Virginia vs NC State

Virginia struck first with 5:11 left in the opening quarter when Will Bettridge drilled a 47-yard field goal, matching his career long. The Cavalier defense forced a three-and-out on NC State's first two possessions, and on the Wolfpack's third drive, defensive end Fisher Camac tipped a CJ Bailey pass into the air that safety Brandyn Hillman intercepted at the NC State 32-yard line. Four running plays later — two from Pribula, two from Xavier Brown — Brown plunged in from a yard out for a 10-0 lead with 2:37 left in the first quarter.

Brown struck again with 11:26 remaining in the first half, catching a 45-yard screen pass from Pribula and racing untouched to the end zone for a 17-0 advantage. Just before halftime, Hillman forced a fumble at the Virginia 7-yard line that linebacker Landon Danley recovered, preserving the shutout.

Virginia opened the third quarter by going to the air for its first three plays: completions of 20 yards to Ty'Lyric Coleman, eight to Kameron Courtney, and a 47-yard touchdown bomb from Pribula to Da'Shawn Martin that stretched the lead to 24-0.

NC State finally answered when backup quarterback Will Wilson ran in from a yard out with 4:59 left in the third quarter, and Bailey hit Deandre Desinor for the two-point conversion to cut the deficit to 24-8.

That was as close as the Wolfpack would get. Virginia responded with a historic possession: a 23-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 12 minutes and 15 seconds of game time — both school records for a scoring drive. The Cavaliers converted all four fourth-down attempts on the drive, and backup tailback Xay Davis capped it with a 1-yard touchdown plunge, his first career score. Bettridge added a 27-yard field goal with 4:26 to play for the 34-8 final.

Hillman's two first-half takeaways — the interception that set up Virginia's first touchdown and the forced fumble at the goal line — flipped the game before NC State could find any rhythm. The Wolfpack did not score on its first eight possessions and produced just one play of 20+ yards all afternoon (a 21-yard pass on third-and-21). Virginia's 24-0 lead at the point NC State finally found the end zone was insurmountable.

Beau Pribula (QB, Virginia) — Match Player of the Match. The Missouri transfer carried 15 times for 110 yards (7.3 yards per carry) and completed 9 of 11 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions — a passer rating of 260.2. He became the first UVA quarterback to rush for 100 yards since Brennan Armstrong in 2022.

Xavier Brown (RB, Virginia) — Playing his first game since an ACL tear in October 2025, the fifth-year back rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown and added three catches for 58 yards and a 45-yard receiving score. He became the first Virginia player since himself (vs Pitt in 2024) to rush and receive for a touchdown in the same game.

Brandyn Hillman (S, Virginia) — The Michigan transfer delivered two game-changing plays: a first-quarter interception off a Camac tip that set up the opening touchdown, and a forced fumble at the goal line just before halftime that kept the shutout alive.

Virginia Defense — Held NC State to 168 total yards (76 rushing, 89 passing), the fewest by a UVA opponent since limiting VMI to 78 yards in 2018. The Wolfpack managed just 3.3 yards per play and four first downs through three quarters. Myles Brown led the team with eight tackles.

Virginia's 413 total yards (258 rushing, 155 passing) against NC State's 168 reflects a complete mismatch at the line of scrimmage. The Cavaliers ran 57 times for 258 yards (4.5 per carry) and attempted only 11 passes; they controlled possession for 38:03 compared to NC State's 21:57. The Wolfpack averaged a meagre 3.2 yards per rush and 3.4 yards per pass attempt. Virginia's 23-play, 75-yard fourth-quarter drive alone consumed 12:15 — more than half of the entire quarter — and featured four fourth-down conversions, underscoring Tony Elliott's confidence in both his offensive line and his defence's ability to hold.

NC State quarterback CJ Bailey, who entered the game with 23 career starts, completed 12 of 23 passes for 84 yards — by far the lowest output of his collegiate career and the first time he has been held under 100 passing yards.

Virginia opens the season 1-0 (1-0 ACC) and sits atop the ACC standings after Week 0. The Cavaliers snapped a four-game skid against NC State, earning their first win over the Wolfpack since 2012 and their first home win in the series since 2005. The program's 700th all-time victory places it among an elite group of 39 FBS programs.

NC State falls to 0-1 (0-1 ACC) and will need to regroup quickly after being dominated on both lines of scrimmage.

Next up: Virginia has a bye week before hosting Norfolk State (1-0) on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra. NC State hosts Richmond on Sept. 11.

This was a statement opener from a Virginia team that won a program-record 11 games in 2025 and looks capable of an ACC title run. Pribula's dual-threat production behind a dominant offensive line gives the Cavaliers an identity they've lacked. The 23-play, 75-yard drive was less a tactic and more a message: Virginia can impose its will physically. For NC State, the performance raises serious questions about an offensive line that was overwhelmed and a passing game that never got off the ground.