ACC Football: 5 Keys for Virginia Against North Carolina

Virginia head coach Mike London is not resting on his laurels after last week's heart stopping win against Indiana.  The Cavaliers head to Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina in what's billed as the "South's oldest rivalry."  It may be an old rivalry, but it's a new challenge for a young team.  "It's another big test, it's our first conference game and it's another road game, it's against a very very good team and they do things with energy and passion," London told Charlottesville's CBS19 Sports.

What will it take for the Cavaliers to pass this test?  Let's take a look at five key points.

1.  Calm Quarterback.  Sophomore Michael Rocco has been solid against William and Mary and Indiana, but North Carolina presents a whole new set of challenges.  This will be Rocco's second road start.  You better believe the Tarheel defense will do everything possible to rattle him.  Rocco must remain calm, not panic if he takes a couple hits early, which he probably will, and play mistake free football.

2.  Ball Control.  The Cavaliers need to stay in the game early to have a chance to win late.  If they allow the already favored Tarheels to build an early lead, it will be extremely difficult to come back.  If Virginia can put together some early drives, even if they only result in field goals, it will allow the defense to make adjustments and stay fresh.  It will also keep the pressure off Michael Rocco by keeping the game close.

3.  Shutdown Corners.  So far this season, Chase Minnifield and Tra Nicholson have been able to lock down opposing receivers fairly well.  This allows more flexibility for the rest of the defense to blitz and run other stunts to disrupt North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner.  Renner is an accurate passer, and the Cavs will need strong play from the men on the outside to keep him in check.

4.  Exploit Special Teams.  North Carolina has struggled on special teams. The Heels are last in punt coverage, and 10th in kick return coverage.  This is a chance for the Cavaliers to get good field position, and use running backs Perry Jones and Kevin Parks.  This will once again ease the pressure on Rocco.

5.  Accurate Kicking.  So far this year, Robert Randolph has been perfect for the Cavaliers.  The placekicker has been a point of consistency for Mike London last year, and looks even better so far this season. Long field goals not only put points on the board, they bail out stalled drives, and keep offensive spirits high.  Nobody expects the Cavaliers to blow out the Tarheels in Chapel Hill, so if Mike London's team wants to come out with a win, every point will count.

Saturday's game will tell us quite a bit about Mike London's young Cavaliers.  The game plans are drawn up, now it's time to see how it plays out on the field.