The 3-1 North Carolina Tar Heels will host the 2-2 Virginia Tech Hokies this weekend as Atlantic Coast Conference play begins for Mack Brown’s team.
UNC is coming into this ACC showdown with pressure to bounce back after receiving their first loss on the season. Their 45-32 defeat to Notre Dame was heartbreaking as North Carolina’s momentum to cracking the Associated Press top 25 got put on hold.
Notre Dame completely dominated UNC’s defense and it showed especially in that second half. Meanwhile, their offense struggled to keep up. North Carolina allowed 287 rushing yards and 289 passing yards with six total touchdowns.
The nightmare game showcased UNC’s most significant weakness, highlighting gaps in the defense.
Now, UNC will look to fix those defensive struggles against Virginia Tech to get their season back on track. A must-win game for North Carolina to restart their climb into the top 25 and give them confidence for their game against the Miami Hurricanes.
(Watch and stream Saturday’s game live on ESPN+)
Before the Saturday game, we look at five things to watch for in this ACC matchup.