CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) _ There's nothing like a visit by Wake Forest when Virginia is hurting and in need of a confidence booster.

Thomas Jones ran for 164 yards and three touchdowns Saturday night and Dan Ellis finally played like he was expected to as the Cavaliers bounced back from a humbling loss at Clemson with a 35-7 victory against the Demon Deacons.

It was the 16th consecutive victory against Wake Forest for the Cavaliers (2-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), which tied for the second-longest such streak in league history. It also was the Cavaliers' 13th straight victory in a league home-opener.

Wake Forest (1-1, 0-1) hasn't beaten Virginia since a 38-34 triumph in Winston-Salem, N.C., in 1983, coach George Welsh's second year with the Cavaliers.

Jones scored on runs of 15, 2 and 12 yards, freshman receiver Tavon Mason scored from 31 yards on a double reverse and Ellis hit Kevin Coffey from 4 yards out on a third-and-goal play to make it 28-0 just 1:09 before halftime.

Ellis, who struggled in his first two games, seemed to build confidence with a series of short passes early and finished 19-for-25 for 220 yards. He was intercepted once, and had several passes dropped by his own receivers.

And the Cavaliers' defense, down six starters because of suspensions and injuries and reeling after allowing 447 yards in Death Valley, had little trouble with the run-oriented Demon Deacons and star tailback Morgan Kane.

Kane, who rushed for 211 yards in Wake Forest's 34-15 opening victory against Army, managed just 65 on 20 attempts. He had 12 yards in the second half.

Trailing 28-7 at halftime after a six-play, 80-yard drive that took just 38 seconds before the half, Wake Forest tried to pass its way back into the game after the intermission, but the Cavaliers defense rose to the challenge.

Ben Sankey, who directed the late first-half scoring drive, capping it with a 25-yard pass to Jammie Deese, finished 11-for-21 for 137 yards. He was intercepted once, after driving the Deacons to Virginia's 13 late in the third quarter.

Heralded freshman C.J. Leak also saw action in the fourth quarter for Wake Forest, but botched a pitch to Kane on his first play, resulting in a 14-yard loss, and was sacked for minus 2 yards by Devon Battle on his second play.