For the first time in program history, UVA beat a Top 10 opponent on the road.
Forever is a long time.
The win Saturday night in Chapel Hill makes no sense, considering what Virginia had accomplished this season to date.
UVA entered the game 1-5, winless in ACC play, with their last win against an FBS team in 366 days.
A nearly 25-point underdog heading into a sold-out Kenan Stadium against an undefeated Carolina team with CFP aspirations, the Cavaliers pulled off the most shocking upset in college football this season.
Trailing by 10 points in the second half, the Cavaliers outscored the Tar Heels 17-3 over the final 20 minutes of the game, as over 55,000 fans, mostly dressed in Carolina blue, sat in disbelief.
Virginia’s rushing offense, last in the ACC, amassed 228 yards on the ground, the highest total for the Cavaliers against an ACC opponent in two years.
Mike Hollins crossed the goal line three times, while quarterback Tony Muskett, just a year removed from playing at FBS-level Monmouth, ran for 66 yards.
James Jackson had the clinching interception with 26 seconds left, picking off UNC star quarterback Drake Maye. Maye was hit as he released the ball by Paul Akere with the Tar Heels driving for what would have been a game-winning score.
But not tonight.
Instead, Virginia players flooded the field, Jackson ran down the field into the endzone to celebrate, taking about 75 yards of Virginia football frustration with him.
Meanwhile, the UNC fans sat in stunned silence as their CFP hopes faded into the Carolina pines surrounding the stadium.
UNC football is undefeated no more.
The Tar Heels haven’t handled success well as a Top 10 team in the past.
That trend continued for UNC, which dropped to 1-5 as a top-10 team since 2015.
And Virginia gets all the credit.
OK, some might say the Heels entered the game looking past UVA.
They would be wrong.
Outside of Duke, UVA is Carolina’s biggest rival. They not only enjoy beating Virginia, they like pouring it on whenever possible.
UNC coach Mac Brown has a track record of doing that against the Cavaliers. He also has seen that mentality explode on him.
Tonight, Virginia entered the game with the ACC’s worst scoring offense and defense before jumping out to a 14-7 lead in the first quarter against the Tar Heels. Entering the game, UNC hadn’t allowed points in the first quarter at home.
From the start, it was apparent that Virginia’s trip down 29 South was not to be feasted upon.
Facing adversity all game, the Cavaliers played perhaps their gutsiest and most inspired football in years.
Even with the lead late in the contest, the Cavaliers appeared on the brink of having defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.
With a 31-27 lead late in the fourth quarter, Virginia was on the brink of a back-breaking score. But running back Mike Hollins fumbled the football just inches from the goal line, and the ball, almost in slow motion, rolled helplessly through the back of the endzone for a touchback.
UNC, with new life and a suddenly reenergized Kenan Stadium crowd, quickly reached the UVA 20, but Tar Heel quarterback Maye’s fourth-down pass to Tez Walker was high and incomplete with just over three minutes left.
But UVA once again was challenged to persevere.
UNC, effectively using its timeouts, had one last possession, taking over with 1:12 remaining.
But Maye, bothered by the UVA defense the entirety of the contest, was picked off by Jackson at the UVA 43 with 26 seconds remaining.
Ball game.
A year and a day of frustration, tragedy, and a million more emotions, washed away in the Carolina night.
Again, some might shrug this off by saying, upsets happen, it’s college football, games are often unpredictable.
And again, they would be wrong.
No one expected Virginia to beat North Carolina, a three-touchdown favorite.
But UVA, coming off a bye week, was prepared. They certainly weren’t lacking energy.
Heck, falling behind by 10 points in the third quarter seemed to motivate UVA, not deflate them.
It would be easy to say the Cavaliers snuck up on UNC, caught them flat. I admit, I did.
But the more the game wore on, I saw I was wrong.
UVA was energized from the opening kickoff. And as a result, their offensive execution was sharp for most of the game.
The UVA football program has faced enormous adversity and tragedy the last 11 months.
Tonight’s battle against 10th ranked UNC and the possibility of getting annihilated by the Tar Heels might have been just what the program needed.
Considering what this program has faced, this was a walk in the park.
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