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By Anne Larimer Hart, Athletics Media Relations
The big question coming into the game today: could Virginia maintain its home winning streak against the North Carolina Tar Heels?
Virginia had not lost to the Tar Heels in Charlottesville since 1981, a streak of 13 games. In more than a few of the games, like this one, North Carolina was favored to win. Coming into this UVa-UNC game, the Tar Heels were ranked No. 18 in this week’s Associated Press poll.
It looks like the Tar Heels will have to wait another two years to break the streak, though.
In overtime, the Virginia defense held North Carolina to just a field goal. When the time came for Virginia’s offense to take its turn, senior tailback Cedric Peerman scored the final touchdown for the 16-13 win. Virginia fans poured from the stands, rushing the field for the first time in years.
After a painful 31-3 loss against Duke, the Cavaliers came back to Charlottesville for the next two games looking like a new team. After shutting out Maryland 31-0 on Oct. 4, Virginia beat East Carolina 35-20 in Charlottesville on Oct. 11, head coach Al Groh attributed the mid-season transformation to the team coming together and finding a cohesive determination.
“We clearly think over the last three weeks we’re starting to find our identity, which is a tough-minded, stick-together, purposeful team with a lot of resolve,” Groh said. “There’s a lot of trust and unity on the team.”
Once again, Peerman led the Cavaliers in rushing yards and scored both Virginia touchdowns. Peerman ran all over Carolina’s offense in 2007, rushing a career-high 186 yards. This game required different tactics than the ECU game, in which Peerman ran for two long touchdowns. North Carolina’s defense held strong throughout much of the game, forcing the Cavalier offense to rely on short passes and rushes.
“They were tough all day,” Peerman said. “We had a tough time getting a push and running the ball at some points, but we knew we just had to keep pounding. Every run isn’t going to be a 60-yard touchdown, and we just had to stick with our game plan.”
Historically in the Virginia-Carolina rivalry, the team with the most offensive yardage has pulled out the win. After Virginia’s tough offensive start to the game, it was up to the teams’ defenses to battle it out.
“The first half couldn’t have gone worse for us,” said sophomore quarterback Marc Verica. “I was making bad decisions, we were being penalized, and we just couldn’t move the ball. Coming out we knew we had to stay focused and execute and put ourselves in a position to win. The defense really stepped up huge all day, and we were able to get the win.”
Verica had his first start in the game against Connecticut and has since stepped up as a worthy leader. In the last two minutes of the regulation, Verica drove the team 83 yards for the touchdown, completing pass after pass and inspiring fervor in his teammates.
“Marc was amazing out there,” said senior captain Clint Sintim said. “From watching him play, you would have never guess he is a sophomore. He was cool and collected in a big time situation, and made some great plays to get us the win.”