CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – This time, Florida State didn’t get to the goal line. 

Chandler Morris threw for two touchdowns and ran for three more, including the game-winner in double overtime.

The Cavaliers wore throwback uniforms inspired by the 1995 upset of No. 2 FSU. That game ended with the Cavaliers mounting a goal line stop on the final play. 

This one finished when Tommy Castellanos’s desperation heave into the end zone on fourth down was intercepted. It came a play after Duce Robinson bobbled a would-be touchdown reception as he went out the back of the end zone. That play was originally called a touchdown, but reversed upon review.

“That’s what Scott Stadium is supposed to be like,” fourth-year coach Tony Elliott said. “That’s what I envisioned when I decided to take the job here. … It felt like a championship kind of game and that’s what we desire to be as a program. That’s where we want to go.”

UVA drew a crowd of 50,107, its largest since 2023 against James Madison. And unlike wins over Coastal Carolina, William & Mary and Stanford, on Friday night, the fans stayed until the end — pouring onto the field to celebrate the upset..

Virginia’s defense came up with the first big play of the night. Defensive tackle Anthony Britton jarred the ball loose from FSU running back Gavin Sawchuk and defensive end Fisher Camac fell on it at the Seminoles’ 38-yard line. 

Using a fast-paced tempo that kept FSU on its heels – and aided by a 15-yard penalty on the Seminoles – the Cavaliers cashed in on the early takeaway.

Morris hit tight end Sage Ennis, a Tallahassee native who grew up going to FSU spring games, for a 6-yard touchdown that gave UVA the 7-0 lead with 5:05 left in the opening quarter.

The Cavaliers forced a second takeaway on the Seminoles next drive, in the redzone, with defensive back Ja’Son Prevard breaking in on Castellanos, tipping the pass and picking it off.

Virginia turned that turnover into its second touchdown, an 11-yard scramble by Morris, who ran through a pair of arm tackles and put it ahead 14-0 with 9:43 left in the half. 

The Seminoles ripped off three straight touchdown drives of their own in response, two fueled by UVA interceptions, and went up 21-14 with 2:32 to go in the half, grabbing the momentum. 

Virginia mounted a key score drive late in the half, getting back-to-back effort plays from Trell Harris and J’Mari Taylor.

Harris caught a bobbling ball in traffic, then dragged defenders for 28 yards. Then Taylor broke tackles for a 26-yard touchdown run, tying the game 21-21 with 48 seconds left in the half.

Like it did to open the game, Virginia got off to a fast start in the second half. After the defense held FSU to a missed 45-yard field goal on the Seminoles’ first possession, the running game carried UVA down the field, Morris capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run that put the home team ahead 28-21 with 3:45 left in the third quarter. 

The 12-play, 74-yard scoring march ate 6:13 off the clock. 

FSU tied things again, getting a 4-yard jump-pass near the goalline off a direct snap to Randy Pittman, who flipped the ball over the top of the UVA defense to Duce Robinson, knotting the score at 28-28 with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers went ahead 35-28 on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Morris to Xavier Brown, one play after a Morris scoring run was negated by a holding penalty.