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Sept. 11, 2004
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By LARRY O’DELL
Associated Press Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Wali Lundy scored three touchdowns and Marquis Weeks returned a kickoff 100 yards against North Carolina for the second timein three years to give No. 15 Virginia a 56-24 victory on Saturday.
The Cavaliers’ offensive line manhandled the Tar Heels’ defensive front,opening big holes for Lundy and fullback Jason Snelling as Virginia puttogether scoring drives of 77, 68, 97, 79, 90 and 47 yards.
Virginia (2-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) did not punt until 14:31 leftin the game, and then only because a personal foul penalty moved the Cavaliersout of field goal range.
Snelling ran for 80 yards and Lundy for 73 as the Cavaliers gained 549 totalyards, 297 on the ground.
Weeks, whose school record-tying 100-yard kickoff return sparked Virginia’s37-27 come-from-behind victory over North Carolina two years ago, took awaywhat little momentum North Carolina (1-1, 0-1 ACC) could muster by doing itagain.
After Darian Durant connected with Derrelle Mitchell on a 7-yard touchdownpass in the second period to cut Virginia’s lead to 21-7, Weeks took theensuing kickoff up the middle, broke to the left and picked up a wall ofblockers to just inside the left pylon.
Alvin Pearman nearly matched Weeks’ feat with a 93-yard kickoff return inthe fourth quarter. He was tripped up by Hikee Taylor at the 1, and he scoredfrom there on the next play.
The Tar Heels moved inside the Virginia 10 on two other occasions in thefirst half but managed only a 22-yard field goal by Connor Barth. Their otherpossession ended at the Virginia 3 when defensive end Chris Canty stuffedRonnie McGill for a 1-yard loss on fourth down.
North Carolina scored a pair of second-half touchdowns after the game wasout of reach. Chad Scott caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from backupquarterback Matt Baker, then scored on a 1-yard run set up by a 46-yard passfrom Baker to Daunte Fields.
Virginia even worked in a trick play, a 32-yard flanker pass from EmmanuelByers to a sliding Michael McGrew on Virginia’s 97-yard touchdown drive. Aftera 25-yard run by Snelling, Lundy scored standing up from the 8, one of histhree first-half touchdowns.