UVA quarterback Bryce Perkins threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns, but was also intercepted twice and lost three fumbles, and #10 Notre Dame turned the turnovers into 28 points, on its way to a 35-20 win on Saturday in South Bend, Ind.
Virginia (4-1, 2-0 ACC) scored on the opening possession of the game, on a 6-yard TD pass from Perkins to Joe Reed, and went into the halftime break up 17-14.
Coach Bronco Mendenhall dialed up a trick play coming out of the half, calling for an onside kick on the opening kickoff of the third quarter, and Virginia’s Bryce Hall recovered to set up the ‘Hoos in plus territory.
The drive stalled, then after a short Notre Dame punt that set up the Cavaliers at the Irish 38, Perkins was strip-sacked on third down, and the ball was recovered by Myron Tagovailoa and returned to the UVA 7.
Tony Jones Jr. scored from two yards out two plays later, putting Notre Dame up 21-17 at the 9:20 mark of the third quarter.
Perkins was strip-sacked again later in the third quarter, this time by Ade Ogundeji, who picked up the fumble and returned it 23 yards for another Irish TD, and at this point, the Irish went up 28-17 with 1:41 to go in the third.
Jones scored on a 30-yard TD run with 10:28 to go to cap a quick five-play, 71-yard drive that made it 35-17.
Virginia drove inside the Notre Dame 10 on its next possession, but had to settle for a 27-yard Brian Delaney field goal to get to 35-20 with 6:28 to go, and that was as close as it would get.
Frustrating day for Virginia, which led at the half, had momentum in the third quarter, played the first half of that third quarter in Notre Dame territory, then literally fumbled the game away.
Perkins was sacked eight times by a Notre Dame defense that had registered just four sacks total in its first three games.
The sacks resulted in Virginia ending up with just four yards rushing on the day.
Notre Dame (3-1) finished with 343 yards total offense, but the bulk of that total – 148 yards – came in the fourth quarter as the Irish was mainly interested in eating clock.
Virginia has a bye next week before traveling to Miami on Friday, Oct. 11.
Story by Chris Graham
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