The No. 17 North Carolina Tar Heels will try to make history on Saturday when they travel to Blacksburg to face the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Tar Heels are on the verge of their first-ever ACC Coastal Division crown and can clinch with a win over the Hokies. It won't be easy, though, as this game is also Frank Beamer's last game at Lane Stadium as head coach and you'd expect a strong effort to send him out on top.
How to watch North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
It’s a clash of styles in Blacksburg on Saturday. Here’s how you can tune in, and what to watch for.
The Tar Heels are rolling right now. They've won nine games in a row and are coming off a 59-21 win over Miami last week that honestly wasn't as close as the score would make it seem. Quarterback Marquise Williams has been the star of the show, but running back Elijah Hood has a good chance to go over 1,000 yards on the season in this game.
Virginia Tech, meanwhile, is just hoping to get to bowl eligibility. The team is 5-5 on the season and still has a winnable game after this at Virginia, but going into the last game of the season needing a win to get bowl eligible is a dangerous spot. They’ve won two in a row, but getting a third straight win is going to be a tall order.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: Noon ET, ESPN
Radio: North Carolina | Virginia Tech
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: North Carolina is favored by 5.5 points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Tar Heel Blog for North Carolina fans and Gobbler Country for Virginia Tech fans.
Three big things to know
1. Can the Heels keep rolling? North Carolina is in the midst of maybe the hottest winning streak in program history. They’re on their longest winning streak in over 100 years and look like one of the best teams in the country. Marquise Williams and the offense are grabbing most of the headlines, but the Tar Heel defense has been playing really well to boot. They’re firing on all cylinders right now.
2. Can Virginia Tech score enough to keep up? North Carolina’s offense averages nearly two touchdowns a game more than Virginia Tech’s -- 42 to 29.8. The Hokies do not want this game to turn into a track meet, they’re simply not equipped to play that way.
3. Or will the Hokies try to ugly this up? They are, on the other hand, more than happy to turn this game into a brutal, messy slog. If the defense can hold North Carolina around 20-25 points, Virginia Tech will have a chance. Going north of 30 feels like too tall an order for a Hokie offense that’s never really found its gear all season.
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