J’Mari Taylor’s 2-yard touchdown run lifted No. 24 Virginia to a 30-27 victory in overtime at previously unbeaten Louisville on Saturday in Atlantic Coast Conference action.
Back in the rankings for the first time since 2019 after last week’s overtime upset of Florida State, the Cavaliers (5-1, 3-0 ACC) are off to their best start since 2017.
Louisville (4-1, 1-1) had a seven-game winning streak snapped, dating back to last season.
After the Cardinals opened the overtime with a 24-yard field goal by Cooper Ranvier, Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris was shaken up when he took a big hit trying to score at the 2-yard line. Taylor took the ball on a direct snap on the next play and plowed into the end zone.
Morris passed for 149 yards and a touchdown and Taylor finished with 97 yards from scrimmage. The Cavaliers had two defensive touchdowns.
Miller Moss threw for 329 yards with three TDs (two passing, one rushing) but his pick-six gave Virginia the lead midway through the third quarter. Chris Bell set career highs in receptions (12), yards (170) and TDs (two).
The Cavaliers went up 21-14 on Kam Robinson’s 47-yard interception return for a TD in the third quarter.
Will Bettridge’s 46-yard field goal extended Virginia’s lead to 24-14 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
Bell’s one-handed touchdown catch pulled the Cardinals within 24-21 with 9:41 to play.
Louisville got it back with 4:31 left. Moss converted a third-and-25 with a 33-yard pass to Kris Hughes, and Ranvier’s 49-yard field goal knotted the score with 1:08 left.
It was 14-14 at halftime after the teams alternated scores.
Virginia cornerback Donavon Platt scooped up Isaac Brown’s fourth-down fumble and returned it 61 yards for a TD in the first quarter, and Morris floated a 19-yard TD pass to Cam Ross midway through the second quarter.
Louisville answered both times. Moss punched in a 1-yard sneak on fourth down on the last play of the first quarter and tossed a 15-yard TD to Bell with 3:26 left until halftime.
