Virginia Tech Hokies vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

With hopes of a national championship seemingly faded, the Virginia Tech Hokies now set their sites on their consolation prize: a berth in their third straight ACC title game. After a damaging loss at Georgia Tech in their last game, the Hokies limp home and face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday night.

Now ranked 13th after suffering their second loss of the season, and first since the opening game of the year against the current second team in the nation, Alabama, Virginia Tech (5-2, 3-1) would have an extremely long shot at getting the BCS title game.

The Hokies had soared to number four during their five-game winning streak which was highlighted by wins over fellow Top 25 teams, Nebraska and Miami, but suffered their second loss in Atlanta this season when they were topped 28-23 by 19th-ranked Georgia Tech on October 17. Their loss to the Crimson Tide was also in Atlanta, a neutral-site game at the Georgia Dome.

The Hokies had a meltdown on defense, particularly rushing defense where they had allowed their previous three opponents to run for 142 yards, but allowed the Yellow Jackets to rumble for 309 yards with four touchdowns on the ground.

Their trip to the title game is not easy feat either. Georgia Tech is now ahead of them in the standings by winning the head-to-head matchup and both have one-loss in the Coastal Division. But the Yellow Jackets have more conference games under their belt and Virginia and Duke also have just one loss in the conference.

The North Carolina Tar Heels (4-3, 0-3) nightmarish season continued last week when they allowed Florida States nightmarish season to pause as they dropped their third conference game, 30-27, to the Seminoles at home.

North Carolina had a lot of hope and expectations heading into the season at number 21, its first preseason poll ranking since 1998, but a lack of offense have hampered them as they have averaged just 164 yards and 10 points in their first two ACC losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia.

After playing a Football Championship Subdivision team, they played Florida State and the offense played better, but the defense was unable to hold an 18-point lead in the second half.

The Tar Heels have not beaten a ranked opponent on the road since upsetting Clemson in 2001.

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