North Carolina football: 3 takeaways from high-scoring win over Virginia Tech

Neither team bothered to play a ton of defense, as a back and forth momentum shifting game ended up with North Carolina football staying undefeated.

In a conference dominated by Clemson, new consistent contenders for them are long overdue. Virginia Tech and North Carolina heading into Saturday were certainly two teams that could have say in this year’s ACC.

Last season, these two went into double overtime and was a bizarre ending with Quincy Patterson’s run to win it for Virginia Tech 43-41. The hype was there for this year’s battle.

This year lived up to the hype with these two having a barn-burner in Chapel Hill.

Virginia Tech came into the game with 15 missing players due to COVID-19. That includes five total players in the secondary and two starters in total. It showed on the first drive as North Carolina would drive right down the field and score.

North Carolina would continue the early onslaught with a deep touchdown pass from Sam Howell to All-ACC receiver Dyami Brown.

After taking a 21-0 deficit heading into the second quarter, the tide would change for Virginia Tech. Braxton Burmeister would get in a groove offensively that would end with tight end James Mitchell scoring a rushing touchdown.

The most impactful player for the Hokies on offense this year put the Hokies within seven as Khalil Herbert would run in to cap off a nine-play, 70-yard drive.

A lack of consistency throwing the ball with Burmeister seemed to be a key issue throughout. Virginia Tech seemed to have little to no urgency in attempting to beat North Carolina down field. Even with that, Burmeister rushing the football was when he seemed his most effective.

Sam Howell would continue his brilliance with a beautiful deep pass, once again hitting Dyami Brown to collect 35 points in the first half.

Virginia Tech would show forms of life in the second half. After a drive where Virginia Tech would end up scoring a touchdown, an onside kick would set up the Hokies with a 52-yard touchdown run from Herbert. Down 25 at one point, the Hokies would cut the Tar Heel lead to just 11 in the span of a few minutes.

When Hendon Hooker entered the game as the full time starter under center, the tides of the game would change. Virginia Tech was more efficient and created an added element that it didn’t have, prior to that point.

North Carolina had an answer with a screen pass to Dazz Newsome who would put the Tar Heels back up by 12. The final dagger in this game would be a sweet 62-yard run from Michael Carter

With the defense being limited in this game, it was North Carolina and their potential first half surge was enough to fend Virginia Tech off, 56-45. Hooker finished with 136 yards passing and two touchdowns throwing, while rushing for one. Herbert finished with 138 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.