The South’s Oldest Rivalry is Renewed on Saturday in Chapel Hill

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The second oldest rivalry in the FBS between Virginia (2-0, 0-0 ACC) and No. 21 North Carolina (1-1, 0-0 ACC) will be renewed on Saturday (Sept. 18) in Chapel Hill. The contest, which also serves as Virginia’s ACC opener, will air live on ACC network at 7:30 p.m. 

GAME COVERAGE: Information on providers of the ACC Network can be found on GetACCN.com. The game is also available to ACC Network subscribers via the ESPN App and ESPN.com. The contest can be heard on Virginia Sports Radio Networks around the commonwealth and live on VirginiaSports.com. A list of stations can be found here. Fans can follow along via live stats and the Virginia Mobile app and get in-game updates on the team’s official twitter account, @UVAFootball.

OPENING KICK

• Virginia and North Carolina will meet for the 126th time in the “South’s Oldest Rivalry” a series that began in 1892. 

• UVA comes into the contest 2-0 for the second time in six seasons under Fralin Family Head Football Coach Bronco Mendenhall and the sixth time since 2000. 

• Virginia has won four-straight meetings against North Carolina and is seeking five-straight wins against the Tar Heels for the first time since 1987-1991.

• North Carolina is the first of four UVA opponents this season currently ranked in the AP Top-25, coming in at No. 21. 

• Virginia is seeking its first road win over a ranked opponent since 2011 when it defeated No. 23 Florida State, 14-13 in Tallahassee. 

VIRGINIA VS. NORTH CAROLINA

• UVA trails the all-time series with North Carolina, 63-58-4. 

• Saturday’s game will temporarily make the UVA/UNC the second-oldest series in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision history until the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” between Auburn and Georgia is played for the 126th time later this year, moving the two series back into a tie.

• UVA and UNC have met every season since 1919 and there have been only four seasons since 1900 when they did not meet (1906, 1909 and 1917-18, when football was postponed at both schools because of World War I).

• There is a difference in the series record between the two schools because of the game in 1956 that North Carolina forfeited for using an ineligible player. All of UNC’s games in 1956 were forfeited by conference action. Both schools count the 1956 game as a win.

Most Played Rivalries in FBS

ACC OPENERS 

• Virginia has won five-straight ACC openers including a 38-20 win over Duke last season in Charlottesville.

• UVA begins its 68th season competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference on Saturday. 

• Virginia holds a 28-39 all-time record in conference openers. 

• The Cavaliers will begin their ACC slate with North Carolina for the first time since 2011

VS. RANKED FOES

• The 2020 meeting between Virginia and North Carolina was the last time Virginia squared off against a ranked opponent. The Tar Heels came to Charlottesville ranked No. 15 in the AP Top 25.

• Under Mendenhall, UVA is 3-7 against ranked opponents 

• For the second-straight week, Virginia is receiving votes (4) in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The last time UVA was in the top-25 was 2019 where the Cavaliers spent five weeks in the AP Top-25 and were as high as 18.

OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT

• The 85 points through the first two games is the most by a UVA team since 2004 when the Cavaliers posted 100 points combined in wins over Temple and North Carolina.

• The Cavaliers lead the ACC and are ranked seventh in the nation in passing offense, averaging 381 yards per game.

• Virginia is averaging 550.5 yards of total offense in two games, the second most in the ACC and 10th most in the country.

• UVA has accumulated 500 yards of total offense in four of its last five games dating back to last season and both games to start the 2021 season. Virginia hasn’t amassed 500 yards of total offense in three-straight-games since beginning the 2004 with 500+ yards vs. Temple, North Carolina and Akron.

• Brennan Armstrong was responsible for 405 of the 423 yards passing against Illinois, the eighth highest team total in a single game in program history. Armstrong was on the receiving end of the other 18 yards in the contest, his first career reception on a pass from Dontayvion Wicks.

• Tight end Jelani Woods recorded a career-high 122 yards receiving, the most by a Cavalier tight end since Tom Santi (128 yards) in the 2005 Music City Bowl against Minnesota. Woods’ previous career high of 54 yards receiving was established against Iowa State on Oct. 24, 2020 while at Oklahoma State.

• Woods’ touchdown in the first quarter was the fifth of his career.

THE TOP 100

• Bronco Mendenhall won his 131st game as a collegiate coach on Saturday against Illinois. The win enters him into the top-100 of all-time in career victories by coaches at major schools. 

• The 131 wins are the 10th most among active coaches at major schools. 

• Mendenhall improved to 32-32 in his tenure at Virginia. 

ARMSTRONG THROUGH TWO GAMES

• Through two games, Armstrong leads the ACC and ranks in the top 10 nationally in passing efficiency (6th – 196.4), passing touchdowns (4th – 9), passing yards (5th – 744), points responsible for (4th – 54) and total offense (3rd – 387.5).

• Armstrong had a banner day against Illinois with career highs in – completions (27), yards (405), touchdowns (5), total offense (436).

ARMSTRONG THROUGH TWO GAMES (Continued)

• In Armstrong’s last six games, Virginia is 5-1. In those six games, Armstrong has averaged 347 yards passing and 60.5 yards rushing. He has thrown for 18 touchdowns, run for six and thrown only four interceptions in that span.

• His 405 yards passing against Illinois were the fourth most in a single game in UVA history. Only two other quarterbacks in UVA history have thrown for 400+ yards in a game – Kurt Benkert (twice) and Marc Verica.

• Only Armstrong and Benkert have thrown for 400 or more yards and five touchdowns in a game. Benkert threw for 421 yards and five scores against Central Michigan in 2016.

• Saturday marked the seventh time in program history a quarterback has thrown five or more touchdown passes in a game. Including Armstrong’s performance, only two of those performances have come against power-five opponents (Bryson Spinner – 2006 vs. Georgia Tech).

• Armstrong is responsible for 3,795 yards of total offense in his career, 230 yards away from cracking UVA’s top-15 all-time.

• In the season opener against William & Mary, Armstrong ran for two scores for the second time in his career. UVA is 5-0 when Armstrong rushes for a touchdown.

STOUT DEFENSE

• Virginia enters the weekend as the only FBS team in the country not to allow a red zone score in the three weeks of college football.

• Linebacker Noah Taylor matched a career-high with seven tackles and two sacks against Illinois. He has six for his career and has already tied his season best with two this season.

• Cornerback Anthony Johnson came up with UVA’s first interception of the season stalling an Illinois drive late in the fourth quarter. It was the third interception of his career and first at UVA. He is tied or second in the ACC with 1

• Linebacker Nick Jackson has accounted for 19 tackles the fourth most in the ACC and ranks 35th in the country.

MILESTONE WATCH

• Left tackle Ryan Nelson is poised to make his 40th-straight start for the Cavaliers, the most career starts and most consecutive starts of anyone on the team.

• Wayne Taulapapa needs 49 more yards rushing to become the 45th Cavalier to eclipse 1,000 yards for his career.

• Billy Kemp IV is two receptions away from tying Herman Moore and Wali Lundy for 18th all-time on UVA’s career receptions list. Kemp is in sole possession of 19th place with 112 career recpetions. He has caught a pass in 17-straight games dating back to the 2019 season.