Game Prediction: #10 North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Tech Hokies

North Carolina and Virginia Tech square off tonight in what is one of the better matchups of the weekend. The winner gets an early leg up in the ACC Coastal Division, which most outsiders believe will be the Tar Heels. Virginia Tech, however, will have a say on that tonight.

BRYAN DRISKELL, PUBLISHER

Prediction: Virginia Tech 34, North Carolina 31

North Carolina is getting Top 10 love this offseason despite going 8-4 last season and losing a pair of 1,000-yard rushers and a 1,000-yard receiver to go with the team's second leading receiver and top tackler. I love what Mack Brown is building in Chapel Hill, but the expectations for the Tar Heels are a bit premature.

Part of my issue with the North Carolina hype is the fact the Tar Heels have four tough games away from home, including this matchup against Virginia Tech. North Carolina has gone just 5-5 away from home under Brown, a mark that includes losses to 3-6 Florida State and 5-5 Virginia last season.

Of course, Virginia Tech hasn't exactly inspired confidence with its ability to win at home, as the Hokies dropped three straight games at home during a late-season stretch in 2020.

Virginia Tech is a very talented football team, but the quarterback position is a question mark, but if Braxton Burmeister can play quality football the Hokies will surprise a lot of people, and I think that begins tonight against the Tar Heels.

VINCE DEDARIO, FOOTBALL ANALYST

Prediction: North Carolina 31, Virginia Tech 21

I have a lot of questions about this Tar Heel offense. Can they replace their top two receivers and their two 1000 yard RB from a year ago who are all in the NFL? Sam Howell is a good college QB and draftniks are high on him but can he lead an offensive attack that has so many new faces? Time will tell.

The Virginia Tech offense has some weapons that they can exploit but can they get a little help from the Hokie defense? That is the biggest question for VT. I am not sold on the defense in Blacksburg and I think the North Carolina defense is good enough to keep the Hokie offense at bay in game one. Look for Howell to have a good day and really get people talking about how great he is. We will see how long that talk lasts.

GRANT DELVECCHIO, STAFF WRITER

Prediction: North Carolina 35, Virginia Tech 17

In a weekend full of awesome matchups, this game should quietly be one of the best. Virginia Tech is returning all five of its leading receivers from last season and junior quarterback Braxton Burmeister, plus they’re playing at home under the lights inside Lane Stadium. It’s going to be a scene. But, the Tar Heels have Sam Howell, one of my favorites to win the Heisman this season. Yes, North Carolina lost Dazz Newsome, Dyami Brown, Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, but the Tar Heels should still roll against a Virginia Tech defense that struggled against the run and pass a season ago. Howell and the Tar Heels experience up front will push North Carolina past the Hokies.ANDREW MCDONOUGH, IB CONTRIBUTOR

Prediction: Virginia Tech 38, North Carolina 34

North Carolina has been getting a ton of preseason hype as a dark horse pick to challenge Clemson in the ACC and crash the College Football Playoff, and QB Sam Howell is among the early Heisman frontrunners after a strong sophomore season. What is ignored about the Tar Heels by the national media is how much skill position talent they lost after the 2020 season, with thousand-yard rushers Michael Carter and Javonte Williams and thousand-yard receiver Dyami Brown moving onto the NFL. Though Mack Brown has recruited well, there are a lot of new faces on the UNC offense around Howell, and the offensive line absolutely must play better than it did last season. Pro Football Focus ranked the UNC offensive line 102nd in the country in 2020, as it gave up an FBS-high 50% pressure rate.

On the other side, Virginia Tech is in a make-or-break year under coach Justin Fuente, who is only 19-18 over the past three seasons, a far cry from the Hokie heyday under Frank Beamer. Braxton Burmeister will attempt to stabilize the QB position by leaning on one of the stronger receiving corps in the ACC, and the Hokies also bring back 3 starters from an offensive line than PFF ranked 4th in the nation last season, including tackle Luke Tenuta, who ranked 10th in the country with a 87.2 run blocking grade.

Though skill position talent gets the sizzle and headlines, games are still won in the trenches, and I think Virginia Tech’s offense – led by its line – can find success against a UNC defense that gave up 29.4 PPG last season and lost its best player in LB Chazz Surratt, while the Hokie defense holds its own and succeeds in getting pressure on Sam Howell from defensive linemen Amare Barno and Jordan Williams. A late Howell turnover seals Virginia Tech’s upset of North Carolina in Blacksburg.

JP SCOTT, IB CONTRIBUTOR

Prediction: North Carolina 28, Virginia Tech 23

Every year there is at least one team that gets too much preseason hype. This season, I believe that team is North Carolina. The voters have the Tar Heels as a top ten team, led by a Heisman contender at quarterback in Sam Howell. Opening under the lights in Blacksburg is a tall task for any program not named Alabama. I look at the spread, which as I write this sits at UNC -5.5. I think that's a fair number. I believe the Tar Heels struggle early, both with an underrated Hokie squad and an electric crowd. That said, North Carolina escapes with a win.

RYAN ROBERTS, RISENDRAFT

Prediction: Virginia Tech 31, North Carolina 21

It’s been a bumpy ride for the Hokies program throughout the majority of the Justin Fuente era, firmly entering the 2021 season on the hot seat. Even when Virginia Tech is down, Blacksburg is a tough place to play. Add in a plethora of next level talent and we could have an upset here! Game one is the perfect time to catch Mack Brown, Sam Howell and company. The Tar Heels will be breaking in a brand new cast of skill position players, making this a perfect spot for an early season upset.

SHAUN DAVIS, IB CONTRIBUTOR

Prediction: North Carolina 34, Virginia Tech 24

Sam Howell begins a Heisman campaign against a tough conference opponent while trying to test run an offense with new parts. It’s always tough to face someone that know you in the first game, and it may take some Heisman magic for the Tar Heels to sneak out with a win.

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