GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: CBs C.J. Cotman and K.J. Sails will be challenged by Virginia Tech WR Damon Hazelton, who had his second 100-yard receiving game of the season in the Hokies’ loss to Notre Dame last week. Hazelton has 27 receptions for 479 yards and five touchdowns after catching 12 balls for 131 against the Irish. The Tar Heels have only one interception this season — by freshman backup NB Bryson Richardson in the loss to Miami.
DRAFT SLANT
–WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams had a quiet night in the loss to Miami, catching only two passes for 33 yards. He has only 13 receptions for 263 yards in North Carolina’s four games after leading the Tar Heels in receptions with 35 as a sophomore in 2017. He did have kickoff returns covering 27 and 21 yards against the Hurricanes, giving 165 yards on eight runbacks for the season.
ROSTER REPORT:
–RB Michael Carter has given a boost to the running game since his return. After missing the first two games with a broken wrist, Carter has rushed for 103 yards in the last two, averaging 7.9 yards per carry. He also has seven receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown on a 31-yard reception in the win over Pittsburgh. Carter rushed for 559 yards as a freshman last year.
–WR/KR Anthony Ratliff-Williams is sixth in the ACC in all-purpose yardage with an average of 113.2 yards per game. He has 25 yards rushing, 263 receiving and 165 on returning kickoffs for a total of 453. The conference leader is Wake Forest’s Greg Dortch (176.2 per game).
–P Hunter Lent is third in the ACC in punting with is 43.4 average.
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