CHARLOTTESVILLE -- At one moment, he was the goat, at least to the fans near the home sideline who blamed him for N.C. State's tying touchdown.

And then, a few minutes later, Tony Franklin was the last of many heroes for the Virginia Cavaliers, climbing an aluminum bench after his interception clinched a 14-7 win and basking in cheers from those same nearby fans.

"Y'all didn't love him then," outside linebacker Clint Sintim said, "but you've got to love him now."

That's pretty much how the past year has gone for Franklin. Dismissed from the team during the off-season after a string of team rules violations, the 5-foot-10 defensive back was eventually allowed back for a fifth year.

His role has been smaller this season -- coming off the bench as a safety and slot cornerback after starting nearly every game the past two seasons -- but Franklin doesn't much care.

"In my situation," he said, "I'm just glad to be back on the field, you know, because I almost lost it all last year."

Franklin was covering John Dunlap in the slot when N.C. State (3-5, 2-3 ACC) took its final snap at its 23-yard line with 1:07 left.

Dunlap cut inside and Franklin was right with him 20 yards down the field, leaping to snag his sixth interception.

Just more than a year ago, he made a nearly identical interception on this field to seal the Cavaliers' second win against Florida State.

"It just feels good to make a big play in a big game," Franklin said, clutching a game ball.

Kudos were due all around for a Virginia defense that held N.C. State to a season-low 70 rushing yards -- barely more than half its 134.7-yard average -- and its lowest point total in Chuck Amato's seven seasons as head coach.

The Cavaliers (4-5, 3-2) beat North Carolina and Duke by a combined score of 60-0, but this, UVa coach Al Groh said, likely was their finest defensive performance.

"They had to go out there knowing every series the game was on the line," Groh said. "I was impressed with their competitive resolve under that circumstance."

No one did more than defensive end Chris Long, whose myriad contributions began with an early, tone-setting sack of N.C. State quarterback Daniel Evans.

Long also drew a critical holding penalty on left guard Leroy Harris and scared left tackle James Newby into a false-start penalty on fourth-and-1 in the third quarter.

"He gives us one of those guys that every defense needs to have," Groh said. "He's difficult to deal with every play."

The rest of the defensive line was no picnic either, with 280-pounders Nate Collins and Kevin Crawford stuffing the middle and Jeffrey Fitzgerald rushing from the other end.

Together, the Cavaliers stoned N.C. State on a red-zone drive at the end of the first half, forcing a 33-yard field-goal attempt that John Deraney missed left.

Nearly flawless until late, the Virginia defense recovered nicely after Jameel Sewell, Jason Snelling and the offense regained the lead with 1:31 left.

Franklin made it stand up, a serendipity Groh noticed right away.

"I recognized it," Groh said. "I went over and told him how happy I was for him. This was one for him."