Chandler Morris threw an end-zone interception with 1:02 to play and North Carolina State rallied past Virginia for a 35-31 non-conference win Saturday in Raleigh.
The turnover was the first this season for the Cavaliers.
On first-and-10 at the 12-yard line, Morris rolled to his right and looked to hit running back J’Mari Taylor for a go-ahead score.
But Wolfpack outside linebacker Cian Slone dropped into coverage and ran with Taylor. He turned and picked off Morris’s throw to secure the win.
Taylor ran for 153 yards and three touchdowns and Morris threw for 257 and a score, but it was his first interception in a Virginia uniform that ended the game.
Virginia turned in a first half that saw it control time of possession (20:04-9:56), run 24 more plays than the Wolfpack, rack up 253 total yards of offense and average 5.8 yards per rush.
The Cavaliers ended the first with what felt like a massive score.
Cam Ross, who returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score in the opener against Coastal Carolina, ran a punt back 48 yards to set up the UVA offense at the State 27-yard line.
Seven players later, Morris hit tight end Sage Ennis for a 3-yard score that sent the Cavaliers to the locker room ahead 24-14, and seemingly enjoying a measure of control of the contest.
But the Wolfpack turned in a dominant third quarter, scoring on all three of its possessions and ending the frame ahead 35-31.
The fourth quarter saw Virginia fail to make multiple plays that could have led to victory.
Will Bettridge missed a 47-yard field goal attempt, that hit off the goal post, and Taylor got stuffed on a fourth-and-1 in the red zone in the final frame, costing UVA two chances to score.
Virginia also lost valuable time – and timeouts – after allowing a third- and a fourth-down conversion for State on its final full drive.
Still, Morris and the offense had one final shot to win the game, taking over at the UVA 19 with 2:12 to play.
Saturday’s game – despite featuring two ACC teams – was not a conference game. UVA and NC State scheduled a home-and-home series because the conference schedule doesn’t have them meeting again in league play until 2027
Virginia hosts William & Mary on Sept. 13 at noon.
