Virginia Tech Hokies vs North Carolina Tar Heels Match Player Stats On Oct 08, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Oct 8, 2016

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- No. 25 Virginia Tech smothered No. 17 North Carolina's potent offense and quarterback Jerod Evans threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in a 34-3 romp that was played in heavy rain from Hurricane Matthew on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

Virginia Tech (4-1 overall, 2-0 ACC) limited the Tar Heels to 131 yards of total offense, by far the lowest figure under coach Larry Fedora.

North Carolina (4-2, 2-1) had a 10-game conference regular-season winning streak snapped. The Tar Heels were unable to put themselves in position for a final-second victory like they pulled off the previous two weeks.

Evans rushed for 76 yards on 17 attempts and threw for 75 yards on 7-for-17 passing.

North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who entered the week leading the country with a completion percentage (76.0), was 13 of 33 for 58 yards with two interceptions. He was sacked twice.

Virginia Tech scored 14 points in the first five minutes of the second half for a 27-3 edge.

Defensive tackle Woody Baron returned a fumble 9 yards to the North Carolina 22, with the next play resulting in a touchdown pass from Evans to running back Sam Rogers.

Moments later, the Hokies had another short field when North Carolina punter Tom Sheldon dropped a snap, giving Virginia Tech the ball at the North Carolina 4. Evans ran 1 yard on fourth down.

Later in the quarter, North Carolina didn't take advantage of getting the ball in Virginia Tech territory after a botched punt play. The Tar Heels failed to convert on fourth down after reaching the Virginia Tech 20 later in the quarter.

Virginia Tech running back Travon McMillian capped the scoring with a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The Hokies held a 13-3 halftime lead, scoring the game's first touchdown on Evans' 1-yard pass to tight end Chris Cunningham. That was set up a play earlier by Evans' 28-yard pass to tight end Bucky Hodges, who made a diving catch near the pylon.

Virginia Tech converted a pair of first-quarter turnovers in North Carolina territory into field goals of 35 and 28 yards by Joey Slye in the first 10 minutes.

North Carolina turned a fumble recovery into Nick Weiler's 28-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Virginia Tech drove to the North Carolina 7 midway through the second quarter, but Evans lost the ball on a third-down run with defensive tackle Nazair Jones forcing and recovering the fumble. Evans had 41 rushing yards on the possession, but forcing a punt from the end zone that helped set up a touchdown later.

North Carolina hasn't won consecutive home games against the Hokies since five in a row from 1929 to 1945.

NOTES: This was the first matchup of ranked teams in Kenan Stadium since North Carolina defeated Georgia Tech 28-7 in 2008. ... It was the first time since 2008 that North Carolina faced ranked opponents in consecutive weeks since 2008. The Tar Heels beat then-No. 12 Florida State a week earlier. ... When North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky was picked off in the first quarter, it ended his school-record streak of 243 passes without an interception. It was the first interception in a North Carolina game (for or against the Tar Heels) this year. ... North Carolina RB Elijah Hood missed the game after suffering an undisclosed injury a week earlier at Florida State. Freshman RB Jordon Brown made his collegiate debut. ... A year ago in Blacksburg, Va., the Tar Heels defeated Virginia Tech 30-27 in overtime to clinch the ACC's Coastal Division title, spoiling the final home game for the Hokies under long-time coach Frank Beamer.