Another Saturday night for the UNC football team,another victory within reach that resulted in a heart-breaking loss.
North Carolina welcomed Louisville to Kenan Stadium on November 14 with plenty at stake. The Tar Heels needed a win to reach bowl eligibility, while the Cardinals needed a win to keep pace for second in the ACC.
Both high-powered offenses totaled just 30 points, with Louisville winning 16-14 in a game coming down to the final possession.
The Cardinals (7-3, 6-2 ACC) entered averaging nearly 500 yards per game, but UNC (5-5, 2-4 ACC) limited them to 302 yards, one touchdown and three field goals. After the game, North Carolina starting linebacker Derek McDonald spoke on his team's effectiveness in neutralizing the Louisville offense.
“I think we all rallied to the ball," McDonald said. "Obviously, you don’t want one missed tackle to turn into an explosive play. They have a ton of explosive plays on the season. Just making sure we have a bunch of guys around the ball, so if someone misses a tackle, there’s another guy right there to clean him up."
#UNC starting linebacker Derek McDonald with a great answer about how the Tar Heels limited #Louisville explosive offense to just 16 points and 302 yards. pic.twitter.com/huulCpSFlu
— Tar Heels Wire (@tarheelswire) November 15, 2026
McDonald totaled a game-high 11 tackles (eight solo) and half a TFL, leading all players in ball pursuit. McDonald helped UNC's defense hold the Cardinals to just 13 first-half points, then without a score in the third quarter, keeping things within striking distance for an uncharacteristically struggling offense.
The Tar Heels make a short drive North to Charlottesville next weekend, facing Virginia in the South's Oldest Rivalry at 12:30 p.m. Can McDonald lead the North Carolina defense again, but this time to a bowl-clinching victory?
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: North Carolina's defense was able to keep them in game
