The Virginia Cavaliers escaped with a 17-16 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels, needing overtime to prevail. The Cavaliers stopped the Tar Heels on a two-point conversion, which would have given North Carolina the win if successful. However, running back Benjamin Hall was inches short of reaching the pylon.

North Carolina controlled the flow of the contest, but ultimately, three turnovers, including an interception in the end zone, proved to be too much for the Tar Heels to overcome.

Not only was it a missed opportunity for North Carolina, but it also prevented the Duke Blue Devils from making up ground, despite being on a bye week.

Keeping all of that in mind, here is how the result of this game affects the Blue Devils’ chances of qualifying for the ACC Championship game later in December.

Obviously, it was not the end result that the Blue Devils were hoping for, but there are certainly reasons to feel positive from Duke’s perspective.

For one, the Cavaliers looked quite vulnerable in this contest, as they were outgained by nearly 100 yards, took six sacks, and were overall completely inept offensively.

Quarterback Chandler Morris’ performance was quite concerning, as he completed 20-of-35 pass attempts for 200 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He threw errant passes all game, including two consecutive misses near the goal line that were rudimentary throws.

The win sends the Cavaliers to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. However, watching this game, it is apparent that Virginia is not as good as its record.

Despite the victory furthering the Cavaliers’ control of their own destiny, Duke’s confidence should not waver when considering Virginia’s current position in the conference.

Virginia’s last three wins have come with a combined margin of victory of eight total points, which included a game-winning safety against Washington State last week and a game-clinching stop in overtime on Saturday against North Carolina.

Additionally, the Blue Devils will have their chance to take matters into their own hands when they host the Cavaliers on Nov. 15.

If Virginia plays remotely close to how it did on Saturday, unlike North Carolina, Duke will take advantage of every opportunity the Cavaliers present. Darian Mensah is light-years ahead of Gio Lopez, who was putrid, despite having ample opportunities to take control of the game.

Virginia was fortunate Lopez was the signal caller on the other side on Saturday. The junior quarterback attempted 5.8 yards per pass, and throwing two costly interceptions.

Duke is still within striking distance, and fortunately for the Blue Devils, they will have their opportunity to deal with Virginia themselves in a few weeks.

As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. – A man from North Carolina has been arrested and charged with damaging property at Lynchburg Regional Airport, according to the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.

Shortly after midnight Thursday, deputies found the suspect on airport grounds attempting to break through the glass doors to enter the building. Deputies approached and took him into custody without incident.

The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Landen Ray Hayden of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Investigators determined that Hayden, who was intoxicated at the time, unlawfully entered airport property and caused significant damage. This included overturning several drums containing cleaning fluid used by airport staff in daily operations.

Hayden faces the following charges:

• Felony property damage

• Trespassing

• Underage possession of alcohol

• Public intoxication

• Contaminating waterways

The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office is working closely with Lynchburg Regional Airport officials as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office at 434-332-9574, Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900 or www.cvcrimestoppers.org, or submit a tip online at www.p3tips.com. Tips may remain anonymous, and information leading to an arrest could be eligible for a cash reward.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – A freeze watch was issued on Wednesday for counties in Western North Carolina.

Officials said that the freeze watch was issued for Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties along with southwest and west central Virginia, southeast West Virginia, and the northern mountains of North Carolina.

The freeze watch was expected to last through Friday morning, according to officials.

Temperatures were expected to reach as low as 28 degrees for Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties.

Forecast –> Charlotte Metro to remain cool and dry through the weekend

Thursday and Friday morning will start in the 30s and low 40s for most across the area. Temperatures in the upper 20s are even possible in our mountain communities on Friday morning, prompting a freeze watch for those locations.

Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.