UVA converted a late Louisville turnover into a 42-yard Ian Frye field goal with 3:42 to go, and the ‘Hoos defense put up a last-drive stand to complete the 23-21 upset of #21 Louisville on Saturday at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.
Louisville (2-1, 1-1 ACC) had stormed back from a 20-7 fourth-quarter deficit on a pair of quick scoring drives, the first an eight-play, 56-yard drive that culminated with a 6-yard TD run by Dominique Brown that cut the deficit to 20-14 with 11:10 to go.
After a UVA three-and-out, Gardner led another scoring drive that was aided by a close call that kept the drive alive. Gardner was intercepted on a third-down pass in the red zone, but UVA was flagged for a late hit on Gardner that resulted in an automatic first down. Louisville scored on the next play on a 4-yard pass from Garnder to James Quick that gave Louisville a 21-20 lead with 6:59 left.
Virginia, on its next possession, went three-and-out again on offense, but Quick fumbled the ensuing punt, and Kelvin Rainey recovered the fumble at the Louisville 25.
The Cavs offense couldn’t seem to get out of its way, starting the drive with two false-start penalties, and then getting a bad snap blowing up the second-down play.
Frye eventually connected on the 42-yard field goal with 3:42 to go to put Virginia back on top.
Gardner was sacked inside the 5 on second down, and Louisville was forced to punt from its end zone and hope that it could stop Virginia to get one last chance, but the Cavs were able to get two first downs to run out the clock.
Virginia (2-1, 1-0 ACC) led 10-7 at the half, after Louisville scored on its opening drive on a 9-yard pass from Gardner to Charles Stanberry, Virginia answered late in the first quarter on a 15-yard pass from Greyson Lambert to Miles Gooch, and took the lead with 46 seconds left before halftime on a 35-yard field goal by Frye.
UVA scored on its first possession of the second half on a 10-yard keeper by Lambert that pushed the UVA lead to 17-7, and made it 20-7 with 2:56 left in the third on a 47-yard field goal by Frye.
The Virginia defense was stellar, holding the high-powered Cardinals, which had come in averaging 469.5 yards and 48.5 points per game, to 282 yards total yards and forcing four Louisville turnovers.
Lambert was 13-of-24 passing for 162 yards and a touchdown with an interception. kevin parks ran 22 times for 66 yards for Virginia.
Garnder was 14-of-34 passing for Louisville for 164 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Virginia travels to BYU next week.
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