Virginia Takes Down Undefeated Louisville in ACC Overtime Thriller

Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris is always a threat to run, and with that dual-threat nature, he puts himself in harm's way, especially given his "risk it all" mentality on the football field.

Morris scrambled for the first down in overtime near the Cardinals' five-yard line and was met by a group of Louisville defenders. The senior was extremely slow to get up, but eventually sat up before being led to the sideline for the final play of the game.

Backup quarterback Daniel Kaelin entered the game, but UVA ran a direct snap to J'Mari Taylor for the easy score and the win. Morris' future is up in the air. It was a good sign he was able to walk under his own power, but the hit he took was massive, and at 6'0" and 190 lbs, Morris is extremely outmatched by opposing linebackers and defensive linemen.

Major Statement From Defense

The Virginia offense usually gets most of the shine for the team's success this season, but tonight's performance against Miller Moss and the Cardinals was the difference maker. The Louisville offense did not look terrible, but they forced Moss into terrible mistakes. The defensive front got to the quarterback, sacking Moss five times tonight, including two from Mitchell Melton.

Another Hoo's takeaway came when an Isaac Brown fumble was recovered and returned 61 yards to the house by defensive back Donavon Platt. Platt was able to scoop it up in the open field after a failed toss just slipped through Brown's hands in the backfield.

Proven Game Finishers

This win marks another example of Virginia proving they can close out tight, consequential games that will mean a lot more further down the road. A road win against an undefeated team while already being ranked No. 24 can only help you slide your way up the rankings.

In both wins, Virginia's defense stepped up when it mattered in overtime. Last week, Virginia secured the win against FSU after intercepting quarterback Tommy Castellanos in the endzone. Tonight, Virginia was able to hold Louisville to just three before driving the ball down the field easily on the Cardinals' defense. The Cavaliers' offense was also able to finish the game with the status of their starting quarterback in question.

J'Mari Taylor might be the most dangerous red zone and clutch time weapon out of the backfield in the country. Taylor is a bruising runner who seems to never accept a negative rush. His veteran presence in the talented but crowded backfield definitely brought some stability to the UVA offense as they looked for one final play to bring home another win.