CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia looks to keep pace in the ACC Coastal Division and gain bowl eligibility for the second straight year when it hosts last-place North Carolina on Saturday. The Cavaliers have won two straight and four of their last five and they sit a half-game out in the division race behind Virginia Tech, which hosts Virginia in the regular-season finale for both teams Nov. 23.
TV: 12:20 p.m. ET, ACC Network. LINE: Virginia -9
Recommended Videos
(function(d, s, id) {var js,ijs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//embed.scribblelive.com/widgets/embed.js";ijs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ijs);}(document, 'script', 'scrbbl-js'));
Despite the recent success and the chance for something greater down the road, head coach Bronco Mendenhall does not feel as if his team is looking past the one-win Tar Heels. "I don't think there will be any issue [focusing] whatsoever," Mendenhall told reporters. "I think players will have the same exact response that I had as I turned on the film. It's like, Okay, another really good team; another ACC opponent. That's been my takeaway." North Carolina has lost three in a row but the last two to Virginia Tech and Syracuse came by three points apiece. Junior Nathan Elliott threw for a career-high 321 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 40-37 loss in double overtime at Syracuse.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (1-5, 1-3 ACC)
After throwing four interceptions in a season-opening loss at California, Elliott has attempted 161 passes without a pick and he set a school record last week for the most attempts (52) in a single game without an interception. Antonio Williams has a team-high 424 rushing yards for a ground attack that ranks third in the ACC at 5.1 yards per carry. Malik Carney is tied for sixth in the conference with 5.5 sacks, one of the few bright spots for a defense that gives up 34.8 points per game - the second-highest average among ACC teams.
ABOUT VIRGINIA (5-2, 3-1)
Bryce Perkins threw for 189 yards and a touchdown and led the way on the ground with 61 yards and two scores in last week's 28-14 win over Duke. Jordan Ellis, who ranks fourth in the ACC with 619 rushing yards, left the contest with an ankle injury but Mendenhall expects the senior to be ready to go. Senior wideout Olamide Zaccheaus had 10 catches against the Blue Devils and needs eight to break Billy McMullen's school record of 210.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Zaccheaus needs one TD to become the sixth player in program history with 20 for a career.
2. North Carolina junior WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams had a career-high nine catches for 79 yards last week.
3. The Tar Heels won seven straight meetings before losing to the Cavaliers 20-14 at home last year.
PREDICTION: Virginia 26, North Carolina 20