Virginia Game Guide
North Carolina (3-1, 0-1) will face Virginia (0-3, 0-0) in an attempt to even out its ACC record. It will be Virginia’s ACC opener. Carolina is coming off of a 24-7 loss at Georgia Tech one week ago. It will face its second straight opponent coming off of rest as Virginia’s last game was a narrow defeat at Southern Miss, 37-34, on September 19th. The game against Virginia will be the first of three straight home games. The Tar Heels will play five of their next six games at home. The series with Virginia dates back to 1892 and is the South’s oldest rivalry and the fifth-longest running series in FBS history. Carolina holds a narrow edge, 57-52-4. But the Tar Heels have dropped three straight games to the Cavaliers and have not won since a 7-5 victory in 2005 in Kenan Stadium. Carolina has lost nine of the last 11 meetings.
Last Time: Carolina lost at Virginia in overtime, 16-13, on October 18, 2008. Carolina struck first with a 10-play touchdown drive capped off by a Ryan Houston one-yard run. Virginia did not record a first down until four minutes into the second quarter. Virginia got on the board with a field goal after a Cam Sexton interception to make the score 7-3. On Carolina’s next drive, Hakeem Nicks lost a fumble at the Virginia 45-yard line. That set up a seven-minute drive by Virginia, resulting in a field goal try blocked by Bruce Carter. Casey Barth capped off a 15-play, 7 ½ minute drive with a 40-yard field goal late in the fourth to make it 10-3. Then Virginia drove steadily down the field in a minute and a half to die the game at ten with 47 seconds left. Carolina managed only a field goal on its first possession and Virginia scored a touchdown, ending the game at 16-13.
