Pitt returned the favor to Carolina. Ugh.

I can just envision Larry Fedora having his team over to the football center Thursday night to watch Virginia Tech at Pitt in the Tar Heels’ best chance to regain control of the Coastal Division as they head into their off weekend.

In order for Carolina to control its own destiny for the rest of the season, the Hokies have to lose another game, and their visit to Heinz Field in Pittsburgh was their toughest ACC encounter left on the schedule.

As you know by now, VaTech eked out a 39-36 victory, fueled a bunch of those lob, jump ball passes to their tall wide receivers that we saw in Kenan Stadium during the hurricane game of 2016. Pitt had some dynamic throw and catch plays down the middle of the field, and James Connor ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns. But the Hokies suddenly turned into a passing team and held on to win.

Pitt was no longer a threat to Carolina because it still has games at Miami and Clemson and the Tar Heels beat the Panthers back in September. That miraculous 14-point comeback win in the last six minutes stung Pitt, and it certainly returned the favor to UNC by losing at home to Virginia Tech, another game it would like to have back.

So, Carolina fans are left almost hopeless that the Hokies will lose at Duke on November 5 or to Georgia Tech or Virginia at home in their last two ACC games. Fat chance. They have lost to Duke two of the last three years and are way better than the Blue Bellies this season. And they aren’t losing at home to the Yellow Jackets or Cavaliers, ACC also-rans, with the Coastal Division title in sight.

Fedora’s bunch can win out, finish 10-2 and go to a pretty good bowl game. But it is long odds that they will first play in the ACC championship game again, this year moved to Orlando thanks to HB2. The only saving grace of that development is that Tar Heels fans who planned to go will save a bunch of jack not having to fly to Florida and dropping a few hundred more if they took their kids and went to see Mickey Mouse at Disney World. “Oh, boy!”

 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Fan Cutouts To Be Placed in Kenan Stadium for 2020 Season
According to an announcement from Carolina Athletics, fans of Tar Heel football are now officially welcome to start reserving their spot in Kenan Stadium for the 2020 season — or, at least, a spot for their custom cardboard cutout. With three levels available ranging from the $50 base model to a $150 limited-edition representation signed […]
Chansky's Notebook: What, No Red Bull?
A surprising inside look at a Carolina football week. A married father of three named Jeff Greenberg got Larry Fedora to allow him inside access for the last three days before the James Madison home opener. The detailed three-part series on Goheels.com had some surprises. Fedora is the first to arrive at Kenan Field House […]
Chansky's Notebook: Let's Not Forget
It’s been 20 years since the heartbreak in ‘Hooville. With the Tar Heels going to Virginia on Saturday for a game they are favored to win, what better reminder of a having letdown than the infamous outcome 20 years ago in Scott Stadium, when Carolina had seemingly broken the long drought in Charlottesville? Or so we thought. Certainly, […]
Landon Turner Named Top College Offensive Lineman
UNC senior guard Landon Turner has been named the winner of the 2015 Jim Parker Award, which is given annually by the Touchdown Club of Columbus to the nation’s top offensive lineman. Turner, a four-year starter and a preseason All-American, has been the anchor of the offensive line, which has made UNC one of the top […]
Stroman On Sports: Chapel Hill, Football Town
The Tar Heel basketball team has NCAA title hopes this year, but it's football that has the spotlight.
Deems May reply to Dr. Harmon
Dear Dr. Harmon, Your August 12 opinion published by Chapelboro.com in response to my feelings of Coach Davis’ firing, indicated that my letter “could not have hit further from the intended mark.” I must respectfully disagree by saying that if my letter elicited  combative responses from you and Mr. Chansky of Chapelboro fame, then the […]
A Letter to Deems May
Dear Deems,   Your August 01 letter published by InsideCarolina.com could not have been further from the intended mark. The subject should have been the University of North Carolina, but it was Deems May.   Your letter included the pronouns “I” 37 times, “my” 11 times and “me” 7 times, for a total of 55 self-references […]
Years After UNC Career Ended, Sam Howell's TABLE Partnership Still Endures
Visitors to Bru’s Public House in Carrboro this past month may have seen a unique item on display: a pair of Sam Howell's NFL cleats.
2025 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Clemson
UNC comes off its first bye week of the season with a stern test at home, as reigning ACC champions Clemson will visit Kenan Stadium Saturday afternoon for the first time since 2019. The Tigers have themselves been mired in a challenging start to the season. After being ranked No. 4 in the AP’s preseason […]
Questions Remain as Clemson Comes to Town — The Carolina Football Hour (Sep. 29, 2025)
UNC football returns from its first bye week with plenty of questions still surrounding the team. Brighton McConnell and Michael Koh discuss.
›