 However, to end the regular season they dropped two consecutive overtime games to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech (27–30, 31–34) despite being perceived as outplaying both squads.The team then regrouped and ended things on a dominant high note with a statement win over South Carolina, 28–0, in the 2018 Belk Bowl.The lopsided victory was seen as a show of strength for not only Virginia and Mendenhall, but for ACC football's standing relative to SEC teams in the runup before Clemson's rout of Alabama for the National Championship.