CHAPEL HILL, N.C. _ When No. 8 North Carolina absolutely had to respond, the Tar Heels did early in the fourth quarter. No. 19 Virginia Tech had scored 20 consecutive points in the third quarter to turn a blowout into a one-possession game, but the Tar Heels stayed grounded.
UNC running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams posted consecutive runs of 18 and 23 yards on the drive and set the Heels up at the Tech 12-yard line. Dazz Newsome took care of the rest with his second score. It was the first drive of the fourth quarter and it helped UNC stuff the Hokies' momentum, gave its tired defense a much-needed breather and, most importantly, made the score a two-possession game at 49-37.
Carter finished with a career-high 214 yards rushing and Williams totaled 169 yards as Carolina (3-0, 3-0 ACC) rolled to a 56-45 victory. The Tar Heels totaled 661 yards of offense, the fifth most in school history and the second most ever allowed by Virginia Tech.
The Heels' offense found its rhythm in a way it hadn't the previous two games. UNC scored touchdowns on five of seven possessions in the first half _ including a 43-yard scoring reception by Dyami Brown with 16 seconds left in the half to own a 35-14 lead.
Facing what seemed like an insurmountable deficit, the Hokies rallied behind quarterback Hendon Hooker. He was named the starter in August, but was among the first Hokies players to be quarantined by COVID-19. Hooker did not play in their first two games and only appeared in one drive during the first half.
Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuentes started Hooker in the second half and it paid off with a huge third quarter. The Hokies controlled the ball for more than 10 minutes in the quarter as Hooker led them on three touchdown drives. He could have been a perfect 4-for-4, but Tre Turner's 29-yard touchdown reception was called back because of an illegal shift.
Virginia Tech settled for a 55-yard field goal from Brian Johnson, which was the second longest in Kenan Stadium history, on the one possession it didn't score a touchdown in the third.
Johnson's leg proved valuable after the Hokies scored to make it 42-24. He executed an onside kick designed to look like a normal kickoff as Johnson was the only Hokies player pursuing the ball.
Carolina's defense had kept Tech running back Khalil Herbert under control for the first half. But on a third-and-8 he burst through the line for a 52-yard touchdown run. Herbert totaled just 55 yards in the game before that run put him over 100 yards for the third time this season.
The Tar Heels held the ball for all of four minutes in the third quarter. They had a quick score on their opening drive of the half in the possession where both Michael Carter and Javonte Williams surpassed 100 yards in the game.
But with the Hokies scoring on back-to-back drives and trailing just 42-31, the Heels couldn't produce a first down. Their three-and-out left the defense exhausted.
Virginia Tech made it a one-possession game on a play-action pass when Hooker faked a quarterback draw only to raise up and throw to a wide-open Tayvion Robinson for a 33-yard touchdown. The Hokies went for two, but the play failed and it was 42-37 Tar Heels as the third quarter came to an end.
It was as close as the Hokies would get, as the Heels owned the fourth quarter as if the third never happened.
