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Hill, BYU keep rolling with win over Virginia

Sep 21, 2014 - 2:45 AM Provo, UT (SportsNetwork.com) - Taysom Hill accounted for three touchdowns and special teams played a pivotal role in No. 21 BYU's 41-33 win over Virginia on Saturday.

Hill, one of the most dangerous multi-purpose threats in the nation, picked up 187 yards and two touchdowns through the air and another 72 yards and a score on the ground. The junior QB has done it all for the unbeaten Cougars (4-0), putting himself in the early conversation for the Heisman Trophy if they continue to win.

Hill has 13 total touchdowns -- six passing and seven rushing -- in four games.

Jamaal Williams carried 13 times for 68 yards and a touchdown, and Adam Hine had the first kickoff return touchdown of his career in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.

BYU punter Scott Arellano also had a tremendous game, punting five times for an average of 55 yards. Four of his five punts landed inside the 20.

Greyson Lambert passed for 188 yards and an interception before leaving the game in the third quarter following a big hit. Matt Johns came in and played well, completing 14-of-23 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, but Virginia's comeback effort fell short when BYU recovered an onsides kick with less than two minutes left in the game.

"We need that killer instinct," said Hill. "In hindsight we'll look at it and make sure we come out on top, but I thought for the most part, we did what we needed to do to win the football game and that's all that matters."

The Cavaliers (2-2) fell to 3-19 on the road against ranked foes since 2000.

"That's a good BYU team we played that will win a lot of football games," said Virginia head coach Mike London.

Lambert broke two tackles and sprinted 37 yards to the 1-yard line on a read-option keeper on the second play from scrimmage. After BYU stuffed Kevin Parks, Lambert kept it again and muscled his way over the goal line, giving UVA an early lead.

BYU marched the ball down the field on its second possession but had to settle for a 28-yard Trevor Samson field goal after a false start penalty on 4th- and-1 from the Virginia 5. Hill completed all five of his throws on the drive.

Virginia kicker Ian Frye made three field goals in the second quarter, including two short kicks and a 41-yarder.

A 56-yard reception by Devon Blackmon early in the second led to Jordan Leslie's short TD grab. Samson kicked a 37-yard field goal later in the period, but Virginia owned a 16-13 lead at halftime.

Hill showed his versatility on a 15-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. After faking a handoff, Hill juked one defender and shook off another with a stiff arm before crossing the goal line to give BYU its first lead.

Later in the third, the Cougars gained 57 rushing yards during a 10-play, 73-yard drive that Williams capped with a 2-yard TD.

Frye's 46-yarder early in the fourth quarter made it a one possession game, but Hill made another big play on the ensuing series to put BYU back in the driver's seat.

After carrying five yards to set up a 3rd-and-5 from the 50-yard line on the fifth play of the drive, Hill connected with Mitchell Juergens for a 50-yard score.

Johns then led Virginia on a touchdown drive, with Khalek Shepherd punching it in from nine yards out to again pull within eight points. But it wasn't meant to be for the visiting Cavaliers, who showed no discipline on the ensuing kickoff. Adam Hine fielded the kick at the 1-yard line and went 99 yards untouched up the middle of the field to the end zone.

"Each time we took (the lead) from eight to 15, to their credit they responded," said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. "We needed the players to respond as well. Between Taysom and Adam Hine and what was happening there with that combination, at least offensively, kind of kept us separated."

Following a series of punts, Johns manufactured a 13-play, 98-yard march that ended with his touchdown pass to Kyle Dockins with 1:48 remaining.

Alani Fua pounced on Frye's onsides kick, and Hill kneeled three times to milk the remaining time off the clock.

Game Notes

Virginia picked up 35 first downs compared to 16 for BYU, and the Cavaliers dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 40:55 ... Virginia outgained BYU, 519-332 ... UVA leads the all-time series, 3-2 ... Virginia, which had its two-game win streak snapped, hasn't won three straight games since 2011.