Associated Press

ATLANTA -- The "heart of the team" kept the Virginia offense pumping Saturday.

Cedric Peerman ran for 118 yards and the winning touchdown to help Virginia knock off No. 21 Georgia Tech 24-17 on Saturday.

He has had a major impact on the Cavaliers during a four-game winning streak that has vaulted them into sole possession of first place in the ACC's Coastal Division.

"He's the heart of the team," UVa quarterback Marc Verica said. "He's tremendously explosive, and he never quits. The first guy never tackles him.

"[He has] tremendous leadership and passion for the game, just extremely fiery."

Fiery? Peerman? He spent most of his postgame chat with the media repeatedly crediting God and his offensive line.

"He's low-key. But when he hits the field, he's a different kind of guy -- a ton of fire," Verica said.

Since returning from a knee injury that prevented him from playing in a Sept. 27 loss at Duke, Peerman has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of UVa's four straight wins. He also has had six TD runs and 23 receptions in the winning streak, including five catches for 55 yards Saturday.

"I'm almost uncomfortable talking about him ... because there's nothing I could say about Cedric that would do him justice," UVa coach Al Groh said.

"He's our inspirational leader. ... When a guy sets a standard of laying it on the line like that, then everybody follows. ... He's the best."

Peerman carried the ball five times and caught a pass on the winning touchdown drive. He had an impressive 31-yard run to get UVa to the Georgia Tech 13. He lost a yard on the next play, so he was sent to the sideline to rest for a play. He then returned to the field and had an 8-yard run to the GT 3 on 3rd-and-8.

"I always try to check the yardage, what you have to get," Peerman said. "Sometimes I just have to look out there and see the stick and dive out there."

He capped that eight-play drive by scoring on a 3-yard run to give UVa a 24-17 lead with 3:29 to go.

UVa was 11-of-18 on third downs Saturday. In addition to his key carry to get the ball to the 3 on the winning touchdown drive, Peerman had a 17-yard run on third-and-1 during the team's first touchdown drive.

"We're a different team when he's in the game," Verica said. "He really makes this offense go."

Peerman repeatedly broke through tackles Saturday.

"God just blesses me with the ability to do that," Peerman said.

But the defensive players no doubt believe in God, too. So what's really the difference in Peerman's ability?

"There's no difference. I attribute it to God," he said with a grin. "That's it. I'm sorry, I have no other answer."