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Virginia Tops Liberty, 45-24, in Home Finale

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – It its first ever meeting against in-state foe Liberty (4-5), Virginia (7-3) emerged victorious, 45-24 in the final home game of the season. The win clinched the Cavaliers' first winning season since 2011.

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – It its first ever meeting against in-state foe Liberty (4-5), Virginia (7-3) emerged victorious, 45-24 in the final home game of the season. The win clinched the Cavaliers’ first winning season since 2011.
 
Quarterback Bryce Perkins (Queen Creek, Ariz.) accounted for four of Virginia’s six touchdowns on the afternoon, rushing for two and throwing for two more. Perkins finished the day with 106 yards on the ground and was 14-for-22 passing for 168 yards.

HOW IT HAPPENED
A seven-point game after the first two quarters, Virginia’s Joe Reed (Charlotte Court House, Va.) took the opening kickoff of the second half 90 yards for a touchdown. The return sparked a second half that saw the Cavaliers outscore Liberty, 21-7. Reed was the recipient of the game’s final score, a six-yard TD pass from Perkins.

  

 
 
STAT LEADERS
• QB Bryce Perkins
Passing: 14-22, 168 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing: 9 attempts, 90 yards, 2 TD
 
• RB Jordan Ellis
25 attempts, 106 yards, TC

• WR Olamide Zaccheaus
7 receptions, 86 yards
 
• SS Juan Thornhill
13 tackles, INT (5)
 
NOTES
• With seven wins, Virginia clinches its first winning season since going 8-5 in 2011.
• UVA forced an opponent to throw three interceptions for the second time this season (Miami).
• With 89 rushing yards, QB Bryce Perkins becomes the first UVA QB with 1,500+ passing yards and 600+ rushing yards in the same season.
• Perkins finished the game with two rushing touchdowns. It is the third time this season Perkins has rushed for two touchdowns in a game. 
• With 106 rushing yards, Jordan Ellis passed 100 yards rushing for the third time in 2018 and for the fourth time in his career
• The 90-yard kick return for a touchdown by Reed is tied for the 11th-longest in program history.
• Reed now becomes the only Cavalier with at least three kick returns of 90 yards or more. Reed had a 98-yard return for a touchdown in the Military Bowl against Navy last season and a 92-yard kick return for a touchdown against Georgia Tech.
• HB Olamide Zaccheaus extends his active streak with a reception to 39 games

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
“If you step back for just a second, we were in this room three seasons ago and we were 2-10. Now we’re bowl eligible and now we’re a winning program, and there’s been a lot that’s happened in a pretty short amount of time. And so, for our seniors, I don’t really know how to describe it any better than that they have caused it and I’m so proud of them. I’m so happy for them to see the success come, because we ask a lot. I don’t give them anything they don’t earn and they just keep coming back and working. I’m really happy for them, in a fairly short amount of time, to have a turn of a program that’s happening like it is. They’re the ones who are responsible.” – Bronco Mendenhall

UP NEXT
Virginia will return to ACC play next Saturday (Nov. 17) with a road contest at Georgia Tech. Kick is set for 3:30 and the game will air live on RSN.
 
 

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