CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Duke claimed its third consecutive victory over an ACC opponent on Saturday with a 28-17 victory over Virginia at Scott Stadium.

This time it took some spirited play late in the fourth quarter as the Devils scored two touchdowns and came from behind to knock off the Cavaliers. It took some guile as the Devils looked to be backed in a corner and unable to answer one of the conference's toughest defenses.

Deep thoughts to ponder while you try to forget about the two winless teams in the ACC:

Georgia Tech @ Virginia, noon

Circled this game in July as a loss for Georgia Tech. The 3-4's a problem for the option and Virginia inexplicably has a Boise-like home-field advantage, minus the weird turf.

But Virginia running back Mikell Simpson is not healthy and without him, UVa won't score enough points to beat a hot, yet weary, GT team.

Pick: GT

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Staff photo by Robert Willett

Photo gallery: Virginia 16, UNC 3

First Look: See 94 images from the game

CHAPEL HILL -- Butch Davis tried to warn his team about winless Virginia. The Tar Heels didn't get the message.

Virginia beat UNC 16-3 at Kenan Stadium on Saturday for its first win of the season. Mikell Simpson ran for 100 yards and a touchdown to lead the Cavaliers to their fourth straight win over UNC and 10th in the past 12 meetings.

The stats kept by the ACC and NCAA don't make any attempt to differentiate the level of competition. A game against Murray State counts the same as Alabama.

You can see the flaw in that book-keeping. With all due respect to Richmond, William and Mary, the CAA at-large and the powers of the Southern Conference, a statistical database that only included Division I-A teams against Division I-A teams would give a more accurate portrayal of a team's strengths and weaknesses. (Yes, I know Army and Alabama aren't equal either but at least we're comparing widgets to
widgets.)

Staff video by Travis Long, Caulton Tudor, J.P. Giglio

Topic: Will N.C. State keep it going? Will UNC get back on track? Tudor has the answers.

Mild surprise with fullback Anthony Elzy's inclusion, other than that, the Tar Heels are still missing the two most important pieces — C Lowell Dyer (shoulder) and TE Zack Pianalto (foot).

Out: C Lowell Dyer (shoulder), TE Zack Pianalto (foot), TE Ryan Taylor (knee).

Doubtful: LB Linwan Euwall (ankle).

Questionable: WR Josh Adams (shoulder), G Jonathan Cooper (ankle), FB Anthony Elzy (soulder).

Virginia's 0-3 with a home loss to a Division I-AA team, but the Cavaliers have a fan in UNC coach Butch Davis.

Davis called the Cavaliers a "talented" and "dangerous" football team on Monday. Maybe it's because Davis is 0-2 against UVa as UNC's head coach, or maybe Davis is genuinely impressed.

Coming off the first loss of the season and out of the top 25 for the first time, North Carolina's not going to panic.

Tar Heels coach Butch Davis said he won't make any changes for the sake of making changes and the lineup that lost to Georgia Tech will remain intact against Virginia on Saturday.

Give the schedule makers in the ACC office some credit.

At a time when news of the SEC's giant TV package is dominating the college sports landscape, ACC officials landed four huge national television opportunities for the conference in the first eight days of the football season.