Virginia Scores Defining Win Over Miami As Fans Storm The Field

It was a defining moment for the University of Virginia football program Saturday night, as the Cavaliers (4-2, 2-1 ACC) overcame giveaways with their own takeaways, handing No. 16 Miami its second loss of the season and first in five games, 16-13, in front of an energetic Scott Stadium crowd.

The Virginia defense registered several important stops throughout the contest, notching three turnovers and holding the Hurricanes to 4 of 11 on third-down conversions.

With the game on the line in the waning moments, Miami committed two penalties, the latter a game-sealing roughing the kicker penalty with 30 seconds left, and the Virginia student body poured onto the field to celebrate, as Miami had no timeouts remaining.

Bryce Perkins threw for 92 yards and rushed for 61, Jordan Ellis had 89 total yards and the Cavaliers’ lone touchdown, and Brian Delaney nailed the first three field goals of his career to ice the signature victory thus far of the Bronco Mendenhall tenure.

Perkins threw just his fifth interception of the season on the game’s first drive. It was one of the few bad decisions he’s made this season, as he awkwardly released off his back foot and into the hands of a waiting Trajan Bandy.

The Cavaliers came away with a huge early 4th-down stop, but two penalties and a sack on ensuing possession led to a punt.

The teams went on to trade INTs on the next two drives, with Joey Blount’s leading to the game’s first points. Blount snagged a N’Kosi Perry wayward delivery and took it 31 yards to midfield. Perkins led an 8-play, 43-yard drive — aided by a 15-yard Miami personal foul — as Brian Delaney made his first career field goal from 26 yds out, and UVa led 3-0 with 13:46 left in the second quarter.

On the ensuing possession, Juan Thornhill kept the momentum rolling with an interception and 62-yd return down to the Miami 7. Jordan Ellis plunged into the end zone two plays later to make it 10-0 with 11:16 left in the first half.

The ‘Hoos came up with another key third-down stop to force a Miami punt, but Perkins was again picked off on next snap — his third of the half — as Bandy wrestled away his second takeaway from Hasise Dubois down the Virginia sideline.

A blown assignment in the secondary led to UM backup quarterback (and former starter) Malik Rosier finding a wide-open Lawrence Cager to put the ‘Canes in scoring position to the UVa 22. The Wahoo defense held again on third down as Mandy Alonso and Zane Zandier combined for a nine-yard sack, but the visitors got on the board on a Bubba Baxa 47-yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 7:15 left in the first half.

After Virginia’s first three-and-out of the contest, Travis Homer hustled 70 yards and looked like he was taking it to the house, but Bryce Hall chased him down at the 15 to save the touchdown. Baxa kicked a 28-yarder to cut it to 10-6 with 3:11 left in the half.

With time winding down, Perkins guided the offense down to Miami’s 29-yard line and the ‘Hoos took their final timeout with :04 left. Delaney delivered as time expired, this time a booming 46-yarder — the longest by a UVa kicker since Ian Frye in 2015 — and Virginia took a 13-6 lead into the locker room.

A long Miami drive to start the second half ended with another crucial play by the Cavalier defense, as Trayone Gray was stood up by Charles Snowden and Malcolm Cook on 4th-and-1 from the UVa 24-yard line, and Virginia took over with 8:59 left in the third.

Following a pair of punts, Delaney made a 32-yard field goal, his third of the night (and his career) after a long 16-play, 73-yard drive that took 8:35 off the clock, and Virginia led 16-6 with 10:49 to play.

On the next Miami possession, Thornhill snagged his second interception of the night and returned it 24 yards, sending the majority of the 42,393 in attendance at Scott Stadium into a frenzy as the ‘Hoos took control from their own 43 with 8:53 to go.

Miami put together an 11-play, 93-yard drive in 4:38, capped by a Rosier 11-yard scramble, and Baxa’s point after cut it to three with 3:04 remaining, quieting the crowd.

That is until Evan Butts recovered the ensuing onside kick 27 yards off abounce down the Miami sideline, setting up the final exciting moments.

Miami outgained the Cavaliers, 339-231, but the final score was all that mattered as the ‘Hoos broke another rock at game’s end.