Virginia hosts North Carolina with both teams under duress to reach bowl eligibility

Updated Oct. 24, 2024 11:42 a.m. ET

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North Carolina (3-4, 0-3 ACC) at Virginia (4-3, 2-2), Saturday, noon ET (CW)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Virginia by 5 1/2.

Series record: North Carolina leads 66-59-4.

Whats at stake?

A year ago, Virginia notched its biggest win of the season, upsetting nationally-ranked North Carolina in Chapel Hill. This season, the Cavaliers are the favorite, playing at home and hoping to move within a win of becoming bowl eligible for the first time under coach Tony Elliott. North Carolina is coming off of an open week, which gave it the chance to regroup after an emotional month that included four straight losses and the death of player Tylee Craft due to cancer. The losing streak is the program’s longest regular-season slide since dropping six straight in 2018.

Key matchup

When North Carolina has the ball, all eyes will be on star running back Omarion Hampton, the ACC’s leading rusher. But it might be the inverse matchup, Virginia’s running game against North Carolina’s run defense, that proves most pivotal. The Tar Heels rank 15th out of 17 teams in the ACC in rushing defense, allowing 160.3 yards per game, while Elliott’s team has finally established the running identity he promised when he was hired. The Cavaliers are averaging 4.4 yards per rush, their best mark since 2021.

Players to watch

North Carolina: Hampton, the key for the UNC offense. He ranks fifth nationally by averaging 128.7 yards rushing to go with seven touchdowns on the ground. That would put him on pace to crack the 1,000-yard mark this weekend.

Virginia: S Jonas Sanker. Safety Antonio Clary and linebacker James Jackson both missed the last game, at Clemson, but Sanker continued his steady play anchoring the back of the Virginia defense. The senior won back-to-back ACC defensive back of the week honors leading up to the loss to the Tigers and has racked up 25 tackles over the past three games.

Facts & figures

Five of the last six meetings in this matchup, one of the oldest rivalries in the South, have been decided by one score or less. … The Tar Heels won their last visit to Scott Stadium (31-28) in 2022. … Virginia has won five of the past seven, including last year (31-27) on the road when the Tar Heels had started 6-0 with a No. 10 national ranking. … Virginia’s defense has forced seven turnovers in its four ACC games this season. … WR Malachi Fields has caught a pass in 22 straight games for the Cavaliers.

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