Virginia Football: 3 takeaways from Belk Bowl win over South Carolina
By Zach Bigalke
3. Bryce Perkins has been a huge game-changer at quarterback
Since transferring to Virginia as a junior-college transfer, quarterback Bryce Perkins has been a major catalyst for the resurgence in Charlottesville. His arrival coincided with the development of a passing attack that went from 72nd in team passing efficiency under Kurt Benkert last year to No. 37 in the FBS this season under Perkins.
In the big win over South Carolina, Perkins dominated the Gamecocks secondary. The quarterback finished with 207 yards and three scores on 22-of-31 passing, as he exploited deficiencies in South Carolina’s coverage. It was a powerful showing by the former Arizona State recruit, as he put himself over 2600 passing yards for the season.
Perkins also showcased his running ability against the Gamecocks, finishing with 81 yards on 15 carries and taking only two sacks in the Belk Bowl victory. For the year, he finished with more than 900 yards on the ground.
The best part for Virginia is that Perkins is back next year for his senior season. He could be a threat to top 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. If he can pull off the feat, Perkins might just be leading the Cavaliers to a spot in the ACC championship game as Coastal winners.