Virginia Becomes Bowl Eligible For 2nd Straight Year With 31-21 Win

Virginia clinched its second straight bowl berth and moved into sole possession of first place in the ACC’s Coastal Division in the process Saturday, as Bryce Perkins rushed for a touchdown and threw three more and the Cavaliers knocked off North Carolina, 31-21, in front of a season-high 43,128 fans at Scott Stadium.

Perkins finished the contest 18 of 27 for 217 yards and the three TD tosses, while adding 112 yards and a score on 21 carries. Jordan Ellis got the start at running back after sitting out the second half last week and missing practice most of the week. Ellis had 16 carries for 64 yards.

Olamide Zaccheaus broke the school’s receptions record in the third quarter, passing Cavalier legend Billy McMullen for first place on the all-time list. Zaccheaus led the ‘Hoos (6-2, 4-1 ACC) with 108 receiving yards on 10 grabs, while adding a pair of carries for 30 yards.

Perkins accounted for 75 of the 83 yards gained —whether by run or pass — on the game’s opening drive, capped by his own 10-yard trot into the end zone to give the ‘Hoos a quick 7-0 spot with 8:13 left in the first quarter.

‪UNC (1-6, 1-4) temporarily quieted the crowd as the Tar Heels converted a crucial fourth-down conversion before Nathan Elliott found Dazz Newsome on the following play from 30 yards out to tie it at 7-7 with 3:50 left in the opening quarter.

Perkins rolled out right on the ensuing drive and delivered a ball to Joe Reed, who made an over-the-shoulder grab in the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown to push the lead to 14-7 with 57 seconds left in the first.

Zaccheaus set things up with a nice 29-yard run followed by a nine-yard reception on the following play to put the Cavaliers in scoring position.

Perkins threw a pick after a Carolina punt, but the defense forced a three-and-out and the ‘Hoos got a 37-yard field goal on the board from Brian Delaney, and UVa led 17-7 with 7:32 remaining in the half.

‪Elliott answered with a quick strike to Carl Tucker from 16 yards out with five minutes left and Carolina cut it to 17-14 at the half.

The Heels got the ball first out of the break, and Juan Thornhill broke up a pass on third down to force a Carolina punt, the first of three straight UNC three-and-outs to start the second half.

It took just four plays and one minute before the ‘Hoos were back in the end zone, as Perkins hit Hasise Dubois, who made an adjustment and spun away from would-be tacklers and across the goal line to push the lead back to 10, 24-14, less than two minutes into the second half.

Neither side could get much going until Chris Peace sacked Elliott on a 3rd-and-10 late in the quarter, knocking the ball loose, and Bryce Hall recovered with 1:13 left in the quarter at the Carolina 35-yard line.

Zaccheaus caught his school-record 211th pass on the final play of the third quarter, a 17-yard pickup that put the ‘Hoos in the red zone heading into the final period of play.

On the next snap on the other end of the field from the Carolina 16, Perkins absorbed a big hit but threaded the needle to tight end Evan Butts for six, and the Wahoos led 31-14 early in the fourth.

Michael Carter got the Heels back within 10 on a 1-yard plunge with 7:21 remaining, but that’s as close as the visitors would get, as Charles Snowden pressured Elliott into a fourth-down incompletion with 2:08 to play.

The Cavaliers put up 423 of total yards unofficially, outrushing the Heels, 206-66.

Virginia will have a short week to prepare for its Friday-night primetime Coastal Division showdown against Pittsburgh at 7 p.m.