Quarterback Bryce Perkins rushed for three touchdowns as Virginia throttled Duke 48-14 on Saturday at Charlottesville, Va.
Wayne Taulapapa scored two rushing touchdowns for the Cavaliers (5-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).
It was a game that guaranteed the winner would exit the weekend with at least a share of the ACC's Coastal Division lead. It didn't turn out to be much of a showdown as Virginia had its way in winning for the fifth year in a row in the series.
Virginia led 17-0 at halftime, with all the scoring to that point in the second quarter on the way to snapping a two-game losing streak.
Perkins was 13-for-26 for 141 yards with one interception through the air. His touchdown runs were from 1, 1 and 3 yards. He finished with 62 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Joe Reed returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown following Duke's first touchdown.
Taulapapa had scoring runs of 3 and 9 yards.
Duke quarterback Quentin Harris was 13-for-26 for 88 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also led the Blue Devils (4-3, 2-2) on the ground with 37 rushing yards on eight carries.
Trailing 10-0, Duke failed on a fourth-and-1 at its own 34-yard line. The Cavaliers converted when Perkins reached the ball over the goal line on a third-and-1 play -- initially a fumble was ruled, but that was overturned for a touchdown based on video review.
Virginia threatened again late in the half after a Duke fumble, with possession in Blue Devils territory before the scoring opportunity went for naught.
Duke trailed 27-0 before scoring on Harris' 36-yard pass to Scott Bracey with 4:57 to play in the third quarter.
Backup quarterback Chris Katrenick threw a 23-yard scoring pass to Eli Pancol with 2:41 for the other Duke touchdown. That five-play, 65-yard drive accounted for a chunk of the team's 250 yards of total offense.
The Blue Devils, who had been 2-0 in road games, lost for the second time in three weeks.
--Field Level Media
