Virginia Shuts Out South Carolina in Belk Bowl, 28-0
Posted on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, 3:28 pm
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CHARLOTTE — Virginia junior quarterback Bryce Perkins threw three touchdown passes to senior receiver Olamide Zaccheaus as the Cavaliers won their first bowl game in 13 years, defeating South Carolina 28-0 Saturday in the Belk Bowl.
The Wahoos (8-5) claimed their first bowl win since a 34-31 win over Minnesota in the 2005 Music City Bowl, dominating the time of possession (42:32 to 17:24) in front of 48,263 at Bank of America Stadium.
Senior running back Jordan Ellis rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown, becoming the 15th Cavalier all time to rush for 1,000 yards or more in a season, while the Wahoo defense pitched a shutout and held the Gamecocks to just 12 first downs and 43 rushing yards on the day.
The Gamecocks (7-6) won the coin toss and elected to receive, and quarterback Jake Bentley rolled out to the right and had running back Rico Dowdle open for a first down on 4th & short, but Dowdle bobbled the catch and the ball was turned over on downs at the Virginia 42-yard line.
The Cavaliers couldn’t get much going on their initial drive and the teams traded punts before the game’s first scoring drive. After a booming 59-yard Carolina punt, Perkins and the ‘Hoos started the ensuing possession from their own 23.
Thirteen plays and 77 yards later, Virginia’s all-time leading receiver, Zaccheaus, capped off the 6-minute, 31-second march with his fourth catch of the drive as Perkins found him in the back of the end zone on a crucial 4th & 2 from the Gamecocks’ 6-yard line, and Virginia grabbed a 7-0 lead with 3:30 left in the opening quarter. Zaccheaus, who was named Belk Bowl MVP, had 30 yards receiving on the drive, along with a 10-yard carry.
Bentley led a 12-play drive to the Cavaliers’ 28-yard line, but Parker White’s 45-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right just 13 seconds into the second quarter. Juan Thornhill and Bryce Hall came away with big stops on consecutive plays to stall the SC momentum and force the FG try.
After each team had to punt, Perkins orchestrated another long scoring drive, this time 14 plays for 90 yards, taking 8:10 off the clock. Starting from the shadow of his own end zone at the UVA 10, Perkins led the ‘Hoos to the SC 31-yard line for another big play, a 3rd & 2 with time winding down. Ellis got the call and kept his legs churning for 2 yards and a fresh set of downs. Four plays later, Ellis ran it in from 9 yards out for his 10th touchdown of the season and 19th of his Cavalier career. The 5-foot-10, 225-pounder carried the rock 7 times for 28 yards on the scoring drive, which gave the ‘Hoos a 14-0 lead with just 42 seconds left in the first half.
Virginia got the ball back to start the second half but punted it away after advancing to midfield. A 10-yard Jordan Mack sack of Bentley on 3rd & 3 from the SC 23 forced another punt and gave the ‘Hoos great starting field position at the SC 39. Perkins scrambled for 9 yards on 3rd & 6 from the Gamecocks’ 14-yard line, and then after a 5-yard UVA penalty for five men in the backfield, Perkins hit Zaccheaus on a 10-yard slant over the middle, and he darted into the end zone for his second TD of the day and eighth of the year, extending the Cavalier lead to 21-0 with 7:14 left in the third quarter.
The UVA defense forced a punt and a turnover on downs on South Carolina’s next two possessions, and then after a Hasise Dubois fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter, Juan Thornhill snagged his team-leading sixth interception of the season and returned it 54 yards to just outside the red zone. Brian Delaney missed wide left, however, on a 33-yard attempt with 12:22 to play, but the Cavaliers still enjoyed the 21-point advantage.
After a Carolina 3-and-out and fifth punt of the day, Perkins threw his third TD pass of the day — again to Zaccheaus — who motioned right and sat out in the flat, then made a slant cut and Perkins threaded the needle for six to make it 28-0 with 6:54 to play. On the drive, Ellis rushed three times for 12 yards, making him the first Wahoo rusher to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season since Kevin Parks in 2013. He needed just 80 going into the game to reach the milestone mark.
Perkins was 22 for 31 on the afternoon for 207 yards and the 3 passing touchdowns, and also rushed 15 times for 81 yards. Zaccheaus hauled in 12 passes for 100 yards in his final game as a Cavalier.
