CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (1-2, 1-2 ACC) led the game in total yards and time of possession but could not overcome an early lead by NC State (3-1, 3-1 ACC), as it fell 38-21 on Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium.
Virginia scored 14 consecutive points after going down 24-0 to NC State early in the game. Quarterback Lindell Stone (Dallas, Texas) replaced injured quarterback Brennan Armstrong (Shelby, Ohio) after he left the game after a targeting penalty by NC State.
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Stone threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns in the game. Wide receiver Terrell Jana had nine catches for 111 yards to lead Virginia. The Cavaliers led in total yards (405-363) and passing yards (323-184) but had four turnovers that resulted in 17 points for the Wolfpack.
HOW IT HAPPENED
NC State missed a 51-yard field goal attempt but intercepted the ball and scored a touchdown for the first score of the game. The Wolfpack had three touchdowns and a field goal to open up the game 24-0.
Stone came in at quarterback to replace Armstrong in the second quarter. Stone led UVA’s drive of nine plays for 75 yards for the Cavaliers' first points of the afternoon. Stone connected with wide receiver Lavel Davis Jr. (Dorchester, S.C.) for 32 yards. That set up his first career touchdown pass to wide receiver Billy Kemp IV (Highland Springs, Va.).
The Cavaliers then converted a fake punt in the third quarter when punter Nash Griffin (Indianapolis, Ind.) threw a 26-yard pass to linebacker Nick Jackson (Atlanta, Ga.). Virginia scored its second touchdown of the day on a pass from Stone to tight end Tony Poljan (Lansing, Mich.) to cut it to 24-14. NC State scored again when it returned an interception for a touchdown.
Virginia drove the field as Stone connected with Davis Jr. for a five-yard touchdown to make it 31-21 with 5:14 to play. The Cavaliers attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by NC State. The Wolfpack added a touchdown in the final two minutes of play.
STAT LEADERS
QB Lindell Stone
- Passing: 30-53, 240 yards, 3 TD
WR Terrell Jana
- 9 receptions, 111 yards
WR Billy Kemp IV
- 10 receptions, 82 yards, 1 TD
FS D’Angelo Amos
- 10 tackles, 1 PBU
FROM BRONCO MENDENHALL
“Certainly not the outcome I was hoping for today. We started very slow. I think that both teams were pretty evenly matched going into the game. However, we turned the ball over four times – one for a touchdown and we had a blocked punt and then a failed attempt from the one-yard line with two plays to push it in. And rather than making it more than that, there’s plenty of things still to follow up on. We started slow. Those six plays in and of themselves were the difference in the game, but lots and lots of things can be improved from where I thought we were. And today made it clear that we weren’t as far along as I anticipated.”
NOTES
- UVA’s nine-game home winning streak was snapped. It was tied for the tenth-longest in the nation among active streaks and was tied for the third-longest of the UVA modern era.
- Stone appeared in only his fifth career game and his first appearance before the fourth quarter. Entering the game his only pass this season had gone for -7 yards and his career QB efficiency rating was 5.03.
- Stone finished with career highs in completions (30), attempts (53), yards (240) and touchdowns (3).
- WR Terrell Jana finished with nine receptions, including notching his 100th career pass in the third quarter. Jana is the 23rd Cavalier all-time to record 100+ career receptions and 1000+ career receiving yards.
- Jana extends his streak with at least one catch to 19 games.
- Finishing with 111 receiving yards, Jana surpassed 100 for the first time this season and third time in his career.
- CB De’Vante Cross snatched his fourth career interception in the third quarter. It was the first interception yielded this season by NC State quarterback Devin Leary.
UP NEXT
Virginia is on the road at Wake Forest on Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. in Winston Salem, N.C. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network.