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ESPN News Services
Nov 29, 2025, 10:50 PM ET
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- J'Mari Taylor became the first Atlantic Coast Conference running back since 2021 to run for a touchdown and throw for a score in the same game as No. 17 Virginia beat Virginia Tech 27-7 on Saturday night to clinch a spot in the conference championship game.
Taylor ran for 80 yards and a score, and quarterback Chandler Morris threw for 182 yards and ran eight yards for a touchdown as the Cavaliers beat the Hokies for just the second time in the past 21 meetings.
Virginia will face Duke in the ACC title game after SMU fell to California later Saturday night; the Blue Devils won the tiebreakers among the five two-loss teams in the conference.
Virginia (10-2, 7-1 ACC) turned an interception off a deflected pass on Tech's first possession into a touchdown and never looked back.
The Cavaliers' defense held Tech to a season-low 197 total yards in front of 58,832, the largest crowd at Scott Stadium since 2011.
Virginia linebacker Maddox Marcellus, playing in place of injured star Kam Robinson, had nine tackles, an interception and was in on a sack.
The Hokies (3-9, 2-6) got a 57-yard touchdown pass from Kyron Drones to Shamarius Peterkin with 4:20 left to play to get on the scoreboard.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
