame with 14:15 on the clock. Wahoos 17, Seminoles 17.

The Seminoles answered with a 7-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Helton with 11:42 to go. Seminoles 24, Wahoos 17.

Perkins then engineered another 75-yard march of his own that included four Florida State penalties, one of which gave Virginia the ball at the Seminoles’ 11-yard line, and then a facemask on the very next snap moved the ball to the 1, where Taulapapa plunged in to cut it to one. Delaney misfired on the extra point, the first such miss of his Wahoo career (37 for 37 prior), with 6:02 remaining. Seminoles 24, Wahoos 23.

After the UVA defense forced a quick three-and-out, it took just six plays for Perkins and the Cavaliers to go ahead to stay. Reed hustled 22 yards on a draw play, and then Hasise Dubois picked up another 25 yards two plays later to advance the ball into the red zone with under four minutes to go. On an incomplete pass to Taulapapa, FSU was whistled for targeting, giving the ‘Hoos a first-and-goal. Taulapapa scored his third touchdown of the night two plays later, and Perkins evaded several tackles before dancing into the end zone on the two-point conversion with 2:34 on the clock. It was a five-play, 72-yard possession. Wahoos 31, Seminoles 24.

Florida State’s final possession was an adventure, as it looked like Virginia wrapped up the game on two separate occasions, but penalties kept the Seminoles alive. Charles Snowden tipped a Blackman pass before a big sack third-down by Noah Taylor, but Grant was called for pass interference after appearing to break up a pass on fourth down with 1:21 to go. To make matters worse, the UVA bench was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct to add an extra 15 yards onto the play, and FSU had it at the 50-yard line with plenty of time to strike.

On a fourth-and-five from the UVA 45, Blackman’s pass fell incomplete for McKitty, but Jordan Mack was called for roughing the passer. Two plays later, Bryce Hall committed a pass interference penalty, giving FSU the ball at the 16 with 25 ticks remaining. Zane Zandier tripped Blackman up on first down before an incomplete pass into the end zone on second, and then Helton hauled in a pass in the waning seconds inside the 5-yard line to set up what turned out to be the final play of the game. Akers got the ball and tried to find his way around the edge, but was stopped by a gang of tacklers and the Wahoo faithful began to spill out onto the field to celebrate.

Team Notes

• UVA is 4-15 all-time against Florida State.
• UVA is 3-6 all-time against FSU at Scott Stadium.
• UVA has started a season 3-0 for the first time since 2005 when the Cavaliers also started 3-0.
• UVA is 2-0 to start ACC play for the first time since 2017 and for the second time in four seasons under Bronco Mendenhall.
• Ranked No. 25 by the Associated Press this week, UVA won a game as a ranked team for the first time since winning at Miami (48-0) in 2007 as the nation’s No. 23 team per the AP.
• UVA held FSU to a season-low 329 yards of total offense. 
• UVA’s defense has not allowed an offensive touchdown in 8-of-12 quarters this season.
• UVA is 62-47-1 all-time in night games, including 6-4 under Bronco Mendenhall.

Player Notes

• In the first quarter Brian Delaney booted a career-long 49-yard field goal. His previous long was 46 yards against Miami in 2018. 
• Terrell Jana finished with a career-high seven receptions and a career-high 85 receiving yards. 
• Bryce Perkins finished the game with 295 passing yards. It was the first time this season and eighth time in his career he has thrown for 200+ yards.
• Perkins finished the game with one passing touchdown. He has thrown for at least one touchdown in 15 of his 16 career games with Virginia.
• Perkins finished with a career-high 30 completions and a career-high 41 pass attempts.
• Perkins was 17-19 in the second half, including 16 consecutive completions. 
• Joe Reed set a career high with eight receptions.
• Wayne Taulapapa rushed for a career-high three touchdowns.
• Taulapapa is the first Cavalier to rush for three touchdowns since Jordan Ellis against Ohio last year. 
• Hasise Dubois had a career-long 35-yard reception in the fourth quarter on UVA’s winning touchdown drive.

Up Next

The Cavaliers (3-0, 2-0 ACC) face Old Dominion (1-1, 0-0 Conference USA) for the first-ever meeting between the schools at Scott Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.