FINAL: No. 21 Virginia 28, Old Dominion 17

No. 21 Virginia erased a 17-point, first-half deficit in its first-ever meeting with Old Dominion, as the Cavaliers remained undefeated on the season with 28 unanswered points to move to 4-0, 28-17, Saturday at Scott Stadium.

UVA (4-0, 2-0 ACC) blanked the Monarchs (1-2, 0-0 Conference USA), 21-0, in the second half, as Bryce Perkins threw for 175 yards and rushed for another 35, a team high. Wayne Taulapapa scored his fifth rushing touchdown on the year, and the UVA defense made up for early miscues with numerous big, timely plays throughout the second half.

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: ODU — Kesean Strong 13-39; Lala Davis 4-15; Blake Watson 6-13; Matt Geiger 1-7; Robert Washington 4-1; Stone Smartt 16-(-11). UVA — Bryce Perkins 14-35; Wayne Taulapapa 11-33; PK Kier 2-5; Tavares Kelly Jr. 1-1; Lindell Stone 1-(-5).

PASSING: ODU — Stone Smartt 16-26-1-206. UVA — Bryce Perkins 15-24-0-175.

RECEIVING: ODU — Kesean Strong 4-39; Marcus Joyner 3-32; Jake Herslow 2-34; Lala Davis 2-(-9); Matt Geiger 1-47; Chris Cunningham 1-26; Blake Watson 1-25; Donta Anthony 1-8; Eric Kumah 1-4. UVA — Joe Reed 4-40; Terrell Jana 3-25; Tavares Kelly Jr. 2-23; Hasise Dubois 2-21; Billy Kemp IV 2-10; Lamont Atkins 1-34; Tanner Cowley 1-22.

Attendance — 44,573.

Game Statistics

First Quarter

Old Dominion won the toss and elected to receive, and looked to have an early firework with a long return on the game’s opening kick, but a holding call brought it back to the Monarchs’ 22-yard line. Quarterback Stone Smartt led a solid opening drive down inside the UVA 5-yard line and settled for a 21-yard Nick Rice field goal with 7:22 on the clock. Monarchs 3, Wahoos 0.

After a Cavalier punt, Smartt threw a 28-yard pass into the UVA red zone and four plays later ran it in himself from 10 yards out to silence the Scott Stadium crowd with 3:37 left in the period. Monarchs 10, Wahoos 0.

The ‘Hoos moved the ball a little on their second offensive possession, but the drive stalled on an incomplete third-down pass, and ODU took over deep in its own territory with 22 seconds left in the quarter.

Second Quarter

Smartt connected with running back Matt Geiger on a third-and-seven from the 47-yard line, and Geiger made a pair of UVA defenders miss on his way to the house with 10:32 until halftime. Monarchs 17, Wahoos 0.

Joe Reed ran the ensuing kickoff 57 yards to the ODU 33-yard line to finally get something going for the home team. It took Bryce Perkins just six plays to get the ‘Hoos on the board, as he scrambled on a fourth-and-two and eluded would-be tacklers on the way into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the season with 6:57 left in the half. Monarchs 17, Wahoos 7.

Third Quarter

UVA received the opening kick of the second half but couldn’t get much going, losing a yard on a PK Kier carry from midfield on third down with a yard to go, and the ‘Hoos had to punt to start the second half. On the ensuing ODU drive, Charles Snowden applied heavy pressure to Smartt, who was subsequently picked off by Zane Zandier, who hustled in 22 yards to cut the Monarchs’ lead to three and swing the momentum in Virginia’s favor exactly five minutes into the period. Monarchs 17, Wahoos 14.

Fourth Quarter

The Cavaliers had a fourth and one to begin the final period, and were in punt formation before drawing ODU offsides to keep the chains moving. A career-long, 34-yard reception two plays later by Lamont Atkins moved the ball down to the ODU 27-yard line. After three short runs, Brian Delaney came on for a 37-yard field goal attempt to tie it, but Old Dominion was able to get a hand on it and block it.

ODU took over at its own 20, but came up short on a crucial fourth-and-one from the 29 three plays later thanks to a Joey Blount tackle for loss, and Virginia had it back with excellent field position and plenty of time on the clock.

On the very next play, Perkins connected with Tanner Cowley for 22 yards to set up first and goal, and then Wayne Taulapapa ran in his fifth rushing touchdown of the year to give the ‘Hoos their first lead of the night with 10:16 to play. Wahoos 21, Monarchs 17.

After an ODU three-and-out, Perkins found Joe Reed on a sweet 25-yard hookup for six to put the Cavaliers in control with 7:33 to play. Wahoos 28, Monarchs 17.

Team Notes

• Saturday was the first game in the football series between UVA and Old Dominion. 
• Virginia has returned two interceptions for touchdowns this season.
• UVA trailed ODU 17-0 but scored 28 unanswered points. It was Virginia’s biggest comeback since trailing 21-0 versus North Carolina at the half in 2002. 
• Virginia improved to 4-0 with the win over ODU, the first 4-0 start to a season by the Cavaliers since the 2004 team started 5-0.
• Virginia’s defense held Old Dominion to 46 total yards of offense in the second half.

Player Notes

• ILB Jordan Mack extended his FBS-leading active sack streak to six games. He shares the lead with Ohio State’s DL Chase Young. Mack finished the game with one sack and currently has 7.0 sacks during his current streak. 
• ILB Zane Zandier intercepted his first career pass in the third quarter and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown. It is the second UVA interception by a linebacker this season (Matt Gahm at Pitt). 
• Zandier’s INT is the first pick-six by a UVA linebacker since Byron Thweatt returned an interception 53 yards against Virginia Tech in 1998.
• With 40 receiving yards, WR Joe Reed becomes the 40th Cavalier all-time to reach 1,000-career receiving yards. He reached the plateau on his 25-yard receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter. 
• TB Wayne Taulapapa put UVA up in the fourth quarter with his fifth rushing touchdown of the season on a seven-yard scamper. 
• With one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown, QB Bryce Perkins has rushed and passed for a touchdown in a game for the eighth time in his UVA career. 
• RB Lamont Atkins had a career-long 34-yard reception in the fourth quarter.

Up Next

The Cavaliers (4-0, 2-0 ACC) hit the road to face Notre Dame Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in South Bend. The game will be nationally televised by NBC.