The 2021 rendition of North Carolina football had an offseason filled with hype and expectation. But, unfortunately for the Tar Heels, that excitement was bought to a screeching halt when UNC lost its opener to Virginia Tech, 17-10, in Lane Stadium.

"Obviously, the shine is off, and the rating sure doesn't matter tonight," said Carolina Coach Mack Brown following his team's opening loss that night in Blacksburg. "We were overrated with the way we played. Most people had a scrimmage this weekend, and we had a very difficult team on the road in a tough environment."

Playing an ACC opponent on the road as the season's first game is challenging. However, this time around, the circumstances should be more favorable for UNC. The Hokies have a new coach, the game will be played in Chapel Hill, and the Heels will have an opportunity to tune up before facing their conference foe.

Today we preview North Carolina's 2022 contest with Virginia Tech:

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Oct. 1, Kenan Stadium

Head Coach:

First-year Coach Brent Pry takes over for Justin Fuente following his six-year run at the helm of the Hokies.

Pry's journey to becoming a head coach saw him start at Virginia Tech as a graduate assistant under Hall of Fame Coach Frank Beamer. During his three-year stint with the Hokies, Pry saw firsthand the football success that can happen in Blacksburg.

"I came back to Virginia Tech to compete for championships, he said in an earlier press conference. " It can be done in Blacksburg. The support's there; the administration is behind us. We need to flip the script and get back to what Tech folks are used to."

Noteworthy:

By all accounts, Pry is prioritizing defense and running the ball. Pry hired former Wisconsin offensive line coach Joe Rudolph to set the tone up front and to achieve his goal of playing smash-mouth football.

Returning starters:

Virginia Tech is returning four starters on offense and five starters on defense.

Stars:

Jadan Blue will lead the Hokies’ receiving core. The Maryland native started his career at Temple with over 1,000 receiving yards in 2019.

Dax Hollifield is a veteran leader for the Hokies’ defense. Last season, Hollifield recorded 4.5 sacks from the linebacker position.

Key Stats:

No returning defensive lineman for the Hokies had more than 3.5 sacks last season.

My thoughts:

I believe North Carolina will be fired up going into this game. The Hokies derailed the Tar Heel's season last year, and they never got back on the tracks. While revenge may not be the message the program sends publicly, one must believe behind closed doors that the Heels have vengeance on the mind.

This game marks the second in a row in which UNC plays a program with a first-year coach. Although, when facing teams with new staffs, there is a disadvantage. The lack of film creates uncertainty in the opposition's game plan. However, Tech's staff still needs players to execute the game plan, and the Hokies will have a lot of holes to fill on both sides of the ball. Virginia Tech must replace its starting quarterback, two leading receivers, and three offensive linemen.

Regardless of the result of previous games on UNC's schedule, the Tar Heels will be motivated for this conference matchup. And with the fans' support in Keenan, it should be a victory Saturday in Chapel Hill.