The Shadow
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There’s no time like overtime for the Virginia Cavaliers. Eight days after defeating then-No. 8 Florida State in two extra periods at Scott Stadium, UVA had to play more than 60 minutes of football again, this time against ACC rival Louisville at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium.
After holding the Cardinals to a field goal on the first possession of overtime, the Wahoos needed only four plays to score the winning touchdown: a 14-yard completion from quarterback Chandler Morris to tight end John Rogers; a 2-yard run by tailback J’Mari Taylor, a 7-yard run by Morris, who had to leave the game after taking a hard hit on his carry; and, on third-and-1, a 2-yard run by Taylor on a direct snap from center Drake Metcalf.
Taylor’s eighth TD of the season lifted Virginia to a 30-27 victory and silenced the home fans in the crowd of 50,032. The Cavaliers, who are in their fourth season under head coach Tony Elliott, improved to 5-1 overall, matching their win total from 2024. They’re 3-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2007, and they ended a three-game losing streak in their series with Louisville.
Virginia’s offense came in averaging 539.6 yards per game. Louisville (4-1 overall, 1-1 ACC) held the Cavaliers to 237 yards Saturday, and 75 of those came on a second-quarter touchdown drive. But UVA’s defense contributed two touchdowns—the first on a 60-yard return of a fumble by cornerback Donavon Platt, the second on linebacker Kam Robinson’s 47-yard interception return—to help offset the offense’s uncharacteristic struggles.
“In moments where we needed them, they stepped up, gave us the ball back, gave us points,” Rogers said of the defense. “And that’s what we needed, especially on a day where our offense, we were fighting for yards. And they stepped up big time. “
Penalties had not been an issue this season for the Cavaliers until Saturday, when they were flagged seven times for 68 yards. Somehow, though, the Hoos found a way to prevail.
“Super proud of our guys, and a win’s a win,” Elliott said. “In this conference, you take it. I’ve been a part of some quote-unquote ugly wins. There’s truly no ugly wins.”
The teams went into halftime tied 14-14. The Cavaliers led 24-14 after three quarters, only to see Louisville outscore them 10-0 in the fourth to force overtime.
On an unseasonably warm fall day, the Cavaliers struck first. On its first drive of the game, Louisville went for it on fourth-and-1 from the UVA 37, only to have tailback Isaac Brown fumble a pitch from quarterback Miller Moss. Platt picked up the ball on the bounce and raced down the right sideline for a touchdown, and Will Bettridge added the extra point to make it 7-0.
After Louisville tied the game at 7-7 on the final play of the first quarter, UVA responded with a touchdown drive that covered 75 yards and took eight minutes and four seconds off the clock. Morris hit wide receiver Cam Ross with a 19-yard TD pass, and Bettridge’s PAT made it 14-7.
The Cardinals answered with a 70-yard touchdown drive. It started with Moss’ 28-yard completion to wide receiver Chris Bell, and it ended with a 15-yard completion to Bell.
For the second straight weekend, the Hoos struggled to cover a tall, talented receiver wearing jersey No. 0. Florida State’s Duce Robinson finished with nine receptions for 147 yards and one touchdown at Scott Stadium. Bell, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior, had 12 catches for 170 yards and two TDs Saturday.
Robinson, who as a true freshman in 2023 returned an interception for a touchdown against Louisville, led the Cavaliers with 10 tackles in his second visit to L&N Stadium. UVA recorded five sacks Saturday, all in the second half. Mitchell Melton, a graduate transfer from Ohio State, led the way with two sacks, and fellow defensive end Daniel Rickert and tackles Jason Hammond and Hunter Osborne had one each.
Virginia held Brown, one of the nation’s top tailbacks, to 66 yards on 13 carries. Brown, who rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns against UVA at Scott Stadium last season, came into Saturday’s game averaging 8.1 yards per carry.
UP NEXT: The first of UVA’s two bye weekends is straight ahead. The Cavaliers return to action on Oct. 18, when they host Washington State at Scott Stadium. The 6:30 p.m. game will air on The CW.
The Cougars, who didn’t play this weekend, are 3-2. Washington State visits No. 4 Ole Miss next Saturday afternoon.
UVA and Wazzu have never met in football.
