BY BRIANA GORMAN

bgorman@heraldsun.com; 419-6668

CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina's stunning win over Virginia Tech on Thursday not only broke a five-game losing streak to the Hokies, it also breathed new life into the Tar Heels' season.

UNC now is just two wins from becoming bowl eligible, which seemed like an unattainable goal a week after the Tar Heels blew an 18-point lead to Florida State.

"This could be the turnaround for the rest of the season," UNC quarterback T.J. Yates said after the victory. "[It may] kind of jump start us in the last stretch of games where we're going to be playing some tough ACC opponents throughout. This kind of set the stage for the rest of the season."

The Tar Heels' defense looked like the seventh-ranked defense in the nation Thursday as it shut down the Hokies' offense. It sacked the most efficient quarterback in the ACC three times for a loss of 26 yards and held the top running back in the conference, Ryan Williams, to 96 rushing yards after he had been averaging 119 yards a game.

UNC's offense also effectively moved the ball on the ground and through the air for the second consecutive week. Running back Shaun Draughn had 77 yards on 12 carries, including a career-long 44-yard run, and Ryan Houston powered his way to 66 yards on 18 carries.

Yates was efficient, and when he made his one mistake -- an interception in the fourth quarter -- he minimized the damage by leading the Tar Heels on a scoring drive on their next possession.

But the Tar Heels said they didn't celebrate their victory over the Hokies for long. UNC already is preparing for this week's homecoming matchup with arguably the hottest team in the ACC right now -- Duke.

The Blue Devils beat Virginia 28-17 on Saturday to make this week's game in Chapel Hill crucial not just for bragging rights, but for postseason play as Duke also is two wins from a bowl game.