The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Virginia blanks South Carolina, calls itself ACC contender
Nevada pulls out Arizona Bowl win in overtime.
Shortly after winning the Belk Bowl and earning Virginia its first bowl victory since 2005, quarterback Bryce Perkins raised the bar.
“This is the first step toward making big strides,” Perkins said. “Next year we want the Coastal Division — and the ACC championship.”
That would mean knocking off perennial ACC power Clemson, which has won four straight conference titles.
For now though, the Cavaliers (8-5) will have to settle for savoring a 28-0 victory over South Carolina in Charlotte, N.C., at the Belk Bowl, a win that snapped the longest bowl drought in the ACC. Perkins threw three touchdown passes to Olamide Zaccheaus, the game’s Most Outstanding Player, and Virginia’s 14th-ranked pass defense dominated a South Carolina team that had averaged more than 38 points over its previous five games.
Perkins completed 22 of 31 passes for 208 yards and ran for 81 yards. Zaccheaus had 12 catches for 100 yards and Jordan Ellis ran for 106 yards and a touchdown as Virginia held more than a 24-minute edge in time of possession.
Perkins said he felt chemistry with Zaccheaus the first day he transferred in last year from Arizona Western Community College — and his favorite target agreed. “The biggest thing with me and Bryce is we get along so well off the field — and that just carries over,” Zaccheaus said.
Virginia’s defense was relentless. It put the clamps on quarterback Jake Bentley, who had thrown for 16 TDs over the previous five games, including a 510-yard, five-TD performance against Clemson earlier this month. Bentley was limited to 218 yards on 17-of-39 passing and was intercepted twice.
South Carolina (7-6) was 2 of 13 on third down conversions and 2 of 5 on fourth downs. The Gamecocks clearly weren’t the same without wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who bypassed the bowl game to begin preparing for the NFL draft.
Coach Will Muschamp said he was “disappointed” in the team’s performance, adding “we didn’t put on a good show and that’s on me.”
Bentley said he didn’t play well at all. “The interceptions especially and then not executing in the red zone is a tough thing to swallow,” said Bentley, who added that he hasn’t made a decision on whether he’ll enter the NFL draft.
The Gamecocks were shut out for the first time since 2006, when they lost 18-0 to Georgia. The first game of the post-Samuel era could be a troubling sign for next season for the Gamecocks, who had come into the game as five-point favorites. It would be a little surprising if Bentley turns pro, though, particularly after such a poor performance.
Virginia defensive back Bryce Hall announced he is returning for his senior season after contemplating entering the NFL draft. Hall leads the nation with 20 pass breakups during the regular season.
Arizona Bowl — Nevada 16, Arkansas St. 13, OT: Reagan Roberson bulldozed through one tackler and dove into the end zone on an 11-yard catch-and-run in OT, lifting Nevada over Arkansas State in Tucson, Ariz.
Nevada (8-5) labored against Arkansas State’s defensive front all game before coming to life late, going up 10-7 on Devonte Lee’s 1-yard TD run with 1:06 left. Arkansas State (8-5) racked up 499 yards, but was 1 for 5 in the red zone with two turnovers before marching quickly down the field at the end of regulation. Blake Grupe, who had one field goal blocked and badly missed on another, drilled a 32-yarder to tie it on the final play.
Grupe opened overtime with a 24-yard field goal, but Roberson bulled his way into the end zone to send the Wolf Pack rushing onto the field.