Courtesy GoHeels.com
By: Matt Bowers
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.—Omarion Hampton and J.J. Jones each scored twice and North Carolina’s defense played its best game of the season as the Tar Heels smothered Virginia, 41-14, on Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium.
Carolina bullied its way to a season-high six sacks in the first half alone, limiting the Cavaliers to just 77 offensive yards, (including only four on the ground) in a dominant opening 30 minutes. The Tar Heels outscored UVA, 17-3, in the second quarter.
In the game, UNC posted 10 sacks, reaching double-digits for the first time since a 2000 game against Wake Forest. Virginia mustered just seven rushing yards overall.
The Tar Heels scored two touchdowns in the final 1:32 of the first half to blow open a close game and take control. Carolina led by as many as 32 points in the fourth quarter at 38-6.
Jones caught five passes for 129 yards and two TDs, averaging 25.8 yards per grab in the first multi-TD catch performance of his career. Tar Heel quarterback Jacolby Criswell completed 19 of 30 passes for 293 yards (second-most in his career) and two touchdowns.
Hampton ran for 105 yards and two scores on 26 carries. He has rushed for over 100 yards in seven of his first eight games this season and 16 times overall. He’s the only Tar Heel to rush for 100+ yards in seven or more games in multiple seasons.
Hampton crossed the 1,000-yard threshold for the second season in a row early in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 1,006 yards in eight games this fall. He is the ninth Tar Heel with multiple 1,000-yard seasons and the sixth to score 30 or more rushing touchdowns.
The Tar Heels (4-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) picked up their first ACC win of the year and snapped their four-game losing streak, while the Cavaliers (4-4, 2-3) dropped their third game in a row. UNC improved to 3-1 on the road this season, 24-23 in Scott Stadium and 27-27 overall in Charlottesville.
Mack Brown‘s UNC teams are now 74-10 when they score 30 or more points and 49-2 when scoring 40+.
Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea completed 16 of 28 passes for only 156 yards as Carolina outgained the Cavaliers, 428-288.
How It Happened
First Quarter
• The Tar Heel defense came up big in the first quarter, holding the Cavaliers to a field goal and a 3-0 lead at the 8:36 mark after UVA had a first-and-goal from the UNC one-yard line.
• Three minutes later, Carolina took a 7-3 lead when Criswell connected on a 37-yard, screen pass catch and run with Jones, breaking two tackles on the way to the end zone.
• UNC limited UVA to 1.3 yards per
