Tag: Antavious Lane

Helmet stickers for UNC’s letdown at NC State

While the Tar Heels disappointed us all again in last night’s football game at NC State, there were a few players who stood out.

There’s not much positive to say about UNC’s regular-season finale on Saturday night.

The Tar Heels lost to NC State, 39-20, scoring most of their points in garbage time. UNC star running back Omarion Hampton never got going, while quarterback Drake Maye was highly inefficient through the air.

Saturday was Carolina’s third straight loss to its greatest football rival, a now, one-sided series that becomes less of a rivalry with results like Saturday’s. I thought the Tar Heels would at least show up and make it competitive, but they sorely lacked that fight.

Give credit to the Wolfpack, who played one of their most complete games of 2023. In its fifth-straight win, dual-threat quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns. Six different ball-carriers combined for 170 yards and another score.

Even in the disappointing result for Carolina, there were a couple players who shined.

Helmet stickers for UNC-Clemson football

UNC lost to Clemson on Saturday afternoon, a team it hasn’t beaten since 2010. There were a few Tar Heels who shined, though – who exactly?

UNC had to play arguably its toughest opponent of 2023 last night – it resulted in a 31-21 loss at Clemson.

The Tar Heels haven’t beaten the Tigers since 2010 overall, but also since 2001 in Clemson. For reference, that’s before the invention of smartphones and smart TVs.

If you take away the three UNC turnovers, including the two first-half, red zone fumbles, UNC enters halftime with a lead and, possibly, escapes Clemson with a win. Carolina quarterback Drake Maye didn’t play awful, but had his worst game of the season with just 209 passing yards, one touchdown and an interception. UNC’s ground game continued thriving, with star sophomore running back Omarion Hampton rushing for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

The Tar Heels’ ACC Championship Game chances were pretty much over before yesterday began, but they would’ve still been alive with a Miami win. UNC would’ve also had to beat Clemson, a team it seems to struggle with just as much as Georgia Tech.

Despite the loss, there were some positive takeaways. I know it might not seem like it after a loss, as we all want to focus on what went wrong, which I do a lot myself.

Carolina still has the opportunity to notch back-to-back 9-win seasons, something it hasn’t done since 1996-1997. The Tar Heels have to play rival N.C. State, an opponent it has struggled against as of late, on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET.