North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Tech Hokies Preview
The North Carolina Tar Heels are looking for an unprecedented berth in the ACC Championship Game. Standing in their way is the Virginia Tech Hokies, who have made that trip more than any other Coastal team.
This year the Hokies can only play spoiler, but boy can they pick a time to play spoiler. Saturday’s kickoff will represent the last home game in the tenure of Frank Beamer in Blacksburg. Expect the Hokies to be super fired up for this one. The Tar Heels are going to have to match them in energy level to be sure of victory.
Opponent: Virginia Tech Hokies (5-5, 3-3 ACC)
Date: November 21
Time: Noon
TV: ESPN
Venue: Lane Stadium (Blacksburg, VA)
How many ways are the Hokies going to be excited for this one? One, the Hokies want to send out Coach Beamer on a win. Why not do it against a North Carolina team that is considered to be the best the Coastal has to offer at this point.
Two, the Hokies have dominated the Tar Heels in the Beamer era. Since Virginia Tech joined the conference the Hokies have won every game in the series except two. Darian Durant did not beat them (one attempt), T.J. Yates and Bryn Renner had one win each. Marquise Williams has not beaten the Hokies in his tenure as the starter.
Three, the Hokies need another win to go bowling. This would not be a big deal (Virginia is next on the schedule) except this is Beamer’s last shot and nothing can be taken for granted. Better to get it sooner rather than later.
More from North Carolina Tar Heels
- NC Colleges Provide Coronavirus Results from Athletic Departments
- UNC Football gets Commitment from Top Cornerback
- Four North Carolina players selected in first round of MLB Draft
- UNC Destroyed by Coach Duggs and Tennessee in NCAA Football 14
- UNC Basketball: Former Tar Heel star calls out Roy Williams
Four, the Tar Heels have had a tendency in the past to look past opponents. When North Carolina beat Duke last year, they went flat on their face to NC State the next weekend and the bowl game was about as bad. Hopefully this team will realize that it still has things to play for.
As far as the Tar Heels are concerned, beating Beamer in his last home game would have a certain benefit to it. Beamer famously used the open North Carolina job to improve his salary at Virginia Tech in 2001. Legend has it that Beamer left Chapel Hill with everything all drawn up needing a signature, only to return to Blacksburg to think it over.
More from Old North Banter
- Carolina Panthers: Secondary battles to watch in training camp 2020
- Carolina Panthers: 2020 training camp kicks off on Tuesday
- NC Colleges Provide Coronavirus Results from Athletic Departments
- Court alleges Zion’s Stepfather received $400k
- UNC Football gets Commitment from Top Cornerback
North Carolina needs to use its weapons to pin the Hokies down. The Hokies are not built for comeback football. Nor can the Heels allow a comeback like Duke did. Elijah Hood is approaching a thousand yards for the season, if he can get it against the nine man front of Virginia Tech then the Tar Heels have probably won the game.
The other thing that North Carolina will have to attack is man to man matchups in the secondary. The Hokies have gotten away with those when Kendall Fuller was healthy, but some Tar Heel receiver will find a favorable matchup even if it is Kendrick Singleton over the middle.
Next: Two Tar Heels Return to the Pros
I got a funny feeling that this game will not be easy.
Prediction: 28-21 North Carolina