Virginia Tech takes stranglehold on ACC Coastal as Duke upsets rival North Carolina

No. 17 UNC was defeated Thursday, making its path to the ACC title game much more difficult

No. 17 North Carolina went down to Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham needing a win over 3-6 Duke on Thursday night to stay in a tie atop the ACC Coastal with Virginia Tech, which holds a tiebreaker on the Tar Heels.

After a hot start by North Carolina that put the Tar Heels up 14-0 in the first quarter, the Blue Devils stormed back at home to upset the visitors 28-27, keeping Duke's bowl hopes alive. After a horrendous start to the game, the Duke defense stiffened in the second half, allowing North Carolina to get only 142 total yards of offense over the final two quarters after giving up 261 in the first half.

Duke freshman quarterback Daniel Jones led the way for the Blue Devils with 240 passing yards, 94 rushing yards and three total touchdowns on the night. North Carolina's defense, which has struggled with good rushing attacks at times this season, allowed Duke to rush for 227 yards, including a number of purposeful negative yards from Jones on the final possession to run out the clock.

For North Carolina, the second loss in conference play means the Heels are in desperate need of help from the Hokies in order to reach a second straight ACC Championship Game. Virginia Tech can now clinch the Coastal division with a win over either Georgia Tech this Saturday or Virginia on Nov. 26 -- or a North Carolina loss to NC State on Nov. 25.