UVA got what might be a program-defining win in Year 2 of the Bronco Mendenhall era on the road at Boise State Friday night, smacking down the Broncos, 42-23.
The Cavs (3-1), 13-point underdogs coming in, led 21-14 at the half, getting a pair of second-quarter touchdown passes from senior quarterback Kurt Benkert, a 30-yarder to Andre Levrone with 4:11 to go, and a 27-yard connection with Doni Dowling with 1:07 left, after a failed Boise State fake punt.
The Broncos (2-2) scored just before the half on a Jake Roh 2-yard run, seemingly taking momentum into the locker room.
But Virginia scored quickly on the opening possession of the second half, with Benkert hooking up with Levrone on a 64-yard strike a minute and a half in.
An Olamide Zaccheaus 56-yard TD run on an end-around made it 35-14 UVA with 6:51 to go in the third, and a 1-yard run by Jordan Ellis 46 seconds in the fourth pushed the lead to four scores.
Benkert threw for 273 yards and three scores on 19-of-29 passing. Ellis ran for 93 yards on 24 attempts and had two touchdowns on the ground.
Levrone had 141 yards receiving and two TDs on five catches.
The Virginia defense was stout all night, limiting the Broncos to 30 yards on the ground, and a 4-for-16 effort on third-down conversions.
The win snapped a 32-game non-conference home winning streak for Boise State., which defeated Virginia, 56-14, two Septembers ago in Charlottesville.
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Chris Graham
