Sean Brown will miss NC State game vs Pitt; UNC is still without Thaddeus Dixon

ACC play continues this weekend for N.C. State and North Carolina, both of whom seek a much-needed win. Duke is on a bye.

Between the Tar Heels and Wolfpack, 26 players were listed on the weekly conference availability report and 21 are expected to be unavailable on Saturday. The ACC released the initial report on Thursday night.

In addition to N.C. State and Carolina’s absences, Pittsburgh and Virginia both have key players listed as unavailable or have uncertain availability.

UNC returns home to face Virginia at noon to begin local action. N.C. State plays at Pittsburgh inside Acrisure Stadium, formerly Heinz Field, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.

NC State-Pittsburgh availability report

Both teams have experienced their fair share of injuries this season, but the Wolfpack hopes to get some players back after its first bye.

“One [goal] was getting them healthier,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said on Thursday. “I feel like we did that with the guys that we have available and definitely gave them some opportunity to rest and recover.”

Wide receiver Terrell Anderson left the Notre Dame game in the first half with an upper body injury. Anderson said Tuesday he was one of the players who was focused on healing and using the time off effectively.

“I was really just focusing on getting my body back together, my shoulder, doing a lot of rehab and learning, watching film, getting new installs,” Anderson said. “I’m just focused on getting my body together first.”

The sophomore said he went through all the drills during practice on Tuesday and was not limited in his participation. Anderson leads the team with 445 receiving yards, averaging nearly 64 yards per game, and contributed four touchdowns.

Linebacker Sean Brown and safety Brody Barnhardt missed the Campbell and Notre Dame matchups. They both left the Virginia Tech game with undisclosed injuries and were listed as “out” on the initial injury report. Prior to his injury, Brown was the Wolfpack’s leading tackler with 44. Barnhardt was sixth on the team with 23.

True freshman offensive lineman Spike Sowells, like Anderson, left the game in South Bend with an injury. He has played at several spots on the front five this season. Sowells, alongside graduate offensive lineman Anthony Carter, is questionable.

Safety JJ Johnson was one of the other notable additions to the availability report. He was listed as “out.” Johnson played in the first seven games, recording 256 snaps, and contributed 15 tackles and one pass breakup.

Pitt is expected to be without 10 players and seven have uncertain statuses. Linebacker Rasheem Biles, one of the Panthers’ best defenders is listed as questionable. Biles missed Pitt’s previous game against Syracuse. He has contributed 53 tackles, two sacks, one interception return for 75 yards and two pass deflections.

N.C. State holds a 4-3 overall record and sits at 1-2 in ACC play, its lone win coming against Wake Forest. It defeated Virginia in Week 2, but that was not considered a conference game.

Meanwhile, Pitt is 5-2 on the season and 3-1 in league contests. The Panthers defeated Florida State, Boston College and Syracuse. Additionally, Pitt is 3-1 at home and N.C. State is 1-2 on the road.

The Panthers rank No. 3 in the ACC for scoring offense and defense and have shown to be one of the more well-rounded teams in the conference this fall. N.C. State’s offense has been, for the most part, top tier. Its defense, however, has struggled for most of the season.

Players out

N.C. State: Safeties Renté Hinton, JJ Johnson, Daemon Fagan and Brody Barnhardt; defensive back Isaiah Crowell; wide receiver Jonathan Paylor; cornerback Jaren Sensabaugh; linebackers AJ Richardson, Cole Wilson, Sterling Dixon; and offensive linemen Tyler West and Trent Mitchell

Pitt: Defensive linemen Zach Crothers, Denim Cook and Jaeden Moore; linebackers Jayden Bonsu and Jeremiah Marcelin; running backs Jaylin Brown and Derrick Davis; defensive back Nigel Maynard; and offensive linemen Keith Gouveia and Jeff Persi

Questionable players

N.C. State: Offensive linemen Spike Sowells and Anthony Carter

Pitt: Linebackers Rasheem Biles, Kyle Louis and Nick Lapi; defensive lineman Blaine Spires; and long snapper Nilay Upadhyayula

Probable participation

N.C. State: N/A

Pitt: Defensive backs Rashaun Murray and Shadarian Harrison

North Carolina-Virginia availability report

Thaddeus Dixon remains out, according to the initial report, after he suffered an injury against Clemson. The cornerback is considered one of the team’s best players and is expected to miss several weeks. In five games played, Dixon recorded 14 tackles and a trio of pass breakups.

“I’m not sure exactly how that’s going to turn out,” head coach Bill Belichick said last week about Dixon’s status. “We’ll just take it day-by-day, or week-by-week here for a couple weeks and see. Thad was certainly one of our best players. Trained very hard as one of our team captains and gave a lot of leadership to the team. As one of our most experienced and oldest players, he played a lot of football, has seen a lot of football. So it’s a tough injury for him. Especially kind of a non-contact, when he landed, it kind of hit in a weird place.”

Belichick said Dixon was already “bouncing back.” The Washington State transfer left the Clemson game on Oct. 4.

Offensive lineman Christo Kelly was listed as “questionable” in the report. Kelly is a captain and started in the season opener but has only played 19 snaps this season.

UNC defensive lineman Pryce Yates is no longer with the team due to ongoing impacts from an injury, defensive line coach Bob Diaco confirmed on Thursday. Yates transferred from Connecticut this season but only played one game. In September, Belichick would not give a timeline for a possible return.

Virginia, however, had the biggest news between the two teams. Cam Ross was included among the Cavaliers’ unavailable players. Ross, a transfer from James Madison, has recorded 111 punt return yards and 207 kickoff return yards, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the season opener against Coastal Carolina. Ross also has 329 receiving yards, averaging 11.75 yards per catch, and two touchdowns. He is third on the team in receiving yards.

UNC sits in the cellar of the ACC, recording a 2-4 record and 0-2 in the league. It is saved only by winless Boston College and Florida State, both of whom started 0-4 in the ACC.

Virginia enters Chapel Hill ranked No. 16 in the Associated Press Top 25, with a 6-1 record and 3-0 start against conference opponents. The Cavaliers are 1-1 on the road, with a win at Louisville in overtime and loss at N.C. State. UVA boasts the best scoring offense in the ACC, recording 40 points per game this season, and has a solid defense. It ranks in the middle of the conference, allowing 23 points per game.

The Tar Heels rank last for scoring offense — 18.7 points scored per game — and are allowing 25 points to its opponents.

Players out

UNC: Defensive back Thaddeus Dixon; linebackers Chinedu Onyeagoro and Tyler Houser; offensive lineman Peter Pesansky; defensive linemen Laderion Williams and Kamarion Thomas; and tight ends Cort Halsey and Deems May

Virginia: Cornerbacks Dre Walker, Jam Johnson; Kevon Gray; wide receivers Andre Greene, Cam Ross, Triston Ward and Trevor Ladd; defensive back Ja’Maric Morris; tight end Dakota Twitty; quarterback Grady Brosterhous; running backs Xavier Brown and Davis Lane; safety Armstrong Jones; offensive lineman Makilan Thomas, Monroe Mills and Kevin Wigenton; and defensive lineman Tyler Simmons

Questionable players

UNC: Linebacker Jake Bauer; offensive lineman Christo Kelly; and kicker Guytano Bartolomeo

Virginia: N/A

Probable participation UNC: N/A

Virginia: Offensive lineman McKale Boley and tight end John Rogers

Jadyn Watson-Fisher

The News & Observer