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FOOTBALL

North Carolina Returns To Chapel Hill To Take On Georgia Tech

After being on the road for two straight games and suffering two straight losses away from the confines of Kenan Memorial Stadium North Carolina will return home to host Georgia Tech on Saturday.

North Carolina comes into the game with a record of 1-6 while they’re 1-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and are last in the Coastal Division. Georgia Tech comes into the game with a record of 4-4 while they’re 2-3 in conference and are fifth in the Coastal Division. “according to http://www.espn.com/college-football/standings/_/group/1

As for North Carolina’s previous game they lost in Charlottesville to Virginia last Saturday.

Bryce Perkins threw for three touchdowns and ran for another and Virginia beat North Carolina 31-21 Saturday. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

Perkins ran for 112 yards for the Cavaliers (6-2, 4-1 ACC), who are in first place in the ACC's Coastal Division. They gained bowl eligibility for the second year in a row, a first for the program since it went to four in a row from 2002-05. They also won their third conference game in a row for the first time since 2011. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

The loss was the fourth straight for the Tar Heels (1-6, 1-4), and ended their four-game winning streak on Virginia's home field. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

On a day when Perkins connected for scores with Joe Reed (27 yards), Hasise Dubois (33) and Evan Butts (16), he also found Olamide Zaccheaus 10 times for 108 yards, allowing Zaccheaus to pass Billy McMullen (210) as the school's career receptions leader with 213. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

The Cavaliers led 17-14 at halftime, but Perkins hit Dubois for a 33-yard score early in the third quarter and the defense limited North Carolina to two first downs and 43 yards. Perkins' 16-yard pass to Butts on the first play of the fourth quarter made it 31-14. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

Michael Carter scored from a yard out for the Tar Heels with 7:53 to play, but their last possession ended with a fourth-down incompletion as Nathan Elliott struggled against more pressure and the absence of a running game. They gained just 66 yards on the ground. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

THE TAKEAWAYS

North Carolina:
Elliott had a very effective first half, completing 12 of 16 throws for 132 yards, but the Tar Heels' inability to get a ground game going made things more difficult in the second half. After halftime, Elliott was just 11 for 22 for 139 yards. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

Virginia: The Cavaliers defense continues to impress, especially at home. The Tar Heels gained 500 or more yards in their last two games but could never get their ground game going until they were way behind. The Cavaliers made a huge play late in the third quarter when Chris Peace sacked Elliott and he fumbled, Bryce Hall recovering at the UNC 35. Virginia has allowed just four touchdowns in four home games. “according to https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/27/football-virginia-tops-tar-heels-31-21.aspx

As for Georgia Tech’s previous game, Unlike North Carolina who lost their previous game Georgia Tech defeated Virginia Tech in Blacksburg last Saturday.

Making his first-career start, redshirt freshman quarterback Tobias Oliver ran for 215 yards and three touchdowns to lead Georgia Tech to an impressive 49-28 win at Virginia Tech on Thursday night. “according to http://ramblinwreck.com/football-rolls-past-virginia-tech-49-28/

Behind Oliver, Georgia Tech (4-4, 3-2 ACC) became the first visiting team with three-straight wins at VT’s Lane Stadium since Miami (Fla.) accomplished the feat in 1967, 1982 and 1992. “according to http://ramblinwreck.com/football-rolls-past-virginia-tech-49-28/

The teams traded touchdowns on the first five possessions of the game but momentum shifted when Virginia Tech (4-3, 3-1 ACC) muffed the first punt of the game and it was recovered by GT’s Jalen Johnson at VT’s 12-yard line early in the second quarter. Two plays later, redshirt freshman B-back Jordan Mason scored the first of his three touchdowns to pull the Yellow Jackets even at 21-21. “according to http://ramblinwreck.com/football-rolls-past-virginia-tech-49-28/

From there, the Jackets scored 35-consecutive points to pull away for not only its third-straight win at Virginia Tech but also its third-straight win over the Hokies overall. Each of Georgia Tech’s last two wins in Blacksburg were engineered by quarterbacks making their first-career starts – Matthew Jordan led the Yellow Jackets’ 30-20 win at Lane Stadium in 2016. “according to http://ramblinwreck.com/football-rolls-past-virginia-tech-49-28/

Oliver’s 215 rushing yards were the second-most ever by a GT quarterback and his 40 carries were the second-most in school history, regardless of position (behind TaQuon Marshall’s 249 yards on 44 carries in his first-career start versus Tennessee on Sept. 4, 2017). “according to http://ramblinwreck.com/football-rolls-past-virginia-tech-49-28/

Kick-off is set for 12:15pm from Kenan Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on Raycom Sports. “according to http://ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/schedule/