If football teams could win games based on offense alone, UNC would’ve been one of college football’s best last year.
The Tar Heels scored 31 points in each of their first 10 games, with the lone exception a 27-24, road win over Miami on Oct. 7. Drake Maye finished fourth among FBS quarterbacks in passing yards (4,321), just one spot behind Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Willaims.
As the age-old adage goes, however, defense wins championships. Carolina’s defense was one of the worst among FBS schools last year – dead-last in the ACC by allowing 438.2 yards per game.
This season? Coupled with a breakout season from Omarion Hampton and a couple bounceback performances from Maye, UNC’s defense is a major part of the reason it’s off to a 4-0 start.
Just how good has the Heels’ defense been, though?
“We’d given up 14 touchdown passes at this time last year,” UNC head coach Mack Brown told Saturday Road’s Spenser Davis. “[This year] we’ve given up 2. And we’re stopping the run a little better.”
Outside of the App State clunker, Carolina’s defense has been one of the ACC’s best in 2023.
UNC is allowing 5.22 yards per play, which is sixth in the conference. The Heels’ late game defense has nearly shutout opponents, allowing just six second-half points between the South Carolina, Minnesota and Pitt games (Pitt’s fourth-quarter kickoff return is considered a defensive score).
Chapel Hill knew something special was brewing with the defensive unit after the season-opener against South Carolina, when the Tar Heels sacked Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler nine times. They struggled immensely against App State, but held Joey Aguilar in check and made a game-saving tackle on the final possession of overtime.
Minnesota running back Darius Taylor surpassed the 100-yard mark, but Carolina’s defense limited Golden Gophers quarterback Athas Kaliakmanis to just 11 completions. It appeared Pitt was going to have a field day against UNC based on the first quarter of their matchup, but the Heels recovered to only allow a field goal after Daniel Carter’s rushing touchdown in the opening stages of quarter two.
Carolina should continue to thrive on Saturday against Syracuse, who’s coming off a subpar offensive performance in their first 2023 defeat against Clemson.
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