With some fans eyeing next week’s Thursday night showdown Pittsburgh–one of two teams tied with UNC atop the ACC Coastal Division–it’s worth noting that the Tar Heels still have to face the Virginia Cavaliers this Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

Despite coming in to the game as heavy favorites, they refuse to let their focus stray from the task at hand.

Virginia enters this week 2-4 against all competition. In the ACC the Cavaliers have put together a 1-1 mark after a wild 44-38 overtime victory against Syracuse in their last outing.

When UNC Head Coach Larry Fedora looks at the tape, though, he doesn’t see a 2-4 team at all.

Virginia has played tough against some top level opponents this season. (UVA Athletics)

Virginia has played tough against some top level opponents this season. (UVA Athletics)

“If you really look at Virginia, their four losses are against teams that were all ranked at one point,” Fedora said at his weekly press conference. “When I look at that film, I’m saying ‘That’s a good football team that’s gonna come in here.”

A 34-16 opening week loss to then No. 13 UCLA was followed by a heartbreaking 34-27 defeat at home to a Notre Dame team ranked 11th at the time. The Cavaliers’ other losses were to Pittsburgh on the road—a close 26-19 score—and a 56-14 blowout at home against Boise State on national television.

UNC sophomore tailback Elijah Hood says there is no way Virginia can back down from anyone after going through that kind of early season gauntlet.

“When you play a schedule like that, it definitely toughens you up,” Hood said. “I mean, they’re used to seeing talented players, guys who can do a lot of things—some special guys. So they won’t be phased by us.

“They’ve seen some of the better teams in the country already,” he added. “So they’re not gonna be too phased by just, ‘Oh, it’s North Carolina.’”

Traditionally speaking, Hood is right when he says Virginia shouldn’t be phased by the Tar Heels. After all this is a program without an ACC title since 1980. What is there to fear?

Well, the 2015 group has won five games in a row and looks like it has the potential to at least compete for the conference crown—something Fedora continues to hammer home to his players.

“Most people, they get complacent or they [think], ‘Oh things are going great, so I’ll just relax.’” Fedora said. “Well, that’s not how [we] got here. And so we gotta make sure that we continue to do the little things that we harp on a daily basis.

Kenan Stadium has been a tough place for opponents to play this season, with the Tar Heels winning all four of their home games in blowout fashion this year. (UNC Athletics)

Kenan Stadium has been a tough place for opponents to play this season, with the Tar Heels winning all four of their home games in blowout fashion this year. (UNC Athletics)

“They get tired of me, I say it every single day–all these little things that I talk about every day,” the coach continued. “Most of the time it’s going in one ear and out the other, but I’m still saying it every day to reemphasize it that that’s how [we] got to this point. And that’s what it’s going to take to keep being successful.”

Some of those little things may be nitpicky–like getting more consistent offensive drives instead of relying on big plays—but others Fedora has mentioned, such as better defense on third downs will be crucial if the Tar Heels want to win games late in the year.

Sophomore defensive end Dajaun Drennon says the difference between this year’s group and last year’s group is overall team chemistry, which has made learning from criticism much easier for everybody.

“A lot of guys we’re just buying in more to what the coaches are saying,” Drennon said. “And I wouldn’t even say it’s really the coaching staff. I just feel like we’re playing together as a team. We’re trying to get this done for each other.”

Although they’ve won big in recent weeks, the Tar Heels are still a team learning how to manage the expectations that come with winning every week, especially in the dominant fashion with which they’ve been doing it.

The best way they can show their progress in that regard is to come out on Saturday and defeat Virginia in convincing fashion.

Pittsburgh can wait.

Broadcast Information:

The game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on WCHL’s airwaves. It will also be televised on the Regional Sports Network.

Game Notes:

  • Freshman cornerback Mike Hughes, suspended last week for his role in an altercation on Franklin Street, will be back in the lineup against Virginia, Fedora said after Wednesday’s practice. Sophomore MJ Stewart, also implicated in the incident, will be reinstated to the team on Sunday and will play next week against Pitt.
  • UNC is currently the only team in the Power 5 conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC 12, and SEC) that has one or fewer losses and is not in the top 25.
  • This will be the 120th meeting between UNC and UVA.
  • Quarterback Marquise Williams is just 85 rushing yards shy of 2,000 for his career. He would be just the fifth quarterback in ACC history to accomplish the feat.