Sports

Late muffed punt key as Virginia rallies to beat No. 21 Louisville 23-21

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Virginia head coach Mike London cheers on his team during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Louisville in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (The Associated Press)

Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino cheers on his team during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (The Associated Press)

Greyson Lambert threw for one touchdown and ran for another and Ian Frye kicked a 42-yard field goal with 3:41 remaining, giving Virginia a 23-21 victory against No. 17 Louisville on Saturday.

The winning points came after Louisville's James Quick fumbled a punt and Kelvin Rainey recovered for Virginia (2-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) at the Cardinals' 25. Four plays later, Frye's third field goal of the game allowed the Cavaliers to end an 11-game slide against FBS-level competition.

Louisville (2-1, 1-1) had tied the game midway through the quarter, but the Cardinals' fourth turnover was too much for them to overcome. On the fumbled punt, Quick was bumped into by a teammate.

The victory was the first for Virginia against a ranked team since a 14-13 triumph at Florida State on Nov. 19, 2011, and was their first in their last 11 games against ACC teams.