UNC vs. UVA: Preview, game info, prediction and more

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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UNC and Virginia will meet on Saturday in Charlottesville as the Tar Heels look to keep pace in the ACC

Following a loss to Virginia Tech on a rainy day in Chapel Hill, the North Carolina Tar Heels rebounded with a big win against Miami.

Now they are looking to make it two in a row.

The Tar Heels are on the road again this week as they head to Charlottesville, Virginia to take on the Cavaliers. It comes before the Tar Heels are scheduled for their bye week this season and a win would keep them on pace with the Hokies in the Coastal Division.

Virginia enters the game at 2-4 and fresh off a loss to Pittsburgh. Their only ACC win came at Duke on Oct. 1.

Head coach Bronco Mendenhall is in his first year, attempting to rebuild the Cavaliers and so far it hasn’t gone well. It doesn’t get much easier for the Cavaliers either. They still have Louisville, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia Tech on their schedule.

UNC’s defense played very well in the big road well over Miami a week ago and can continue that momentum on Saturday.

Virginia’s offense is 65th in the country scoring 28.3 points per game and 71st with 403.3 yards per game. They really aren’t a big threat offensively to say the least.

When UNC has the ball, look for them to get that run game going early. It’s taken a back seat to the passing game in last two weeks, mainly due to an injury to Elijah Hood. UNC is now without starter Caleb Peterson on the offensive line, so look to see how that impacts them on Saturday.

The Cavaliers are going to have to play great for four quarters defensively to win.

They are led by Micah Kiser and Quin Blanding on defense. The junior linebacker Kiser has 3.5 sacks and 58 tackles on the year. If he can get to Trubisky early and often, he can disrupt the quarterbacks’ rhythm much like the Hokies did.

Blanding will have one of the Cavaliers defensive players in charge of trying to slow down Trubisky and the UNC offense. But easier said than done.

Without Mack Hollins, UNC’s offense takes a big hit as they lose their biggest deep threat. So it will be interesting to see how UNC adjusts to that.

If the Tar Heels can win, it will be huge as they can stay on pace with the Hokies. A loss and they are back to not feeling good about their ACC Coastal chances.

Here’s what you need to know…

WHAT? UNC at Virginia
WHEN? Saturday, October 22, at 3:00 p.m. ET
WHERE?David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia
TV? RSN. Wes Durham (play-by-play), James Bates (analyst) and Jenn Hildreth (sideline)
RADIO? Tar Heel Sports Network. Jones Angell (play-by-play), William Henderson (analyst) and Lee Pace
WEATHER? Sunny with a high of 60 degrees.
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads 62-54-4.
LAST MEETING? UNC def. Virginia 26-13.
BETTING LINE? -11
PREDICTION? UNC wins 38-23

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