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Virginia Bowl Eligible with 31-21 win Over UNC

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (6-2, 4-1 ACC) secured bowl eligibility for the second straight season with a 31-21 win over North Carolina (1-6, 1-4 ACC) on Saturday (Oct. 27) at Scott Stadium.
 
UVA’s 31 points are the most the Cavaliers have scored against the Tar Heels since registering 56 in the 2004 game. Virginia finished with 425 total yards on offense and held UNC to under 100 yards rushing for the first time this season.
 
Bryce Perkins (Queen Creek, Ariz.) finished with 217 yards passing and 112 yards rushing, while Olamide Zaccheaus (Plainfield, N.J.) notched 108 receiving yards on 10 receptions.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia scored on its first drive of the game, before North Carolina tied it up 7-7 on the ensuing drive. UVA went ahead on a 27-yard pass from Perkins to Joe Reed (Charlotte Court House, Va.), then added a 37-yard FG by Brian Delaney (Chantilly, Va.) to lead 17-7. The Cavaliers never relinquished the lead. Perkins added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Hasise Dubois (Irvington, N.J.) and a 16-yard touchdown pass to Evan Butts (Springfield, Pa.)
 

STAT LEADERS
• QB Bryce Perkins
Passing: 18-27, 217 yards, 3 TD
Rushing: 112 yards, 1 TD
 
• HB Olamide Zaccheaus
10 receptions, 108 yards
 
• CB Bryce Hall
6 tackles, 2 PBUs
 
• SS Juan Thornhill
7 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 TFL
 
• LB Chris Peace
6 tackles, 1 sack
 
NOTES
• UVA is bowl-eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 14 seasons (2002-03-04-05).
• With 10 receptions, Zaccheaus passed Billy McMullen (210) for the most career receptions in UVA history with 213 career receptions.
• On UVA’s opening drive of the game, QB Bryce Perkins was responsible for 75 of UVA’s 83 yards (22 passing, 53 rushing) which was capped by his 10-yard rushing touchdown.
• With 112 rushing yards, Perkins passed Bill Dudley (469, 1940) and Shawn Moore (505, 1989) into second place all-time at UVA for single-season quarterback rushing.
• UVA is undefeated for the first time in the month of October since 2008.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
“I’m just thrilled for our team. I’m thrilled that the new standard is being fulfilled, and part of that, again, is that we expect to win football games. We expect to play in the post-season. It’s not something to wonder or marvel about, it’s something that is real and it does happen. And that this team is doing that and has done it now back to back is a significant accomplishment and it’s worth pausing to consider what that means for Virginia Football. I think there are roots being established, I think there’s momentum that’s been generated and I think the expectation has shifted now to winning football at Virginia. I’m really excited for my team, my coaches, and thrilled for a moment to just enjoy that.”
 
UP NEXT
Virginia will remain home to host Pitt on Friday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Scott Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN 2.
 

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