When fans look in the record books a few years from now, the 2026 matchup between UNC vs. UConn will be remembered as Bill Belichick’s first college win in the New England area, and it will potentially be remembered as the win that had them knocking at the door of bowl eligibility with three games left in the season. Reflecting on the game in this moment, though, and the story looks more like a roller coaster that while had some scary moments where the bolts were shaking and the harnesses felt a little
too loose, ultimately the Heels got off the ride unharmed with a 38-21 victory.
For anybody that missed the first quarter, both quarterbacks looked pretty bad for lack of a better way to put it. There was no rhythm for either signal caller, and that ultimately led to a UConn punt, a UNC interception, a UConn missed field goal, a UNC punt, a UConn pick-six, and a UNC punt. Focusing specifically on the Tar Heels, Edwards looked like a shell of himself compared to his dangerous alter-ego that showed up against Miami. A lot of his throws were just off target with little reason for it, but somehow it didn’t hurt the team as much as it could have. UConn QB Kalieb Osborne deserves credit for that after throwing an errant pass to Timir Hickman-Collins, who was able to take it back to the house for the score.
After a disastrous first quarter, both teams woke up. Both quarterbacks were able to generate over 100 yards through the air, but the difference-maker was a bizarre fumble by the Huskies that eventually led to a Carolina touchdown. To be very honest, it is still unclear how that play was a fumble, but the Tar Heels made it a moot point by the time the final whistle sounded. The Heels went into the locker room up 28-14 at halftime, and when they came out of the tunnel a new twist entered the chat.
During the third quarter, rain started pouring down so badly that the broadcast started to look foggy. Both teams had to modify their game plans to reduce how much they were throwing, which ended up benefitting UConn more than UNC in the scoring column. During a 7-play drive, Cyncir Bowers was able to break free for a 13-yard touchdown to bring the game within seven. But Edwards decided that it was time to throw caution into the wind (pun not intended) and start airing the ball out, and while the Heels weren’t able to finish the drive with a touchdown, they were still able to nail a 27-yard field goal to regain some breathing room.
From there, the Huskies’ drives for the rest of the game were pretty miserable, and one of them included yet another interception thrown by Osborne. He hadn’t thrown a pick since September before today, so credit to the Tar Heels for causing disruption on defense. With a few minutes left in the game, Edwards decided to put the nail in the coffin by hitting Jelani Thurman for a three-yard touchdown pass to seal the deal. Thurman’s touchdown catch was his eighth of the season, which ties the UNC record for most touchdowns in a season by a tight end.
As mentioned earlier, UNC earning their fifth win of the season has officially done two things: they now have more wins than last season, and they are knocking at the door of bowl eligibility. Whether or not fans believe that the Heels can pull it off really depend on how the last three games are being dissected — do you have a lot of optimism because of what they were able to do against Miami and UConn? Or did the fact that they suffered back-to-back losses create a long-lasting bitter taste in your mouth? More importantly, do we think Louisville, Virginia, and NC State are all better than UNC at this point of the season, or do the Heels match up decently against all three with the way they’ve been playing? Let us know what you think in the comments below, but either way, this team deserves a lot of credit for what they’ve done to this point in the season.
Next the Heels will return to Chapel Hill to face off against Louisville. The game time has not been announced yet, but hopefully that information will be communicated soon.
