Virginia beats North Carolina 16-3

By AARON BEARD, AP Sports Writer Oct 3, 6:09 pm EDT

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP)—Mikell Simpson ran for the game-clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter while Virginia’s defense turned in a dominating performance to beat North Carolina 16-3 on Saturday.

Robert Randolph kicked three field goals for the Cavaliers (1-3, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who came out of a bye week with a desperately needed win after a terrible start to the season. Simpson added 100 yards rushing, but the Cavs didn’t need much offense considering the way their defense completely locked down on the Tar Heels (3-2, 0-2).

North Carolina got nothing from its rushing attack, committed three turnovers and managed just 174 total yards. And when Simpson ran it in from 8 yards out with 5:49 left, Virginia had a two-possession lead that sent most of the light blue-clad Tar Heel fans bolting for the Kenan Stadium exits.

The Tar Heels came into the season facing several questions about their offense and knowing that their defense would have to carry the load. The defense did its part for most of the day, with Robert Quinn tallying three sacks and Virginia managing just 254 total yards. But the offense turned in a bad performance for the second straight week, failing to reach the end zone against a defense that was allowing 31 points per game coming in.

It wasn’t the kind of performance the Tar Heels expected from a team that was nationally ranked just two weeks ago before a 24-7 loss at Georgia Tech. But for the Cavaliers, it was exactly what they needed after a tumultuous opening month of the season that had led to speculation about coach Al Groh’s future.

Virginia had lost at home to Championship Subdivision team William & Mary in the opener, then followed that with a home loss to TCU. The Cavaliers then scrapped some of the spread offense they had installed in the preseason before the Southern Mississippi game and led by 17 points halftime before falling 37-34.

Now the Cavaliers have won 10 of 12 meetings against their cross-border rivals, including all three since Butch Davis took over in Chapel Hill in 2007.

Updated Oct 3, 6:09 pm EDT
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Head to Head - Week 5

Team Total Yds Pass Yds Rush Yds First Downs 3rdD% Pen./Yds Turnovers Time of Poss.
Virginia 254 148 106 16 36.8% 7/54 0 33:32
North Carolina 174 135 39 9 25.0% 4/55 3 26:28
NCAAF

27 Comments

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  1. alecp
    27. Posted by alecp Sun Oct 4 2:38pm EDT

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    A tough way to open a three game homestand. A team is not going to win too many football games with a total of less than 200 yards of offense and three turnovers to boot. The Tarheels are going to have to find a way to get their passing game back to a level where it will produce touchdowns. Yates has proven he can throw the ball, sometimes to the other team, but he can throw. Give credit to the Wahoos for having a good game plan and solid defensive execution. The past two losses are by no means a shock. GT is a deserving ranked team and let's face it the Cavs have the Heels number winning 10 of the past 12 meetings. It is no surprise that GA. Southern is on the schedule next week. Butch Davis is clearly doing what he was hired to do, coach the football team to a winning program. As a fan you want every game to be won and as a "hater" you want every loss to gloat over and point to the finger of how much the coach sucks. But as a coach you have to plan for each game and it's possible outcome and work for the season. As a fan I want the Heels to go 9 - 3 for the season with a bowl win, but in reality UNC will finish the season 7 -5 or 8 - 4 with a bowl win. The game against GA. S. should get the offense back on track and if not, the defense should win the game. Question becomes, how beatable is Floridia State? UNC seems to get it up playing against the Noles. If UNC can win the next two then the game in Blacksburg looks to be a good one. As a fan I will always cheer, "Hookum Heels."
  2. plutaris
    26. Posted by plutaris Sun Oct 4 1:46pm EDT

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    #8 lol. Good point. But EVERY State in the USA is in a budget crisis, not even to mention the good ole of USA itself. All thanks to the crooks on Wall Street and their massive greed.
  3. samuel c
    25. Posted by samuel c Sun Oct 4 11:28am EDT

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    hey it gets better we start next year against lsu boy i cant wait for that one can anyone imagine the beating this team would get from a team like fla
  4. .
    24. Posted by . Sun Oct 4 11:16am EDT

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    Tell me again how much they're paying B*tch Davis for this mess? Gotchya, chumps.
  5. samuel c
    23. Posted by samuel c Sun Oct 4 10:56am EDT

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    the worse offense in football highschools have better offenses than this and its hard to dissagree with any of the tarheel haters on this one i personally dont see them beating any of the teams on theyre schedule the way theyre playing .recruiting is not a problem they have one of the best classes every year but for some reason they just cant put it together this team dont look or play any better than the john bunting teams did sorry butch but thats a fact i cant hate va and pull for the tarheels because most of theyre players come from that state va played a good game and deserved to win but us tarheel fans have the right to be dissapointed and no one needs to cut down our basketball team they have nothing to do with this i congratulate va for theyre win but i dont think theyre a great team but i see them improving i cant see that in unc
  6. inacoldsweat
    22. Posted by inacoldsweat Sun Oct 4 12:04am EDT

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    Look dont down the team they just going thru the roughness of the schedule now but they will pick it up.
  7. gee w
    21. Posted by gee w Sat Oct 3 9:45pm EDT

