Tag: Campbell Football

What Mack Brown said after Heels dominate Camels for seventh win

UNC football head coach Mack Brown was a happy camper after his team’s much-needed, 59-7 thumping of Campbell. Check out what he said.

All is well in Chapel Hill.

After two straight weeks in which UNC went from fringe College Football Playoff contender to an ACC afterthought, thanks to losses against sub-.500 UVA and Georgia Tech, UNC responded Saturday afternoon with a 59-7 thumping of Campbell.

Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton reached the 1,000-yard rushing yardage mark for the season on his first of two, second quarter touchdowns. Carolina quarterback Drake Maye threw touchdowns on a quarter of his 16 completions, while UNC star wide receiver Devontez Walker caught both of his passes for scores.

Playmakers showed up everywhere on Carolina’s defense, with five different guys recording a sack or part of one. UNC recovered three Camel fumbles and limited an opponent to single-digits for the second time this year.

With all the Tar Heels did well, you know that head coach Mack Brown is a happy camper. He might event bust out some of his signature dance moves – on or off camera.

What exactly did Brown have to say exactly after Carolina’s dominating victory?

Social media reacts to UNC crushing Campbell

After going into the second quarter tied at 7 with Campbell, the UNC football squad scored 52 unanswered points for a 59-7 win.

Tar Heel fans within Kenan Stadium started to get a little nervous after the first quarter of today’s game against Campbell, with the two teams tied at seven points apiece.

The Camels were moving the ball at ease against UNC’s porous defense – just like UVA and Georgia Tech did the two weeks prior. Carolina started slow offensively, another cause for concern.

It didn’t take long for UNC to start showcasing its ACC-leading offense, as it scored 52 unanswered points en route to a 59-7 victory.

It was Omarion Hampton’s day, as the Carolina sophomore running back reached 1,000 yards on the season, via his first of two second-quarter touchdown runs. UNC quarterback Drake Maye threw four touchdown passes on just 16 completions, meaning a quarter of his completions went for scores. J.J. Jones, Carolina’s leading receiver, finally scored his first 2023 touchdown in the third quarter.

UNC’s defense even played solid, limiting an opponent to single-digits for the second time this year (Syracuse, Week 6). Campbell’s offense is nowhere near the level of an ACC program, but it was making solid gains in the opening quarter.

Let’s see what fans thought of the dominating Carolina victory, which was much-needed after the Heels’ worst stretch of football during 2023:

Tar Heels shake off slow start, turn on the jets for dominating bounceback against Campbell

UNC started slow in Saturday’s 52-point victory vs. Campbell, but scored 52 unanswered points in a much-needed bounce-back victory.

After one quarter of play in Saturday’s UNC-Campbell game, UNC looked a lot like the same team with consecutive losses in its back pocket.

The Tar Heels and Camels were tied at seven apiece, with Campbell’s FCS offense moving the ball at will. UNC must have pressed an in-game reset button between quarters, because it looked like a brand new team from there on out.

Headlined by star running back Omarion Hampton’s fourth-consecutive 100-yard outing, which included him reaching 1,000 yards for the season on a momentum-swinging, second-quarter touchdown run, the Tar Heels rode a balanced offensive attack to a 59-7 victory.

Just as UNC did so well before its 2-game slide, it dominated the second quarter and put Saturday’s matchup out of reach.

First up for Carolina was Hampton’s 1,000-yard-reaching, 54-yard touchdown run nearly halfway through the second quarter.

Nearly six minutes later, the Drake Maye-Devontez Walker connection worked for a 31-yard score. With 27 seconds left in the half, Hampton punched the ball in the end zone for a 4-yard score, giving UNC a 28-7 lead going into halftime.

Carolina didn’t stop out of the break.

Just 37 seconds into the second half, Maye connected with tight end John Copenhaver for a 25-yard touchdown. J.J. Jones, UNC’s receiving yardage leader, caught a 21-yard pass halfway through the third quarter for his first score of the year.

Carolina kicker Noah Burnette added a 43-yard field goal to round out the third-quarter scoring, then backup quarterback Conner Harrell gashed the Campbell defense for a 61-yard touchdown run.

The Tar Heel defense didn’t play too bad, holding an opponent to single-digits for the second time this year, but Campbell’s offense is nowhere near the level of an FBS school.

This is exactly the type of rebound game UNC needed. It dominated in every aspect of the game, looking a lot like the early-season team on the edge of a CFP spot.

And what better day to win big than on a beautiful, sunny November day in Kenan Stadium?

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Tar Heels announce captains for noon football clash against Campbell

UNC announced its three captains for a 12 p.m. ET kickoff against Campbell, which gives the Tar Heels a golden chance to get win number 7.

