CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Chandler Morris scored on a 4-yard run in the second overtime and Virginia beat No. 8 Florida State 46-38 on Friday night for its first home victory over a Top 10 team since also beating the Seminoles in 2005.
UVA drew 50,107, its largest crowd since 2023.
“That’s what Scott Stadium is supposed to be like,” fourth-year coach Tony Elliott said. “That’s what I envisioned when I decided to take the job here. … It felt like a championship kind of game and that’s what we desire to be as a program. That’s where we want to go.”
Morris ran for three scores and had two touchdown passes for the Cavaliers (4-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). After the go-ahead TD run, he completed a pass to Trell Harris for the 2-point conversion.
Florida State (3-1, 0-1) had a chance to tie, but Duce Robinson bobbled a pass going out the back of the end zone on third down. On fourth-and-12 at the 27, Tommy Castellanos’ heave into the end zone was intercepted by Ja’Son Prevard, with Cavaliers fans instantly storming the field.
“They started fast, took advantage of some of the mistakes we had early,” Floida State coach Mike Norvell said. “We did not get off to the start that we needed to have. i was pleased with the way our guys responded.”
Florida State rallied to force overtime, with Castellanos throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Randy Pittman Jr. on a fourth-down play with 32 seconds left. The teams traded field goals in the first overtime.
Robinson caught nine passes for 147 yards and a touchdown, and Castellanos threw for 254 and a score and ran for another 78 yards and a touchdown.
J’Mari Taylor ran for 99 yards and a score as Virginia’s run game ate up the clock in the second half.
Virginia turned a pair of first-quarter takeaways into touchdowns and an early 14-0 lead, but Florida State stormed back to go ahead 21-14 at the half, fueled by two interceptions.
The teams were tied at 21 at halftime and 28 after three quarters.
Run game in gear
Despite utilizing a rebuilt offensive line, with right guard Drake Metcalf starting at center in place of the injured Brady Wilson, Virginia’s run game got rolling after halftime, helping the Cavaliers control the clock. They ran 30 times for 130 yards in the second half and the two overtimes. Xavier Brown picked up 43 of those yards on six carries.
The takeaway
Florida State’s season opened with such promise when it upset Alabama. But after a pair of blowout wins over lesser opponents, the Seminoles couldn’t start ACC play with a victory.
Virginia picked up the most significant victory for the program since it ended the 2019 regular season with a win over rival Virginia Tech.
Up next
Florida State: Hosts Miami next Saturday night.
Virginia: At Louisville next Saturday.
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