The wait for the first taste of live game action in the Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill felt like two lifetimes. The hype leading up to the game in front of a sold out Kenan Stadium was very real. Unfortunately, that hype was met with a completely uninspiring debut in the Tar Heels’ 48-14 loss to TCU in their season opener.
Carolina looked very good on their first drive of the game as they marched 83 yards down the field for a Caleb Hood eight-yard run for a touchdown. That was also the last time
things felt functional. UNC’s starting quarterback Gio Lopez went just over two hours without completing a single pass. In that time, the Horned Frogs scored 41 unanswered points. Two of those scores were a pick-six and a fumble recovered for a touchdown.
Max Johnson returned to the field following his terrible leg injury last year that nearly cost him his leg in the third quarter to replace Lopez. Lopez left the game and went to the injury tent following a big hit on the fumble that led to a TCU touchdown. As much as TCU was likely coasting at that point with such a comfortable lead, Johnson was able to get the offense moving in a way that it hadn’t since the opening drive of the game.
Johnson found his brother, tight end Jake Johnson, for a touchdown to cap off an 80-yard drive after completing seven of his eight passes. Johnson’s drive was also the first time all night that the Tar Heels had converted on a third down. Carolina started Johnson’s second drive with some solid field position before Davion Gause fumbled a handoff from Johnson for the Heels’ third turnover and fourth fumble of the game.
UNC announced that Lopez left the game with a back injury. ESPN had a concerning report from the sidelines after their cameras followed Lopez out of the tent and down the hall where they said he collapsed behind a door in a significant amount of pain. Even if Lopez is healthy enough to play next week there may be a quarterback battle brewing already.
The Horned Frogs were remarkably efficient, scoring on all but three of their drives. Carolina, on the other hand, had just two drives that went farther than 25 yards. UNC’s three turnovers led directly to 19 points. The only stat that was really in the Heels’ favor was that they were penalized fewer times. Pretty much everything else was a mess.
Looking on the bright side, one game is generally not enough to tank a season and TCU is not an embarrassing team to lose to. While that is true, all of the moves made since last season resulting in the same old Carolina Football experience is going to rattle even the most optimistic fan. The spotlight is extra bright in Chapel Hill now and this was a very, very inauspicious start.
The schedule is favorable enough to make this one not matter so much if the issues are ones that can be fixed on the fly. Still, getting your teeth kicked in on national television in your new Super Bowl champion coach’s first taste of college football feels bad. The Tar Heels can’t afford a repeat of the way tonight went if they want to keep the fan and media chatter from reaching a fever pitch.