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    Tigers #35, your bias is laughable. Who cares how close you live to Blacksburg; you don't know what you are talking about.
  8. Lind
    20. Posted by Lind Sat Oct 3 8:58pm EDT

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    UVA never wins a National Championship unless its men's lax but the on the flip side UVA is a damn great academic university so cheers to that. I would rather be a UNC fan than UVA myself but I respect UVA.
  9. Thomas
    19. Posted by Thomas Sat Oct 3 8:14pm EDT

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    Well, Bobby Light, how many NCAA Basketball Championships does UVA hold?
  10. THANK YOU MJ
    18. Posted by THANK YOU MJ Sat Oct 3 7:44pm EDT

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    that is funny about your basketball team and UVA hanging with them. I am pretty sure we shared ACC title not to many years ago and the Muppet is gone for your Heelsnow. Yes are football team sucks but if I remember preseason UNC was to be good guess they were wrong GO HOOS!!!
  11. Thomas
    17. Posted by Thomas Sat Oct 3 7:09pm EDT

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    Yeah, dream on otherworld11! UVA is 1-3 in football. They suck, just so happens Tarheels sucked worse today. And about UVA dominating UNC in basketball, won't happen in this century.
  12. <i>otherworld11</i>
    16. Posted by otherworld11 Sat Oct 3 6:04pm EDT

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    UVA owns Tar Heels in football. Always has and always will. I don't know why they even bother showing up, UVA always whips 'em. UNC should go ahead and forfeit next years game. Just a matter of time till our new basketball Coach Bennett starts whipping the UNC basketball team, too.
  13. <i>bretschneiderp@...</i>
    15. Posted by bretschneiderp@... Sat Oct 3 6:02pm EDT

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    Defensively UNC played well enough to win this week, but their offense was horrendous. In fact, their offense has been terrible for three weeks in a row. They were damn lucky to escape with a win against Connecticut after an anemic offensive performance; they held the ball for a total of twelve minutes last week against Georgia Tech.; and they could manage just three points against a Virginia team that was allowing 31 points a game coming in. Yates hasn't played well, but don't blame it all on him. The offensive line can't consistently open holes, and when they do the backs are taking too long to hit them. The play calling stiinks and the execution has generally been terrible.

    Overall, the defense hasn't played too badly, the exception being the game last week against Georgia Tech. They couldn't stop the run and were unable to get the Tech. offense off the field.
  14. tigers #35
    14. Posted by tigers #35 Sat Oct 3 5:18pm EDT

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    it is very clear at this point that the ACC should do the right thing and relinquish their BCS bowl slot. An all star team from the ACC would have a hard time matching up with the top teams in the country. It is offensive to the senses to watch ACC football, and I live 5 miles from the Virginia Tech campus. They are likely the best of the bunch and cant even field a legitimate college level offense. It is truly pathetic that any team from this putrid conference gets to go to anyh bowl whatsoever.
  15. Big E
    13. Posted by Big E Sat Oct 3 4:48pm EDT

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    Where is Ryan Houston? 3 carries for 16 yards. Draughn wants to tippytoe around. Let loose the bull and get the ground game moving a little.
  16. Lind
    12. Posted by Lind Sat Oct 3 4:23pm EDT

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    UNC will always be a basketball school, they are not terrible at football but not great either. UVA played better than UNC and deserved to win this year. Congrats to UVA.
  17. steelers suck
    11. Posted by steelers suck Sat Oct 3 4:23pm EDT

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    Wow they really had the top recruiting class well they suck i would say
  18. Thomas
    10. Posted by Thomas Sat Oct 3 4:09pm EDT

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    They supposedly had a top 10 recruiting class for this year. I don't think that's the problem.
  19. steelers suck
    9. Posted by steelers suck Sat Oct 3 4:04pm EDT

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    NC needs to recruit better . This football team needs something they have nothing.
  20. richardc
    8. Posted by richardc Sat Oct 3 3:52pm EDT

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    How much do they pay Butch Davis? The state of NC is in a budget crisis and they get a preacher instead of a coach.
  21. Tony
    7. Posted by Tony Sat Oct 3 3:52pm EDT

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    butch davis recruits like tarzan, coaches like jane, and acts on the sidelines like cheetch!
  22. plutaris
    6. Posted by plutaris Sat Oct 3 3:41pm EDT

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    Wasn't UNC ranked just 2 weeks ago. Now they're just rank. UVA lost to William & Mary. What does this say about the ACC.
  23. Dream_Theater
    5. Posted by Dream_Theater Sat Oct 3 3:40pm EDT

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    Time to pull Yates?
  24. C S
    4. Posted by C S Sat Oct 3 3:35pm EDT

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    butch davis: recruits like tarzan, coaches like jane.
  25. brian
    3. Posted by brian Sat Oct 3 3:32pm EDT

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    yeah that was pretty sad
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Virginia
M. Simpson M. Simpson, RB
20 Rush, 100 yds
1 TD
 North Carolina
G. Little G. Little, WR
8 Rec, 63 yds

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