KYLE GREEN The Roanoke Times

Virginia's John Phillips scores on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Scott Deke on a fake field goal late in the fourth quarter during the Cavaliers' 35-20 win on Saturday.

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- There are field-goal roars and then there are touchdown roars.

Virginia linebacker Jon Copper had his back to the field when the Scott Stadium crowd erupted with 7:07 remaining Saturday, "but I knew that was a touchdown roar," he said. "There's a difference."

Emergency place-kicker Robert Randolph had set up for a 30-yard field goal but the ball never touched his foot. As soon as he took the snap, holder Scott Deke rose to his feet and threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to former Bath County standout John Phillips.

Randolph's conversion provided the final margin in a 35-20 UVa victory. Virginia had put in the trick play for a game with Maryland one week earlier, "but the operation didn't run right," said Phillips, whose TD reception Saturday was his first of the season.

Maybe it was a blessing that Virginia did not use the play against Maryland because East Carolina was not prepared for it.

After a screen play toward the visitors' bench on third-and-goal, Phillips pretended to run to the UVa sideline but never left the field.

"I was sitting on the bench but I asked around, 'Is it Polecat, Polecat, Polecat?' UVa co-captain and linebacker Clint Sintim said. "I got the 'yes,' so I got up and ran out to the field.

"I saw him wide open and I was just hoping they'd get the ball up before [the Pirates] realized it. It was picture perfect. You couldn't draw a better diagram out there."

It was the first touchdown pass for Deke, a fifth-year senior who had eight attempts for his career, all in a 45-10 loss at Connecticut on Sept. 13..

"It meant a lot to me to have the feeling that I'd helped the team win," said Deke, who said he felt no pressure in throwing to a receiver who was completely open.

"It's just pitch and catch to me. We tease the coaching staff every day to let us do it, just so we can score a touchdown. It's difficult for any [opposing] player to notice those things. It's a well-schemed play."

Phillips finished the game with six receptions for 47 yards. He has 25 receptions in six games, eclipsing his previous high of 17 in 2007.

"That's one of those plays that you can't get off fast enough," said Phillips, admitting that his 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame makes it difficult to remain inconspicuous. "It's been something we've been looking forward to for a while."

>> UVa's last touchdown pass from field-goal formation was in 2003, when Matt Schaub connected with tight end Heath Miller. Miller now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have an open date today, freeing Miller to return to Charlottesville and raise UVa's "Power of Orange" flag before the game.

Musical kickers

Former All-ACC soccer player Yannick Reyering had attempted every field goal, extra point and kickoff for Virginia before Saturday but Reyering has a leg injury that left him questionable (50-50) on the injury report submitted by UVa on Thursday.

Coach Al Groh saw enough from Reyering in pre-game warmups to use him on four first-half point-after kicks, but Reyering missed a 38-yard field-goal attempt before the half.

Redshirt freshman Chris Hinkebein did all of Virginia's kickoffs. His first attempt was pulled out of bounds, resulting in East Carolina taking over at the Virginia 35, but he fared decently after that point and had one touchback.

Randolph, a walk-on, became the fifth true freshman to play for the Cavaliers this season. Although he never had the opportunity to try a field goal, he did kick the extra point following Virginia's final touchdown.

Hot streak

Sintim, the ACC sack leader, had two sacks and a fumble recovery. He has eight sacks this year and 24 for his career, good for fourth on UVa's all-time list with Patrick Kerney, now with the Seattle Seahawks. Sintim had been tied with ex-roommate Chris Long and said he planned to notify Long of the latest developments.

Next week

Virginia (3-3 overall, 1-1 ACC) will play at Scott Stadium for the third straight week and host a North Carolina team that is looking for its first victory in Charlottesville since 1981. It will be the first trip to UVa for second-year Tar Heels' coach Butch Davis.