Today’s UNC game could have easily been a blowout with Virginia coming in ranked as the 16th best team in the nation and Carolina riding a three-game losing streak. The game was anything but a blowout,
but it also never felt like either of the teams really wanted to win the game. Each side left the door wide open for the other to walk through, but in the end UNC elected to go for two in the first overtime period and fell short by inches in the 17-16 loss.
Neither team scored in the second half after playing to a 10-10 tie at halftime. The Tar Heels had a chance to make it to the locker room with a lead when they attempted a field goal in the final seconds of the first half, but Virginia successfully iced Rece Verhoff’s 50-yarder. Verhoff nailed the practice kick at the timeout but missed wide left on the one that counted. The entire story of the game was close but not quite. The Tar Heels nearly put up a touchdown on their second drive of the game before Kobe Paysour fumbled at the goal line, feeling extremely reminiscent of how the Heels lost last week’s game against Cal.
UNC was good at keeping the Cavaliers from getting anything going on the ground all game and Chandler Morris completed just 57% of his passes. The Carolina defense gave the team every chance to win, but the offense, which has struggled all year, just could not put it together in order to do so.
Four quarters was not enough to decide it, and Virginia had the ball first in overtime. They chipped away at yardage with seven plays that ultimately got them into the end zone for a 17-10 lead. Carolina matched the touchdown with a nine-yard reception by Davion Gause, but the team decided to go for two instead of risking it in another overtime. Benjamin Hall was a few grass blades away from a successful attempt but fell just short. Ballgame.
The offense continues to be the glaring weakness of this Carolina team. The defense, while not innocent in some of the shortcomings this season, did all they could against a Virginia team that has done well this season. Morris was sacked six times and an offense that came into today averaging 40 points per game was held largely in check.
It was, once again, the Tar Heel offense that lost this game for them. Even improved play from Gio Lopez, particularly early on, was not enough to make up for the untimely interceptions and fumble. It’s extremely hard to win games as one of the worst offensive units in the country, even when the other team tries very hard to give it to you.
Carolina heads to Syracuse for their next game Friday night.
