Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins shook off a first-half finger injury to throw two second-half touchdowns and also rushed for a score as the host Cavaliers defeated the Louisville Cardinals 27-3 in Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference opener for each team.

Perkins passed for 197 yards, including a 3-yard scoring toss to junior tailback Chris Sharp on the Cavaliers' second possession of the second half. Perkins ran for 78 more, including a 36-yard burst to the Louisville 15 to set up that score and extend Virginia's lead to 13-3.

Virginia (3-1, 1-0 ACC) led 6-0 at halftime on a pair of field goals by Hunter Pearson, but the Cardinals got on the board when sophomore cornerback Rodjay Burns picked off a pass that bounced off intended receiver Olamide Zaccheaus.

Burns returned the interception 34 yards to the Virginia 3, but a Cavaliers defense led by sophomore linebacker Zane Zandier stuffed the Cardinals on three running plays. Louisville settled for a 20-yard field goal by Blanton Creque with 9:45 left in the third quarter to cut their deficit to 6-3.

After the touchdown pass to Sharp put the Cavs up 13-3, the Cardinals (2-2, 0-1), who had only 88 total yards at the half, began to move the football with Jawon Pass in at quarterback to replace Malik Cunningham. But junior cornerback Bryce Hall picked off a Pass pass and returned it to the Virginia 38.

Virginia needed only four-plus minutes to go 62 yards, most of it coming on Perkins' 44-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Joe Reed to make it a 20-3 game. Perkins later scored on an 8-yard run to extend the lead to 27-3.

The Cavaliers had only 156 total yards in the first half, but their defense repeatedly stymied Cunningham, the freshman who was starting for the first time after rallying the Cardinals when he replaced Pass the last two weeks.

Jordan Ellis rushed 20 times for 68 yards for Virginia, and Reed had two catches for 52 yards. Zaccheaus, the senior who set a school record with 247 receiving yards a week ago, had only 29 yards on four catches.

Pass was 10-of-19 passing for 113 yards, and Cunningham completed 6 of 9 for 35 yards. Each threw one interception. Cunningham was the leading rusher with 26 yards, and sophomore wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick had five catches for 62 yards.

--Field Level Media