UNC Football at Virginia: Preview, info, prediction and more

The UNC football program looks to inch closer to the ACC Coastal Division title, as they’ll travel to Virginia in hopes of improving to 8-1 on the year.

Mack Brown and the UNC football program have put themselves in the driver’s seat while chasing the ACC Coastal Division title.

Although they are drawing closer to clinching, as Kobe Bryant once famously stated, “the job’s not finished.”

The Tar Heels will travel to Virginia on Saturday to continue conference play. With a win, plus some other help, North Carolina could clinch their spot in this year’s ACC championship game.

Of course, the focus needs to be on the Cavaliers, a team they seem to match up favorably against.

What should we expect from this matchup? Well, we’re here to break it all down!

Key to Victory for North Carolina

Virginia has lost four of its last five games, including a four-overtime loss to Miami last weekend. In those five games, the Cavaliers have scored 20 or more points once, and average just 16.9 points per game this season.

They have simply struggled to score as their season-high 34 points came in their opening week victory over Richmond. Ever since it’s been a struggle to find the endzone.

For the UNC football program, it’s very simple: continue the offensive success.

The Tar Heels haven’t had trouble scoring points, in large part to the success of redshirt freshman Drake Maye. If North Carolina can score early, it will put a lot of pressure on Virginia, a team that does not have the firepower to compete in an offensive slugfest type of game.

Something to Watch For

Last week, North Carolina lost standout linebacker (and former Cavalier) Noah Taylor for the remainder of the 2022 season. However, the defense has been stepping up to the occasion, especially in the second half.

In their last four games, the Tar Heels’ defense has allowed just 28 second-half points. This has been huge, especially last week when the UNC football trailed heading into the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh.

Cavaliers quarterback Brennan Armstrong has struggled this season, as he hasn’t been able to replicate the success he had a season ago. He’s just one interception shy of last year’s mark, which is concerning given he’s thrown the ball 229 fewer times this season.

Against a struggling offense, can the Tar Heels’ defense put up a strong overall performance? With some moving parts due to injury, expect some adjustments to what we’ve seen from Gene Chizik’s crew so far this season.

What You Need To Know

WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels (7-1, 4-0 in ACC) at Virginia Cavaliers (3-5, 1-4 in ACC)
WHEN? Saturday, November 5, 2022, at 12:00 PM EST
WHERE? Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia
TV? ACC Network
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
WEATHER? Partly Cloudy with a chance of rain. High of 75F
LINE? North Carolina -7
LAST MEETING? North Carolina defeated Virginia 59-39 on September 18, 2021
ALL-TIME SERIES?  North Carolina leads the series 64-58-4
PREDICTION? North Carolina 45, Virginia 17