North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech: Complete Game Preview
The Virginia Tech Hokies (5-5, 3-3) return home to Lane Stadium on Saturday to host the No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels (9-1, 6-0) in legendary head coach Frank Beamer's final home game.
It's been a dream season for UNC and head coach Larry Fedora. The Tar Heels sit atop the Coastal Division and are poised to appear in their first ACC title game.
For the Hokies, it's another disappointing season that began with high expectations. Now, they're just looking to send Beamer out a winner and become bowl-eligible for the 23rd consecutive season.
Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 20-11-6 and has won the past two meetings. The Hokies are 9-2 against Carolina in ACC play.
Entering this week, Tech is on a two-game winning streak after a last-second win at Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels come to Blacksburg as winners of nine straight.
- When: Saturday, November 21
- Where: Lane Stadium; Blacksburg, Virginia
- Time: Noon ET
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network. Here is a complete list of stations by area.
- Spread: North Carolina is presently a 6.5-point favorite, per Odds Shark.
North Carolina's Players to Watch
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Quarterback Marquise Williams
UNC's senior quarterback is having an outstanding season. Williams is completing 66 percent of his passes for 2,222 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is also second on the team with 659 yards rushing and nine more scores.
Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster has seen plenty of Williams. Last season, he rushed for 94 yards against VT, but the Hokies kept UNC's passing game in check.
This season, Carolina is ranked No. 9 in scoring offense, as the Heels get it done through the air or on the ground.
Williams is the primary reason for North Carolina's explosive offense.
Wide Receiver Ryan Switzer
Another reason UNC's offense is so dynamic is junior receiver Ryan Switzer. Yes, Quinshad Davis is the prototypical big-bodied receiver everyone covets, but it's Switzer who takes Carolina's offense to another level.
Remember when Wes Welker reinvented the slot position in the NFL? Just think of Switzer as a younger, faster, quicker version of Welker in his prime. He's also one of the more dangerous return men in the country. Last week against Miami, Switzer returned his seventh career punt for a touchdown. He's just one away from tying the NCAA record.
Virginia Tech freshman cornerback Mook Reynolds is talented, but he's going to have his hands full with Switzer.
Virginia Tech's Players to Watch
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Quarterback Michael Brewer
In Brewer's return to action against Duke and subsequently Boston College, he performed well. In last week's win at Georgia Tech, Brewer wasn't at his best. He completed just above 50 percent of his passes, but he often appeared skittish in the pocket and missed open receivers throughout the game.
This week against North Carolina, the Hokies need Brewer to play his best game of the season. Virginia Tech's defense isn't going to shut down UNC's offense. The Hokies will require a near-perfect game from their offense. For Brewer, it means not waiting too long to hit his receiver and being willing to take some shots down the field.
Brewer is capable.
Running Back Travon McMillian
While a lot it is expected from Brewer—and rightfully so—Virginia Tech's star freshman running back, Travon McMillian, may be its most important player against the high-scoring Tar Heels.
McMillian is up for the challenge. Since his ascension into the starting lineup in early October, he has rushed for 577 yards and five touchdowns in Tech's last five games. He's averaging 115 yards per game and more than five yards per carry during that stretch.
McMillian is a big-play back, but he has proved he's much more, too. In the last three games, he has carried the ball 86 times. Coming into the season, coaches weren't sure they'd be able to count on the freshman for anything more than a few touches per game. Now, he's the unquestioned full-time back.
The best way to keep an explosive offense off the field is to keep your offense on the field. McMillian represents Virginia Tech's best chance to accomplish that.
North Carolina Keys to Victory
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Keep the Crowd Out of the Game
Lane Stadium is one of the loudest environments in college football. When Virginia Tech is playing well, it is almost impossible for opposing teams to win in Blacksburg. While Tech isn't playing well this season, there's going to be a lot of emotion going through the stadium this Saturday.
Several former Hokies players will be in attendance. The crowd will be jam-packed. And, there's even a rumor that legendary rock band Metallica will be in town to perform "Enter Sandman" live, according to Sammy Batten of the Fayetteville Observer.