You know what the best thing about sports is?

After each game – no matter a win or a loss, teams can press the reset button.

You can bet the UNC football program already pressed reset last weekend, the moment after its second-consecutive loss to Georgia Tech. Carolina went from 6-0 three weekends ago, on the outside looking into the College Football Playoff, to having its ACC Title hopes in serious danger.

The Tar Heels have a golden chance to get back in the win column today, as they host in-state FCS opponent Campbell University for a 12 p.m. ET kickoff. You can bet the Camels, who are 4-4 just like Georgia Tech, are looking to shock the college football world by pitching a rare, FCS-over-FBS upset.

Captaining UNC for its Military Appreciation Day game are star quarterback Drake Maye (offense), defensive standout Kaimon Rucker and running back-turned-defensive back D.J. Jones (special teams).

Even though Maye’s Heisman Trophy chances are pretty much shot, due to the Tar Heels losing back-to-back games against sub-.500, unranked opponents, Maye still has his team’s offense among one of the country’s best. Carolina’s 509.4 yards per game is third-highest in the FBS, while his 2,559 passing yards rank him seventh in the FBS.

Rucker is one of the rare bright spots on a struggling defensive unit that, earlier this season, we thought had finally turned a corner. He leads Carolina with 11 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries and 7.5 sacks. Even with UNC dropping its last two games, Rucker combined for 11 tackles, showing he was one of the few Tar Heels who could actually wrap up a ballcarrier.

Jones has appeared in all eight games, with his role primarily on special teams. He has five total tackles to his name, including a half-TFL.

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Omarion Hampton just 77 rushing yards away from 1,000 on the season

UNC running back Omarion Hampton can join the long list of 1,000-yard rushers in school history on Saturday. He needs just 77 more yards.

Just how good is UNC sophomore running back Omarion Hampton?

The Tar Heels still have four games remaining in the regular season, starting with a 12 p.m. ET home kickoff tomorrow against in-state, FCS opponent Campbell University. This should be a great opportunity for Carolina to hit reset and, if it dominates, possibly climb back into the AP Poll.

In those four games, Hampton has a golden chance to reach 1,000 yards in just his second collegiate season.

He currently sits at 923 yards and is fresh off his third straight, 100-yard output. Hampton’s yardage total puts him sixth in the nation, while his 10 rushing touchdowns scored ties him for fourth.

Hampton’s not too shabby of a receiver, either, as he’s one of eight Tar Heels to register 100 receiving yards. He’s the beneficiary of a Drake Maye-led offense that spreads around the football a lot.

Depending on how large of a lead Carolina builds tomorrow, Hampton will almost certainly reach 1,000 yards. The only instance I could see him missing the mark is if he breaks off a big run early, gets pulled for British Brooks and Maye only throws the ball from there on out.

If Hampton hits the 1K mark, he’d be the first Tar Heel to do so since Ty Chandler in 2021.

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Five things to watch in Saturday afternoon UNC-Campbell football clash

Theoretically, UNC should easily dominate Campbell in Saturday’s home football matchup. But things haven’t come easy in Chapel Hill so far.

It’s always exciting when two teams play each other for the first time.

Exciting, however, isn’t a word that’s be used a lot within the UNC football program.

The Tar Heels went from a 6-0, fringe College Football Playoff team to a struggling, 6-2 squad that likely won’t even make the ACC Championship. They’ve lost to 2-win UVA and Georgia Tech, a former sub-.500 team, who is unofficially known as UNC’s kryptonite.

Carolina has a golden chance to press reset this coming Saturday, when it hosts in-state FCS school Campbell University at 12 p.m.

UNC’s track record against FCS opponents is pretty solid, including a 56-24 thumping of Florida A&M in last year’s season opener. The year before, Carolina downed Wofford, 34-14.

With all that’s gone wrong in Chapel Hill recently, a lot of things are about to go right on Saturday. UNC’s passing game should put up sky-high numbers, while the rushing game should continue thriving.

Of course, Carolina is a team that seemingly plays down to opponents. UNC could simply look at Campbell and decide, “Okay, we can take it easy today.”

Remember when The Citadel beat South Carolina – in Columbia – during the 2015 season? The Tar Heels don’t want to become part of that unfortunate history.

What are some key areas to keep your eye on in Saturday’s game?

UNC vs. Campbell: Game preview, info, prediction and more

The Campbell Fightin’ Camels provide UNC’s football team a much-needed chance to reset on Saturday afternoon. What exactly will Carolina do?

