First Look: Virginia Tech at North Carolina
Hokies head to Chapel Hill Saturday
Soccer 9/26/2022 8:00:00 AM
Saturday will mark the Tar Heels’ (3-1) first ACC contest, whereas the Hokies (2-2) are already 1-0 in league play after a 27-10 win over Boston School on Sept. 10.
TV: The sport can be televised on ACC Community with Dave O’Brien (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst) and Kelsey Riggs (sideline) on the decision.
Radio: The Virginia Tech Sports Network, together with its flagship station 105.3 FM “The Bear” in Blacksburg, will carry the competition over the airwaves. Bill Roth will deal with play-by-play duties whereas Mike Burnop supplies colour commentary and Zach Mackey studies from the sideline.
Streaming: Catch the sport on-line at ESPN.com and within the ESPN cell app.
Reside Audio: Hearken to reside audio protection of the matchup at HokieSports.com/Watch and within the HokieSports cell app.
Reside Stats: Monitor the sport by means of reside stats on HokieSports.com, together with play-by-play updates and full workforce and particular person statistics.
Social Media: Keep related with the Hokies on Twitter (@HokiesFB), Instagram (@hokiesfb) and Fb (@VirginiaTechFB).
1. Who responds higher after a loss? In case you rewind a 12 months in the past, issues have been very totally different coming into this sport. UNC was preseason No. 10 nationally and had a Heisman and ACC Participant of the 12 months favourite in quarterback Sam Howell, whereas the Hokies have been coming off of a non-bowl season. Tech ended up enjoying spoiler at house, defeating Carolina 17-10 in each workforce’s season opener. This time round, each groups search to bounce again from their double-digit losses this previous weekend. Tech is already 1-0 following a loss beneath head coach Brent Pry, whereas the Tar Heels are 11-3 after a setback beneath head coach Mack Brown throughout his season stint with the workforce (2019-present).
2. Tech has had success in Chapel Hill. Because the saying goes, it is robust to win on the street. However the Hokies have been capable of say ‘Tech Triumph’ proudly after they go away Chapel Hill of their historical past, proudly owning an 8-4-2 mark whereas enjoying at North Carolina. Tech has been capable of win three of its final 4 at UNC, courting again to 2014.
3. A high-powered offense will face a stingy protection. Carolina has one of many higher offenses within the nation, averaging the eighth-most factors per sport (46.5) nationally and changing for a excessive clip on third down (52.8%) to rank ninth in FBS. Nonetheless, it would face a protection within the Hokies that has the fourth-best third-down conversion (20.4%) within the land and ranks No. 10 in whole protection (256 ypg). Tech put up a superb battle towards West Virginia’s offense, which is a top-15 scoring offense as effectively, to only 16 factors by means of three quarters. However the Mountaineers have been capable of hit one other gear late, so search for Tech’s protection to be taught from final week heading into its bout with Carolina.
Kicker William Ross: It hasn’t taken lengthy for Tech’s new kicker to make a reputation for himself, with the redshirt junior being good on his tries for each PATs (9-for-9) and subject targets (6-for-6). The final time a Hokie made his first six field-goal makes an attempt was Brian Johnson throughout the 2018 season. Versus the Mountaineers, Ross drilled a 44-yarder within the third quarter to make it a 16-10 ballgame.
Linebacker Dax Hollifield: Already a family identify, Hollifield has had a memorable few seasons for Tech since he arrived in 2018. After recording seven tackles towards West Virginia, the fifth-year senior now has over 300 tackles (303) in his storied profession, with 125 of these being solo stops. On his approach, he handed senior analyst Xavier Adibi (291) and present Baltimore Raven Chuck Clark (296).
Receiver Kaleb Smith: Smith, a big-play risk for the Hokies on the surface, is off to a sizzling begin in 2022 and is coming off of a five-catch, 70-yard outing versus West Virginia. The Louisa County, Virginia native had a receiving landing and the reception marked Smith’s second landing of the season, a workforce excessive. The landing catch itself was a 28-yarder, marking Smith’s seventh sport of getting not less than one 25-yard catch in a contest, showcasing his means to stretch the sector.
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