North Carolina (10-1) vs. Virginia Tech (7-4); Today, 9:30 a.m., Channel 4

By JIM HODGES

Jan. 1, 1998 12 AM PT

Site: Jacksonville, Fla.

Series history: Virginia Tech leads, 11-8-6.

Bowl records: North Carolina 9-12, Virginia Tech 3-7.

How teams got there: North Carolina ran into its usual nemesis, Florida State, losing, 20-3, to fall to second in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels also lost their coach, Mack Brown, to Texas and will be run by new Coach Carl Torbush, formerly their defensive coordinator. Virginia Tech won four games, then stumbled against Miami of Ohio and also lost to West Virginia and Pittsburgh in the Big East, costing the Hokies their third league title in a row.

The game: The Tar Heels have used a two-quarterback system much of the season, with Oscar Davenport and Chris Keldorf sharing time and neither liking the arrangement. Still, North Carolina has thrown for 261.8 yards a game. Virginia Tech gives up only 326 total yards a game. The Hokies’ attack is built around running back Ken Oxendine, and with it Virginia Tech has averaged 215.3 rushing yards a game. But North Carolina gave up only 209 total yards a game and dares you to throw the ball toward cornerback Dre Bly. Torbush’s first duty was suspending seven players, including three defensive starters, because of a fracas outside a Chapel Hill, N.C., nightclub, but the Tar Heels should be able to handle Virginia Tech, a one-dimensional team that can’t throw.

NORTH CAROLINA (10-1)

Indiana: W 23-6

Stanford: W 28-17

at Maryland: W 40-14

Virginia: W 48-20

at TCU: W 31-10

Wake Forest: W 30-12

at N.C. State: W 20-7

at Georgia Tech: W 16-13

Florida State: L 20-3

at Clemson: W 17-10

Duke: W 50-14