Brandyn Hillman returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown on a fake field goal and Virginia halted a three-game skid with a 36-7 victory over Cal on Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.
Kam Robinson added a 33-yard pick-six as the Cavaliers (5-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) improved to 5-1 at home this season and 8-0 after a bye week under coach Tony Elliott. Virginia will need to beat North Carolina at home next Saturday or Virginia Tech on the road on Nov. 28 to become bowl-eligible.
Beau Pribula completed 16 of 24 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 67 yards for the Cavaliers before sitting out the fourth quarter. Da’Shawn Martin had his seventh touchdown catch of the season.
The Golden Bears (3-7, 2-5) dropped their fourth straight game and fell to 1-4 on the road. Their bowl hopes ended.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was 16 of 30 for 141 yards with two interceptions for Cal. Adam Mohammed rushed for a touchdown.
Virginia marched 80 yards in 13 plays on the game’s opening drive, capped by Pribula’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Martin. Bettridge’s PAT kick was blocked.
Will Bettridge’s 30-yard field goal extended the Cavaliers’ lead to 9-0 in the second quarter.
Hillman’s pick-six came with Cal lined up for a field goal at the Virginia 4-yard line. Tight end Mason Mini took the direct snap and attempted a pass that turned into the longest interception return in Virginia history for a 16-0 lead with two minutes until halftime.
The Golden Bears got on the board with 14 seconds left as Mohammed’s 5-yard touchdown run made it 16-7 at the break.
It was all Virginia in the second half. The Cavaliers surged ahead 26-7 in the third quarter on Bettridge’s second 30-yard field goal and Robinson’s interception return.
Virginia tacked on a 42-yarder by Bettridge and a 1-yard TD run by Xay Davis in the fourth quarter. It finished with a 424-201 edge in total offense.