UNC’s next football opponent, Campbell, couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Tar Heels’ once promising season – they started 6-0 – took a dark turn. UNC lost two consecutive games to opponents it had no business losing to – UVA two weekends ago, followed by Georgia Tech last Saturday. The Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets combined for over 1,000 yards against Carolina, with 576 of those coming on the ground.

This is the same UNC defense that had been shutting opponents down in the second half, sacked South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler nine times in Week 1 and had been generating turnovers seemingly every game.

The Tar Heels return home to take on the Camels at 12 p.m. Saturday. While Campbell’s no slouch at 4-4, it’s an FCS school. When UNC last played an FCS opponent, it pulled away from Florida A&M and hung 56 points on them in the 2022 opener.

Despite the disappointing defensive performances over their past two games, the Tar Heels still have one of the nation’s best offenses. UNC quarterback Drake Maye has thrown for 300+ yards in each of the losses, while starting running back Omarion Hampton has reached over 100 yards in both games.

Campbell could create some chaos in Chapel Hill, though, with four players reaching the 250-yard marker. Those same four players have multiple touchdowns, led by six from NaQuari Rogers.

Camels quarterback Hajj Malik-Williams isn’t too shabby either, passing for 2,085 yards, sporting a 16-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio and completing nearly 74 percent of his passes.

UNC’s ultimately going to win this game by a wide margin, but Campbell has the talent to keep it close early.

How to watch Saturday’s noon UNC-Campbell football battle

The UNC football program welcomes in-state opponent Campbell to Chapel Hill on Saturday. If you can’t attend, see how you can watch.

With consecutive losses to UVA and Georgia Tech now in its back pocket, the only thing UNC can do is focus on winning its next football game.

The Tar Heels have a very good chance to do that, as they welcome in-state FCS opponent Campbell University on Saturday at 12 p.m. EST.

Carolina’s beaten its last two FCS opponents with relative ease – taking down Florida A&M in a 56-24 beating last year, then beating Wofford by a 34-14 mark in 2021. The Tar Heels should’ve taken down UVA and Georgia Tech with relative ease, but instead left each game with a disappointing loss.

If UNC wants to get back into the win column, it’ll first need to re-discover the defensive rhythm that helped it win its first six games.

Carolina’s offense is still clicking, particularly with star running back Omarion Hampton reaching the 100-yard market in three consecutive games. The offense will continue to thrive against Campbell, maybe to the point where backups come into play late.

It’s supposed to be a beautiful day in Chapel Hill, with sunny skies and 61 degrees projected at the noon kickoff. Kenan Stadium might not be filled like an ACC matchup, but fans will be happy to cheer on their Tar Heels to a victory.

If you can’t make the game, however, we’ve got all the TV broadcast information you need to know:

UNC-Campbell, RADIO, AND STREAMING INFORMATION

WHAT: North Carolina (6-2, 3-2 ACC) vs. Campbell (4-4, 3-3 Colonial)

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4 at 12 p.m. ET

LOCATION: Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.

TV: ACC Network (Watch and stream the game live on FuboTV)

ANNOUNCERS: Wes Durham, Tim Hasselbeck, Taylor Tannebaum

RADIO: Tar Heel Sports Network

SATELLITE RADIO: SiriusXM (193)

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What’s the likelihood of UNC finishing undefeated? Let’s see what ESPN has to say

A 5-0 start has UNC in the conversation for an ACC title. ESPN predicts the likelihood of Carolina winning its remaining matchups.

UNC is just a basketball school, right?

If you’ve been watching college football this year, you’ll realize the Tar Heels are making the case to also be considered as a football school.

Carolina’s 5-0 start, its best since 1997, is fueled by a resurgent Drake Maye, a suddenly-deep and talented wide receiver room, Omarion Hampton’s breakout Sophomore campaign, plus the defense.

The defense? Yes, you read that right. Nine sacks against South Carolina Week 1, 13 second half points between Weeks 1, 3, 4 and 5, much-improved pressure against opposing quarterbacks and a slew of transfers, highlighted by Alijah Huzzie and Amari Gainer.

UNC downed the Gamecocks, App State (close call), Minnesota, Pitt and Syracuse en route to being one of the ACC’s three undefeated teams (Florida State, Louisville). The Tar Heels are in the thick of contending for the conference crown, with their next task Miami on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

UNC will host UVA for its third straight home game next weekend, then hit the road for a date with its kryptonite, Georgia Tech, on Saturday, Oct. 28. Carolina will host Campbell (Nov. 4) and archrival Duke (Nov. 11) to close out its home slate, then travel to Clemson (Nov. 18) and rival N.C. State (Nov. 25) to end its regular season.

It’s always fun predicting the final scores of each matchup. We’re not going to do that today, but let’s take a look instead at UNC’s likelihood of winning each game, according to ESPN: