Virginia Cavaliers Beat Syracuse Orange 28-25

Virginia Cavaliers scored twice in the final quarter to outlast Syracuse Orange 28-25 at Scott Stadium.

The win moves Virginia Cavaliers to 4-2 while Syracuse Orange drops to 2-3. Virginia trailed for most of the second and third quarters before a 14-point fourth quarter flipped the game, and Syracuse's late two-point touchdown made it close but not enough.

Box score

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Syracuse Orange	7	10	0	8	25
Virginia Cavaliers	7	0	7	14	28

See full player stats and game details

How it turned

The first quarter ended tied 7-7 after Xay Davis took a 14-yard run into the end zone for Virginia Cavaliers and Syracuse Orange answered with a 1-yard touchdown run.

Syracuse Orange then took control, going up 17-7 at halftime on a Malachi Nelson touchdown pass to Umari Hatcher and a 29-yard field goal from S. Barker. Virginia Cavaliers clawed back with a 37-yard touchdown strike from Beau Pribula to Da'Shawn Martin in the third quarter, but Syracuse Orange still led 17-14 heading into the fourth.

That's when Virginia Cavaliers took over. Jekail Middlebrook scored on a 3-yard run and then a 5-yard run, giving Virginia Cavaliers a 28-17 cushion. Syracuse Orange answered with a 46-yard touchdown pass to Daunte Bacheyie and converted a two-point try to pull within three, but it wasn't enough as Virginia Cavaliers closed it out 28-25.

Scoring plays

Q1 10:29 UVA: X. Davis run for 14 yds, for a TD (W. Bettridge KICK)
Q1 4:02 SYR: A. Miller run for 1 yd, for a TD (S. Barker KICK)
Q2 10:26 SYR: M. Nelson pass to U. Hatcher for 13 yds, for a TD (S. Barker KICK)
Q2 0:32 SYR: S. Barker 29 yd FG GOOD
Q3 2:01 UVA: B. Pribula pass to D. Martin for 37 yds, for a TD (W. Bettridge KICK)
Q4 11:42 UVA: J. Middlebrook run for 3 yds, for a TD (W. Bettridge KICK)
Q4 5:20 UVA: J. Middlebrook run for 5 yds, for a TD (W. Bettridge KICK)
Q4 2:50 SYR: D. Lauter pass to D. Bacheyie for 46 yds, for a TD (D. Lauter pass to T. Wilfong GOOD for Two-Point Conversion) (D. Lauter pass to J. Ross-Simmons GOO

Top performers

Middlebrook was the difference for Virginia Cavaliers, rushing 17 times for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Pribula was efficient through the air, going 11 of 19 for 119 yards and a touchdown, while Davis added 39 yards and a score on just six carries.

Syracuse Orange put up 430 total yards and didn't turn the ball over once, but it wasn't quite enough. Nelson threw for 217 yards on 16-of-29 passing with a touchdown, Tylik Hill ran 23 times for 118 yards, and Hatcher caught eight passes for 126 yards and a touchdown. Bacheyie chipped in four catches for 97 yards and the late score. On defense, Chris Peal led Syracuse Orange with nine tackles, matched by Anthony Britton's nine tackles for Virginia Cavaliers.

Top performers

Syracuse Orange

Malachi Nelson (QB) — 16/29, 217 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT
Tylik Hill (RB) — 23 car, 118 yds, 0 TD
Ju'Juan Johnson (RB) — 10 car, 35 yds, 0 TD
Umari Hatcher (WR) — 8 rec, 126 yds, 1 TD
Daunte Bacheyie (TE) — 4 rec, 97 yds, 1 TD
Chris Peal (DB) — 9 tkl, 0 sck, 0 INT