Ranked VT and UNC square off in Chapel Hill, SaturdayRanked VT and UNC square off in Chapel Hill, Saturday
Football

Ranked VT and UNC square off in Chapel Hill, Saturday

Virginia Tech football comes out of its bye week as a ranked program, appearing at No. 25 in the AP poll, for the first time in two seasons and will face a No. 17th-ranked North Carolina team on Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C. The game is set for a 3:30 p.m. kick in Kenan Memorial Stadium and can be seen on ABC or ESPN2.

  • Multimedia page - includes links to Tech's game notes, this week's opponent's game notes, ACC weekly notes and head coach Justin Fuente's quotes from Monday's press conference.

POLL POSITION

  • After a 35-poll absence, Virginia Tech is back in the AP Top 25 at No. 25 this week. The Hokies were last ranked at No. 17 following a 35-21 win at Ohio State (9/6/14).

  • The last time a ranked VT squad faced a ranked foe was when the No. 17 Hokies faced No. 13 Michigan in the Sugar Bowl (1/3/12).
  • Tech is 16-10 as a member of the ACC against ranked ACC foes, including a 10-3 mark on the road.
  • A ranked UNC squad hasn’t hosted a ranked foe at home since No. 21 UNC beat No. 22 GT 28-7 (11/8/08).
  • UNC is 3-8 against AP Top 25 foes under Larry Fedora.

HOKIES HIT THE ROAD AT UNC

  • The Hokies are 3-1 under Justin Fuente after a 54-17 win vs. East Carolina (9/24).
• UNC is 4-1 after a 37-35 win at No. 12 FSU (10/1) on a 54-yard FG as time expired. UNC’s only loss was a 33-24 decision vs. UGA (9/3).
  • UNC also rallied from a 36-23 deficit vs. Pitt (9/24) for a last-second 37-36 victory.
• The last time VT played its first true road game (non-neutral site) at an opponent’s home site this late was at Wake Forest (10/9/04).
  • The Hokies lost a wild 30-27 OT decision last season vs. No. 12 UNC (11/21/15).
• UNC owns a nine-game home winning streak and hasn’t lost at home since a 35-7 loss vs. NC State (11/29/14).

#LPD, ACC, POWER 5 NUMBERS

  • Tech’s defense has forced 30 opponent drives to go three-and-out (or less) this season.
  • The Hokies are 9-3 (.750) in ACC play against North Carolina and haven’t lost back-to-back games against UNC as a conference foe.

  • Tech is 30-3 (.909) when registering 6.0 or more sacks, including last week’s win vs. ECU (9/24).
  • Since VT joined the ACC in 2004, Tech is 108- 15 (.878) when holding foes to 24 points or fewer.
  • UNC has lost 10 straight when scoring 24 points or fewer.
  • Under Larry Fedora UNC is 22-2 (.917) when scoring 30+ points, including 16 straight wins.
• Since the start of the 2004 season, Tech is 53-4 (.930) when forcing two or more INTs, including a 21-1 (.955) mark on the road.
  • The LPD has allowed a mere 45 completions, with only four Power Five teams allowing fewer.
  • Tech LB Andrew Motuapuaka (9.2) fourth in the ACC in tackles per game and leads all LBs.
  • DE Ken Ekanem is tied for sixth in the ACC with 4.5 sacks. Ekanem was in on a sack/safety vs. ECU (9/24).