URBANA, Ohio - - UVa-Wise entered Saturday's game at Urbana University needing one win in its final three games to secure the school's first winning season in football since 2008. Longtime followers of the Cavaliers may have felt like it was 2008 when the team averaged 477.5 yards per game thanks to a big offensive day against the Blue Knights. Saturday the visitors carved up the Urbana defense to the tune of 508 yards in a 39-36 come from behind victory.

UVa-Wise (6-3, 5-3 MEC) scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 2:47 to play when junior Carlton Griffith darted into the end zone from three yards out. Griffith's TD capped a 7-play, 81-yard drive that featured five completions by redshirt freshman Brycen Lee. Lee passed for 79 of his season-high 387 yards on the drive as the Cavs came from behind for the fifth time this season to post victory.

As has been the case for much of the season, UVa-Wise fell behind early. Urbana (3-6, 2-6 MEC) jumped out to an early 14-0 lead as quarterback Tajuan Green fired TD passes of 22 and 46 yards to Trevon Saunders and Kelly Carter in the game's opening period.

Lee would get the Cavs on the board when he tossed what would be the first of a season-high four TD passes, a 12-yard strike to freshman Kier Townsend. The score was the first of Townsend's career and came with 38 ticks to play in the first quarter. UVa-Wise would miss the PAT leaving the Urbana lead at eight points.

A second quick scoring drive would cut the lead to two when Jacob Cousins hauled in a 9-yard TD pass from Lee. The drive consumed just 1:28 of clock, marking the second time the Cavs scored in less than 90 seconds. A two-point conversion try would prove to be unsuccessful leaving the score 14-12 mid-way through the second quarter.

Saunders' second TD reception of the half would give him an Urbana school record for TD catches but it would be his last as the standout receiver was disqualified from the contest for his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the day. Following a Ross Snodgrass conversion kick, Urbana entered intermission leading 21-12.

Griffith would get his team within two at the 8:35 mark of the third period when he scored his first TD of the day, a 1-yard scamper to finish off an 80-yard drive. Daryian Basco provided the PAT to make it 21-19.

Jacob Cousins' second TD reception of the game would give UVa-Wise its first lead of the day on his team's next possession. The Richmond native's score came from 25 yards out and following a missed two-point conversion try, the Cavs led 25-21.

Corey Hilberath would become the third receiver to catch a TD pass from Lee when he scored from 14 yards out early in the fourth quarter, with Basco's extra point, UVa-Wise had its biggest lead of the day at 32-21 with 14:10 to play.

Green and receiver Kelly Carter would not go down without a fight. Green would engineer a 10-play, 68-yard drive that culminated in a 21-yard touchdown pass to Carter. The signal caller would get his team within three when he hooked up with Shemar Hooks on a two-point conversion to make the score 32-29 with 10:29 to play.

Carter would put the Blue Knights on top with 8:36 to play when he caught a Green pass and raced 70 yards for the go-ahead score. Snodgrass' extra point pushed the lead to 36-32 with 8:36 to play.

Following a three-and-out by UVa-Wise, Urbana would take over on its own 47-yard line with a chance to put the game away.

The Cavalier defense would rise to the occasion as a pair of tackles by Chris Flood and an incompletion forced the Blue Knights to punt the ball away with 5:16 remaining.

The stop set up Lee's second game-winning drive of the season. With five completions on the drive, the quarterback completed a season-high 36 passes on 43 attempts. His 83.7 percent completion percentage was also a season-high.

The Blue Knights would have one last scoring opportunity when the team took over on its own 12-yard line following Lee's second punt of the day that landed inside the 20-yard line.

Green would drop back to pass nine times on the drive and move the ball to the UVa-Wise 33-yard line before being sacked on a first down play by Anas Elkattan. After back-to-back incompletions, Snodgrass would come on to attempt a 54-yard field goal to tie the contest.

The kick would sail wide right to secure UVa-Wise's fourth road win of 2016.

Hilberath finished the day with a career-high 11 receptions for 116 yards. James Cousins added six catches for 30 yards while Jacob Cousins and Townsend each caught five passes. Jacob Cousins finished with 79 yards while Townsend added 55.

Flood and Zachary Blair led the UVa-Wise defense with eight tackles each. Blair finished with three tackles for loss to move within 1.5 TFLs of the all-time NCAA Division II record of 75 in a career.

Will Clift added his second interception of the year to aid a defense that finished with eight tackles for loss in the win.

Urbana's Josh Dillard led all players with 12 tackles. Dillard's performance led a Blue Knights defense that forced three turnovers.

Green finished with 427 passing yards and five touchdowns, Carter led the way with 158 receiving yards and three scores. Saunders caught nine passes for 131 yards and two scores while playing only the first half.

The Cavs finished the game a perfect 6-6 in red zone scoring chances while converting six of 14 third down attempts.

Lee's punting performance was as important as his play behind center. The Mayo, Fla. native punted the ball four times for an average of 40.5 yards with a long of 51 yards, while adding a touchback and the two punts inside the 20-yard line.

The quarterback was greatly aided by his offensive line which did not allow a sack on 43 pass attempts.

UVa-Wise plays its final home game of the season next Saturday when West Virginia Wesleyan comes to Carl Smith Stadium for a noon kickoff.