William & Mary can’t convert on three red-zone trips, falls short in upset bid at UVA

William & Mary’s defense kept it in position for a second consecutive win over a Football Bowl Subdivision team, but the offense came up short on several scoring opportunities and the Tribe fell 27-13 to Virginia on Saturday at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville. Though the victory was the first of the season for the Cavaliers (1-5), snapping an eight-game skid dating back to last season, it was their sixth straight in this series, and their pedigree showed in a 453-219 total-yards advantage. Nonetheless, had the Tribe (4-2), which led 13-3 in the second quarter, not been denied three times in the red zone — twice controversially — coach Mike London and his players might have added another FBS notch to their belts after beating Charlotte a year ago.

“I’ll say right here, right now, that I’m very proud of our football team,” London said. “When you’re going toe-to-toe with an ACC opponent, and you’re leading at some points, then come out and the third and fourth quarters are still going back and forth, I thought our players played very well. ” Outside linebacker John Pius played like the FCS All-American and Player of the Year candidate he is with eight tackles that included 2 1/2 sacks, three tackles for loss and a 58-yard return of a forced fumble by Cavaliers quarterback Tony Muskett that set up the Tribe’s only touchdown.

But Muskett kept his cool against what has been the best defense in the Football Championship Subdivision this season, completing 17 of 26 passes for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns to ignite the UVA victory. Pius’ third-down sack of Muskett, with help from fellow All-American Nate Lynn, forced a punt the Cavaliers’ Daniel Sparks shanked. The short field it afforded the Tribe led to Caden Bonoffski’s 39-yard field goal and an early 3-0 Tribe lead.

A third-down stop by Pius and Isaiah Jones forced UVA to settle on its second possession for Will Bettridge’s 45-yard field goal and a 3-3 tie. Bonoffski, 11 of 12 on field goals this season, responded with a career-best 48-yard trey and the Tribe led 6-3 with 4:17 left in the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Pius strip-sacked Muskett, scooped up the fumble and ran 58 yards to the Cavaliers’ 3-yard line.

That set up a 1-yard TD run by Martin Lucas to give W&M a 13-3 lead. Unfazed, Muskett led the Cavs on a 66-yard touchdown drive, completing passes of 22 and 17 yards to start it before running 7 yards for a touchdown. Muskett scrambled away from pressure on Virginia’s next possession and passed 42 yards to Malik Washington (seven receptions, 112 yards).

That set up Bettridge’s 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 13 with 2:38 left in the first half. Another Pius sack of Muskett, and a shanked punt by Sparks of 5 yards, gave the Tribe a chance to take the lead before halftime. W&M took over at the Cavs’ 34 and advanced to the 20 on a pass from Darius Wilson to Hollis Mathis.

But on the next play, the officials ruled that Mathis fumbled, though it appeared from televised replays that the ground caused the lost ball. With 55 seconds left in the half, that was enough for Muskett, who led the Cavaliers 71 yards to a touchdown in five plays. Malachi Fields made a spectacular over-the-shoulder diving catch of Muskett’s pass for a 26-yard touchdown that gave the Cavaliers a 20-13 lead with 7 seconds left in the half.

The Tribe had an opportunity to cut into that lead in the third quarter on its one sustained drive. But the Cavaliers dropped Lucas for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-2 at the 8. Muskett then led the Cavaliers on a 90-yard drive, capped by his 27-yard touchdown throw to Washington that made it 27-13 with 11:11 left in the game.

Wilson completed 6 of 6 passes to spark the dormant passing game as the Tribe drove from its 25 to the UVA 23. But officials ruled tight end Sean McElwain was tackled inches short of a first down on his reception on fourth-and-4 at the 20 with 4:45 remaining, and W&M’s upset hopes were dashed. “Some people could say it might not be pretty, but a win is a win, and we needed a win,” UVA coach Tony Elliott said.

“We got a win and the guys found a way versus a team that came in here and challenged us. ”.