Saturday was an absolute letdown for the UNC football team, which got smacked around by James Madison in the first half en route to a 53-21 halftime deficit.
North Carolina turned the ball over four times, including a pick-six for JMU’s last score of the first half. After showing signs of life early offensively, UNC only scored seven second-quarter points. JMU’s offense scored 38 first-half points, while its defense blocked a punt for a touchdown and recorded a pick-six
While the on-field product was bad, the Tar Heels had a special visitor on the sidelines.
That special visitor was Drake Maye, North Carolina’s 2022 ACC Rookie and Player of the Year, who the New England Patriots chose third overall in this year’s NFL Draft.
Maye impressed during NFL preseason action to the point where his head coach, Jerod Mayo, hinted at Maye possibly being New England’s starter. More recently, Maye made his regular season debut in garbage time against the New York Jets.
Drake Maye’s spending the #Patriots off weekend in Chapel Hill to cheer on his UNC Tar Heels.
(📸: @UNCFootball) pic.twitter.com/j475UwB9yL
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) September 21, 2024
If only Maye played defense, the Tar Heels certainly could’ve used him today, as UNC allowed over 400 yards in the first half ALONE.
Maye was in Heisman Trophy contention each of his two seasons (2022 and 2023) in Chapel Hill, only for those campaigns to be undone by North Carolina’s signature, late-season collapses.
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