Williams is aware of the emotional advantage Tech could have.
It's going to be crazy,'' Williams said, per Batten. "I'm sure it'll be emotional for a lot of those fans because Coach Beamer has done so many great things. He built Virginia Tech football. They're going to come out amped and wanting to get a win to send him off on good terms.''
Win the Turnover Battle
The Hokies are likely UNC's biggest obstacle standing in the way of the Coastal Division title. For North Carolina to win this weekend, it's imperative the Heels win the turnover battle.
On the season, UNC is plus-11 in turnover margin. It's a big reason for the Tar Heels' success.
The Tar Heels need to pressure Brewer frequently. He's shown he can be careless with the football.
On offense, Williams has seven interceptions. Over the last 15 years, no college team intercepts more passes than the Hokies, per Andy Bitter of the Roanoke Times. However, this version of Virginia Tech's defense has some youth in the secondary. The Tar Heels can ill-afford to give Virginia Tech's young secondary some confidence.
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Virginia Tech Keys to Victory
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Sustain Long Drives
The Hokies want to keep their offense on the field. In order to do so, Tech needs to run the ball consistently. If things start out slowly on the ground, offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler can't go away from the run, because McMillian has proved he'll get it going.
The short passing game is crucial for the Hokies, too. With Isaiah Ford, Cam Phillips, Bucky Hodges and Ryan Malleck, Virginia Tech has a bevy of talented pass-catchers. Loeffler should be unpredictable with his play-calling and be willing to take shots.
But, most importantly, the Hokies need to run the football and win the time of possession. That's the first step in winning this game.
Keep the Pressure on Marquise Williams
North Carolina doesn't give up a lot of sacks. On the season, UNC is allowing just over one sack per game. Foster loves to send pressure from everywhere. While this year's Virginia Tech defense isn't as productive rushing the passer as last season's top-five unit that sacked opposing quarterbacks 48 times, it is, essentially, the same group.
Defensive end Dadi Nicolas has struggled with injuries to both hands this season. Junior Ken Ekanem has started to heat up, as he made perhaps the play of the game to preserve Virginia Tech's win over Georgia Tech last week.
Against the Heels, Foster needs to bring pressure from everywhere. Early in the game, send linebackers, corners and safeties. Make UNC get out of its base offense in order to better protect the quarterback. Then, allow Nicolas, Ekanem and Luther Maddy to make some plays.
What They're Saying
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Fedora finally has UNC playing at a high level and is certain his team will face a fired-up Virginia Tech bunch on Saturday, per Marilyn Payne of WRAL.
"They’ve always played well against us, I don’t know if they need any extra incentive,” Fedora said. “Obviously they want to send Coach Beamer out on a positive note, so they’re going to give all they’ve got but they give everything they have every week.”
Beamer, in his usual manner, downplayed this being his last home game, instead focusing on his players and the opponent, per Norm Wood of the Daily Press:
"That's for another day. I think, No. 1, North Carolina gets your attention right away, and so, to have any shot of beating them, you've got to make a great, great preparation and have a great week of practice. Then, those 41 seniors that's part of our program, I think about those people, too. I'm going to have a lot of time after this to think about that last guy. I think sometimes when you get worried about bowl streaks, or any other streaks, you're worrying about the wrong thing. I think what you need to think about is exactly what I need to do to help us win against North Carolina and keep it at that.
"
Prediction
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You can throw everything out the window this weekend. Forget Virginia Tech's dominance of this rivalry. Never mind the fact that North Carolina is the better team in 2015.
These Virginia Tech players—and fans—want to send out their legendary coach a winner.
The game will be close and high-scoring. Virginia Tech's defense won't shut down UNC's potent offense. And VT's offense will come to play. Expect a lot of big plays from McMillian, Ford and Hodges for the Hokies.
Turnovers will decide this game. Virginia Tech will force at least two and a win a thriller late in the fourth quarter.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 37, North Carolina 34
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