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Defense Propels UVA to 16-13 Win Over No. 16 Miami

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –Virginia (4-2, 2-1 ACC) held on for a 16-13 win over Miami (5-2, 2-1 ACC) on Saturday evening at Scott Stadium.
 
The Cavaliers had 231 total yards to 339 for Miami. UVA never trailed in the game, scoring the first 10 points of the contest. Virginia’s defense held the Hurricanes without a first down in four of their first five drives.
 
Senior Juan Thornhill (Altavista, Va.) nabbed two interceptions and Joey Blount (Atlanta, Ga.) had one to lead the defense. Senior Jordan Ellis (Suwanee, Ga.) had a seven-yard touchdown run and Brian Delaney (Chantilly, Va.) was 3-for-3 on field goals, scoring his first career field goal in the second quarter.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UVA was leading 16-6 before Miami drove 93 yards for a touchdown to make it 16-13. On the onside kick attempt, Evan Butts (Springfield, Pa.) grabbed the kick and returned it for 30 yards to give UVA the ball at the 27. A personal foul penalty on Miami gave UVA the first down to keep possession. Virginia kicked the field goal to go ahead 19-13, but a roughing the kicker penalty on Miami made it a UVA first down with 30 seconds to go as the Cavaliers ran down the clock and take the win 16-13.
 

STAT LEADERS
• PK Brian Delaney
3/3 FG, 1/1 XP, long 46 yards
 
• RB Jordan Ellis
86 yards, 1 TD
 
• LB Zane Zandier
9 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1.0 TFL
 
• SS Juan Thornhill
6 tackles, 2 INT, 86 return yards
 
NOTES
• UVA defeated a ranked team for the first time since beating then-No. 21 Louisville in 2014 at Scott Stadium.
• UVA is 47-45-2 all-time on Homecomings, winning for the first time since beating Syracuse in triple overtime in 2015.
• Delaney connected on a 46-yard field goal, his second of the game, to close the first half. It was UVA’s first field goal of 40+ yards since Ian Frye connected on two 42-yard field goals against Virginia Tech in 2015.
• UVA made three field goals in the same game for the first time since going 3-of-3 against Georgia Tech in 2017.
• UVA held Miami without a touchdown in the first half, marking the fourth half this season UVA has held an opponent without a touchdown.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
“It looked like they wanted to play and they were anxious to play regardless of the circumstance and they felt confident. I sensed that during the week and that they delivered was phenomenal. The fourth down stops as well, they just kept answering the bell. Miami is a turnover producing, momentum gaining, change of possession exploiting team. Our defense answered and didn’t allow that all to happen. They squelched the momentum before it ever got away from us. My hat’s off to our coaches and players, secondary especially, making just tons of plays down the field.”

UP NEXT
Virginia will be on the road next week at Duke. The Cavaliers and Blue Devils are set for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff on the ACC Regional Sports Network.
 

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