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Oct 19, 2002
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Matt Schaub threw two second half touchdownpasses and Virginia rallied from a 21-0 halftime deficit and beat NorthCarolina 37-27 Saturday, extending its winning streak to six.
The Cavaliers (6-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) got a school record-tying100-yard kickoff return from Marquis Weeks to open the second half and neverlooked back, finally taking the lead at 28-21 on Schaub’s 35-yard scoring passto Ottowa Anderson with 11:53 to play.
Virginia has now outscored its opponents 177-76 in the second half, and fivetimes has rallied to win after trailing at the break. The comeback also was thesecond-biggest in school history, eclipsed only by a rally from a 29-7 deficitat Virginia Tech for a 36-32 victory in 1998.
The Tar Heels (2-5, 0-3), who have not won at Scott Stadium since a 17-14victory in 1981, drove inside the Cavaliers’ 10 after Weeks’ big return, butSam Aiken caught a pass a fumbled near the goaline.
The Cavaliers recovered and drove 98 yards in 12 plays with Schaub hittingBilly McMullen from 8 yards out to pull Virginia within 21-14.
Schaub was 14-for-26 for 194 yards.
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Virginia’s Alvin Pearman (21) scores on a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter. |
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The Cavaliers tied it at 21 with 13:59 left on a 2-yard touchdown dive byWali Lundy. The freshman finished with 108 yards on 18 carries.
Schaub’s pass to Anderson gave the Cavaliers the lead, and a 22-yard fieldgoal by Kurt Smith and Alvin Pearman’s 17-yard scoring run with 3:04 to playrendered a late touchdown by the Tar Heels insignificant.
The Cavaliers scored on their first five posessions of the half, and ran outto clock on the sixth after a late interception by Shernard Newby.
The Tar Heels built their lead on three touchdown passes by Darian Durant,including a 77-yard connection with Aiken. Durant, who was 15-for-19 for 226yards before leaving with an injured right thumb, also hit Jarwarski Pollockfrom 17 yards and Chesley Borders from 4 yards out.
Aiken also caught a late 14-yard scoring pass from C.J. Stephens.