When: Saturday, October 16, 6:00 PM
Where: The Fourth Circle of Hell aka Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, VA
TV: ESPN3.com or Time Warner Digital Channel 520
Records: UNC 3-2, 1-1 ACC; UVa 2-3, 0-2 ACC
Update: Per UNC: DE Linwan Euwell has been cleared to play vs UVa. Safety Brian Gupton is done for the season. Kendric Burney's status following the completion of his six game suspension is still unclear. It has long been rumored Burney was caught up in the academic prong of the investigations, it was simply ignored because of the agent issues. Dick Baddour said they thought Burney's issue would be resolved by the end of his suspension but UNC has learned that will not be the case.
No word on Charles Brown or Michael McAdoo though McAdoo posted something on Facebook(quoted on IC) about the honor court not ruling in his favor.
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Listen up. There is not much we can do to properly preview this game in any kind of analytical way. We are talking about UNC playing in Freaking Charlottesville. The last time UNC won there is was 1981. 1981! We have veered into Clemson playing basketball in Chapel Hill territory. I mean, anyone remember 1996. How did that team lose in Charlottesville. They were just cruising along then all hell breaks loose, interceptions get thrown, cows wander onto the field, Carl Torbush' mustache falls off his face. UNC, in a matter of minutes, goes from odds on favorite to play as an 11-1 team in the Fiesta Bowl to not. That is how vexing this streak has been that is does everything from pushing UNC to a second tier bowl to getting the head coach fired. So, there is not much I can say to provide a meaningful preview for this game because with all of this NCAA crap floating around even if UNC does win, I fully expect the NCAA to say "Oh Ryan Houston? Just kidding!" and vacate the darn thing.
Actually this game is really a must win if UNC has any designs on an ACC title shot. That is a longshot at any rate given we now know UNC will be missing some key pieces of the defense for the rest of the season. However the Coastal is a mess and UNC could make a run to the title game if things break just right. A loss to UVa would probably crush that. Secondary to that, UNC at 4-2 would pretty much be bowl eligible given they should handle William & Mary and Duke down the line. Obviously we are all hoping for more but in the Roy Williams way it is better set and meet one goal at a time.
The past ten months have been like a bizarro world for UNC with the basketball team ending up in the NIT and the NCAA investigations. Would it be too much to ask for one more bizarro moment with a win in Charlottesville? Whatever happens, for the love of Charlie Justice, do not go prevent.
UNC 24 UVa 16