Tyrod Taylor, Branden Ore and Virginia Tech still can't find their offense, but the defense made two more big plays Saturday and the No. 17 Hokies opened Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 17-10 victory over North Carolina.

Taylor scored on a 5-yard run and Ore scored on a 1-yard dive for the Hokies (4-1, 1-0), who managed just 241 yards of offense. Ore's touchdown was set up by an interception that Xavier Adibi returned 31 yards to the Tar Heels 12 yard-line.

North Carolina (1-4, 0-2), which closed to within a touchdown on Anthony Elzy's 1-yard TD run with 5:34 left, had an earlier drive end at the Hokies goal line when Orion Martin forced Ryan Houston to fumble and Kam Chancellor recovered in the end zone.

The Tar Heels got the ball for the last time at their own 14 with just over 4 minutes left, and moved quickly to midfield on Elzy's 25-yard run. But on third-and-2 from the Hokies 44, T.J. Yates was sacked by Cam Martin for the third time for a 5-yard loss. On fourth down, Yates' pass for Brandon Tate was broken up.

Yates was sacked six times in the game. The Tar Heels finished with 306 yards.

The Hokies biggest offensive weapon was punter Brent Bowden, who boomed several kicks more than 50 yards, allowing the Hokies to win the field position battle. But their inability to cash in on that good position was troubling, especially now that they are in conference play and about to step up significantly in class. Next week, they travel to No. 13 Clemson.

Taylor, a freshman making his third start, finished 10-for-19 for just 66 yards and carried 11 times for 11 yards. He was sacked four times and rushed many others.

Yates completed 16 of 25 passes for 182 yards. Ore gained 93 yards on 19 carries.

The Hokies went 70 yards in seven plays the first time they got the ball, Taylor running it in from the 5 for the touchdown, but mounted only one other drive in the first half. That one ended on an interception when tight end Sam Wheeler tipped a pass near the end zone and Deunta Williams intercepted for the Tar Heels.

Williams returned it to the 49, and Yates' 18-yard pass to Hakeem Nicks and a 10-yard run by Houston highlighted their march to Connor Barth's 32-yard field goal.

That was all the Tar Heels did until late, and it wasn't enough.