Twenty-four seasons removed from handing Florida State its first Atlantic Coast Conference loss, the University of Virginia football program notched another classic victory over the Seminoles in front of an energized Scott Stadium crowd Saturday night.
Playing in front of 57,826 strong – the best turnout in Scott Stadium since Notre Dame came to Charlottesville in 2015 – the Associated Press no. 25 Cavaliers displayed resiliency, grit, talent and poise while overcoming an unranked but talented Florida State (1-2) squad.
“I’d like to credit first Coach [Willie] Taggart and Florida State,” an exhausted but beaming Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall said following his team’s gutty 31-24 victory. “They played hard and they played a full and complete game right to the very last play. Anyone that was in the stadium today witnessed an amazing football game with two teams trying as hard as they could try to win. I felt lucky to be part of it. I’m really proud of my players and staff. The work they put in and to have another tangible takeaway that progress is being made and then to have so many people come and support us was so gratifying to not only myself but to my staff and the players. I think they’ve worked really hard and have earned the chance to have that kind of support so it was gratifying to see and feel it and to recognize it. [The fan support] had an impact on the game. It helped us win. I’m appreciative of that.”
Virginia, which had trailed for just three minutes and 44 seconds combined in wins at Pittsburgh and against William & Mary to open the 2019 season, found itself behind Florida State, 14-10, at halftime thanks to two second quarter touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback James Blackman. The second score – a 3-yard strike from Blackman to star junior running back Cam Akers – came with just 38 seconds left in the second quarter.
Ricky Aguayo’s 53-yard field goal would be the only score of the third quarter, giving Florida State a 17-10 advantage heading into the decisive fourth. From there, a good game blossomed into a great one.
Mendenhall stated before the season that UVA quarterback Bryce Perkins needed to deliver in critical situations. Well, he delivered Saturday night, orchestrating three-straight touchdown drives to close out the game and help secure the victory for the homestanding Hoos. Perkins followed up a first half of mixed results – he completed 13-of-21 passes for 138 yards and two interceptions – with a brilliant second half performance.
“I just had to slow it down,” said Perkins, who completed 17-of-20 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown in the second half versus Florida State. “It was an exciting game and the atmosphere was really exciting. At halftime I had to slow it down for myself and get back to the basics. I’m at my best when I’m calm and collected, able to do the things I know how to do and that I’ve been practicing all week. I think we all slowed it down offense-wise because we all came out differently and regrouped.”
With his team trailing by seven after Aguayo’s field goal, Perkins led a 11-play, 75-yard scoring march that began with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter and ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Joe Reed at the 14:15 mark of the fourth. Perkins was a perfect 9-for-9 passing on the drive. He connected with five different receivers, including four to junior Terrell Jana, who finished the game with 85 yards on seven receptions. While the Cavalier senior quarterback did most of his damage through the air, one of his most crucial plays came on the ground as UVA faced a 4th-and-2 at the Florida State 33.
Perkins took the snap and rushed left into the line. He appeared to be stopped by a wall of Florida State defenders only to fight his way to a 6-yard gain and a first down. The play ignited the Scott Stadium crowd and his team, and four plays later the Hoos had tied the game at 17.
Florida State countered Virginia’s touchdown with one of its own, as Blackman engineered an 8-play, 75-yard drive to give the Seminoles a 24-17 lead with 11:42 remaining in the game. The Florida State sophomore completed all five of his pass attempts on the drive, connecting with preseason All-ACC receiver Tamorrion Terry for 17 yards three plays in for a key conversion before finding Keyshawn Helton for a 17-yard scoring strike.
Trailing once again, the Virginia offense responded with another 11-play, 75-yard touchdown scoring drive. Perkins continued his excellence, completing 5-of-6 passes. Meanwhile, the Florida State defense assisted with three penalties, including a key personal foul on Robert Cooper for slamming Cavalier running back PK Kier to the ground. The unnecessary roughness penalty, which came on a play in which the Seminoles had stuffed Kier for a 1-yard loss, gave Virginia possession at the Seminole 11. Cavalier running back Wayne Taulapapa fought his way into the end zone three plays later. The Hoos found themselves still down by a point, however, after placekicker Brian Delaney missed the extra point wide right. Delaney, who drilled a 49-yard field goal for the game’s first score, was perfect on extra point attempts in his career before that kick.
With 6:02 remaining in the game, the Cavalier defense needed a stop. Helped by the energy of an electric Scott Stadium crowd, the defense rose to the occasion, forcing a 3-and-out.
“We know what our defense is capable of,” Reed said of the Cavalier defense, which was led by linebacker Jordan Mack (13 tackles) and came up with stops on Florida State’s final two drives.
Reed, who finished with 140 all-purpose yards, opened UVA’s final offensive drive with a 22-yard rush to midfield. Perkins then hit senor receiver Dubois for a 35-yard pass play down to the Seminole 15. Taulapapa’s 2-yard touchdown run gave the home team a 29-24 lead. Perkins extended the advantage to seven with a highlight reel 2-point conversion run.
“How do you stop him? We’re not growing the program at the rate we’re growing it without Bryce Perkins,” Mendenhall said. “He’s exemplary. I’m so lucky he’s here and we’re so lucky he’s here, not only by how he plays but who he is. Without him, we don’t win.”
Florida State’s final charge began with 2:34 left in the game. It was a tense, draining, drama-filled 2:34 that ended in a similar fashion to Virginia’s victory over FSU in 1995 – with Cavalier defensive backs stuffing a Florida State running back at the goal line as time expired.
The drive appeared to come to an end quickly when junior cornerback Nick Grant, who had two big-time pass breakups on third downs earlier in the game, swatted away Blackman’s fourth down pass to Ontaria Wilson. Grant, however, was flagged for pass interference, to the disbelief of the home crowd and Mendenhall, who received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Two more penalties – a roughing the passer call on Mack and a pass interference by Bryce Hall – aided the Seminoles, who reached the Cavalier 4 yard line with four seconds remaining.
Florida State had no timeouts when it lined up for 1st-and-goal at the 4. Instead of spiking the ball the Seminoles ran a play. Akers took a direct snap and sprinted right before getting stuffed by Hall and De’Vante Cross a few yards from the goal line. Time expired, Virginia had won.
“It was honestly like it was happening in slow motion,” Hall said, recalling of the game’s final play. “So I just saw he had the ball and then we just ran and just tried to get him down. I think it was me and De’Vante and then Joey [Blount] came and cleaned it up. It was kind of a funky play but you know we just had to get him down by any means.”
“It was a wild and hard-fought and effort-filled and physical finish to a game that basically looked like that the whole time,” said Mendenhall, whose defense limited the high-powered Florida State offense to 329 yards and whose offense totaled 415 yards and dominated time of possession (39:44 to 20:16).
Virginia improves to 3-0 overall, 2-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Hoos are home again next Saturday against Old Dominion – kick is at 7 p.m. – before hitting the road for a matchup with no. 7 Notre Dame on September 28.
