Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

By Ben Niewoehner | October 17, 2019 4:38 pm CT

Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina fearless prediction and game preview.

Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina Broadcast

Date: Saturday, October 19
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA
Network: ACC Network X

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Virginia Tech (4-2) vs. North Carolina (3-3) Game Preview

Why Virginia Tech Will Win

Has the offense found its guy in Hendon Hooker?

Ryan Willis wasn’t bad – and he certainly wasn’t the problem in the team’s earlier struggles – but Hooker is the future as well as the present. The freshman stepped in and rocked against Miami with 184 yards and three touchdown passes, and he followed it up with 261 yards and three scoring throws.

He might not be accurate, and the offense is still just okay, but he should be able to move the offense down the field a bit against a decent-but-not-killer North Carolina secondary.

On the other side, the Virginia Tech defense has been great throughout the season at getting to the quarterback. It should be able to hang around behind the UNC backfield against an O line that can’t stop anyone’s pass rush.

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Why North Carolina Will Win

Can Sam Howell stay hot?

Virginia Tech’s pass defense has been hit-or-miss, catching a huge break by facing a whole slew of teams that can’t throw. That includes Miami, who mounted a furious comeback in a loss with 469 yards through the air.

It’s possible to dink and dunk on this group, and Howell comes in coming off two 300-yard games in the last three, and in the middle of that a colossal near-miss upset bid against Clemson – he threw two touchdown passes and no picks.

The Tar Heels as a whole are doing just fine in the turnover department. They were a -2 in the loss to Appalachian State, but they haven’t lost the battle in any of the other five games – they’re not making big mistakes. Virginia Tech has been air-tight over the last few weeks, but turnovers were a major issue over the first part of the season.

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What’s Going To Happen

Is Virginia Tech actually okay? It’s 4-2, but ….

Two of the wins came against FCS teams, and it had one great half against Miami. North Carolina is rested after getting two weeks off, and it’s about to come up with a decent enough defensive performance to keep Hooker and the passing game in check. It’ll be an entertaining game that comes down a few late drives and field goals.

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