• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Virginia visits NC State, tries to remain atop ACC Coastal

Oct 27, 2007 - 11:35 AM No. 21 Virginia (7-1) at North Carolina St (2-5) 4:30 pm EDT

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Ever so quietly, Virginia is leading the ACC Coastal Division.

Coach Al Groh's 21st-ranked Cavaliers try to remain perfect in league play when they visit North Carolina State in Atlantic Coast Conference action on Saturday.

Virginia (7-1, 4-0 ACC Coastal) has a half-game lead over intrastate foe Virginia Tech atop the division.

The Cavaliers have won their last three games by a combined four points, including last weekend's 18-17 triumph at Maryland.

Backup tailback Mikell Simpson scored on a one-yard run with 16 seconds left, capping a 90-yard drive that took up nearly the second half of the final period.

Simpson, who filled in for injured starter Andrew Pearman, ran for 119 yards and two TDs and had 13 catches for 152 yards.

N.C. State (2-5, 0-3 Atlantic) has struggled in its first season under former Boston College coach Tom O'Brien, but it ended a three-game skid with a 34-20 road win over non-conference foe East Carolina last Saturday.

Daniel Evans passed for 335 yards and three scores for the Wolfpack, who held just a one-point lead entering the final period after taking a 21-0 advantage early in the second quarter.

Virginia defeated N.C. State last year at home, 14-7.