Virginia became bowl eligible for the first time in six years, scoring late for a thrilling 40-36 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.

The teams combined for 49 second-half points as Virginia (6-3, 3-2 ACC) overcame a 15-point second half deficit.

Georgia Tech (4-4, 3-3) scored two touchdowns in the first 35 seconds of the second half but couldn't hold its lead as the Cavaliers roared back for 27 points in the final two quarters.

But after 20 consecutive points from Virginia, the Yellow Jackets regained the lead at 36-33 on a 33-yard pass to wide receiver Ricky Jeune with 3:10 to play in the game. Virginia answered with a 64-yard drive, capped by a 27-yard pass from Kurt Benkert to receiver Andre Levrone with 1:22 to go.

Georgia Tech drove to the Virginia 32 on its final drive, but turned the ball over on downs with 15 seconds remaining after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-15.

Virginia totaled 357 yards, with 260 of those coming through the air. Benkert completed 21 of 43 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns went to Levrone, who had three catches for 67 yards.

The Yellow Jackets tallied 399 total yards as quarterback TaQuon Marshall threw for 179 yards and ran for 143 yards while accounting for three touchdowns.

After an A.J. Mejia 36-yard field goal gave Virginia an early 3-0 lead, Georgia Tech responded with a touchdown as Marshall punched it in from 1 yard out.

The Yellow Jackets answered another Mejia field goal with another touchdown to take a 14-6 lead late in the second quarter before Joe Reed took the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for Virginia's only touchdown of the first half. Georgia Tech took a 14-13 lead into the break.