Where: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, VA
When: Saturday, October 18th, 3:30 PM
TV: ABC/ESPN2
Records: UNC 5-1, 1-1 ACC; UVA 3-3, 1-1 ACC
1981.
This game really gets summed up by three questions:
1. Can UNC overcome another key injury?
I have no idea mainly because no one knows for sure how they are filling Brandon Tate’s slot. The coventional wisdom is UNC cannot completely replace Tate but they will get something from the guys they have. Will it be enough or will the loss of Tate so rock the working dynamics of this team that all the offensive parts which have worked mistake free will suddenly come to a crashing halt? There is a strong possibility that will happen or that Cam Sexton simply has a bad game which has yet to happen since he came back as a starter. What would be nice is if UNC manages a kickoff or punt return without Tate. In fact I think we might see exactly that which would really shake things up since that is the area of greatest concern as it relates to Tate’s injury.
2. Can UNC stop Cedric Peerman for the whole game?
Peerman’s full return has sparked the Cavalier offense to the tune of 33 points a game against Maryland and ECU. Stopping him will be an exceedingly tall order especially with the defensive line a little on the beat up side. UNC also continues to play with proverbial fire by giving up so much in terms of yardage but correcting that shortcoming with a timely interception or two. Given UNC’s INT rate there is also a good chance it ends with a Tar Heel touchdown. Those opportunities might be few and far in between if UVa is content to run the ball more so stopping their ground game is a hugh task. Not only that but UNC cannot afford to get worn down by the 4th quarter or Peerman could bust a close game wide open.
3. Can UNC win in Charlottesviile?
1981. In fall of 1981 the basketball team opened practice for their national title winning season with some kid named Michael Jordan on the roster. Needless to say that is a lot of water under the bridge and while it is not on the same level as Clemson being completely helpless when they wander onto the Dean Dome floor, the losing streak in Charlottesville is beginning to be quite annoying. In what bodes to be a tough game, I am sure the coaches are doing everything possible to avoid the losing streak at UVa being an additional pressure. However, players apply the pressure to themselves anyway and there is likely more than one Tar Heel player who would love to be part of the team that finally won in Charlottesville for the first time since Ronald Reagan’s first term. You also have wild and crazy Coasal Division which UNC needs to run the table and hope Virginia Tech loses twice. In one respect the streak is inconsequential compared to finishing a season in Tampa.
This team has been cohesive and been able to find a way even when one was not readily apparent. In much the same way UNC lost games last season they seem to be winning with great resilency and team effort. The team aspect gives me hope that this Tar Heel squad can endure a multitude of injuries and somehow make it through. So despite the injuries, the streak and the fact UNC could be due a bad game I am going to cast my lot with believing that UNC can rise above the decades of futility at Scott Stadim to pull out yet another win despite the enormous adversity associated with it.
Time to take care of this silly losing streak once and for all. Who is with me?
UNC 24 UVa 20
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THF, along with 1981, I was wondering something else – I saw the Rutgers/UConn score on the ticker a second ago. I wonder when the last time was that two non-conference teams that UNC beat played each other in the same year. Definitely in the category of meaningless trivia, but I’d put a dollar on it having been a while.
What a joke Carolina’s strategy in the last two minutes was. Now we go to phony overtime after not even trying to win with 47 seconds left. At least if they blow this, we can start focusing on basketball.
THE worst job of coaching I could possibly imagine…….
I didn’t like the coaching down the stretch in the VPI, Notre Dame or Virginia games. Granted, against Notre Dame, the Irish had marched up and down the field all game against us, but today, it looked like we just went into the tank. First, they should have been trying harder for a touchdown to ice the game and then, there just is not too much I can say about what happened after that. You have to want to win, not just want to not lose….
If it makes anyone feel better, don’t believe that stuff about the ACC being improved this year. ACC football is garbage. Wake Forest got annihilated today, after looking terrible against Clemson and losing to Navy. Maryland and Virginia have both had horrendous out of conference defeats. Miami and FSU have lost it. Clemson’s season needs little more said about it. Duke is about the only team that has a lot to be proud of and look where they were coming from.
Georgia Tech and VPI are the top two teams but they won’t be playing in the title game. Oh well. Wake is about to go back to being a basketball school and Carolina should be decent in basketball as well. Carolina football still has a good chance to play in the tire bowl in Charlotte.
Dear Coach Davis-
The next time you are going try NOT to win a game, please give me a call so that I don’t have to watch.
My number is listed below. 326-555-2424
I hope you and your defensive coordinator apologized to the players. They won the game, you turned around and handed it to a bunch of Wahoo fools.
William. A bowl I will still take. Granted, after the way they have been playing, we have come to expect just a little more. I know this was mostly a coaching decision that may have cost us the game, but a few of our injured players on the field may have made the difference as well. Don’t get me wrong I know what you meant in your post, but I expect UNC basketball to be close to excellent this year. You are right, given where they have come from, Duke has a whole lot to be proud of, and where Duke is at is kind of where I expected UNC football to be this year. They have far exceeded my expectations. I still look forward to our football team winning a couple more.
This game for us did resemble the way Clemson managed to lose to UNC in basketball last season.
Try voodoo the next time u go to va..
That was tried under The Coach Shall Not Be Named and it did not work either.
ITS ALL DOWN HILL NOW..
C’mon boys. Let’s not get so pessimistic so soon. We still have a few games left and a chance for redemption. We do have INJURIES. UNC is not to blame for that. I agree, play calling has it’s questions. Let’s remain positive.
I’ll be rooting for them, but I may not clear out any more Saturdays for them, lol.
I know what you’re saying.
Nice, william. No doubt the team appreciates your fair-weather support.
Personally, I don’t expect the coaches and/or team to not make any mistakes, but I do expect them to learn from them. So, the next time the ‘Heels are up by 7 or less and the opponent has time for one last drive, I hope to be dazzled by a different defensive “scheme.”