A loss last week dropped UNC out of the latest football AP Poll.
If the Tar Heels had any hopes of jumping back into it against NC State, those hopes were dashed in a 39-20, Wolfpack victory.
UNC received one vote for the latest AP Poll, but remained out of it for a second-consecutive weekend.
Carolina didn’t generate much consistency on offense until the second half of Saturday’s letdown, when NC State had pretty much decided things. Drake Maye did run for 100 yards on the ground, leading all rushers, but he also threw two interceptions for the first time since September.
Any guesses on how to UNC defense performed? If you guessed subpar – ding, ding, ding.
The Wolfpack, who carried a below-average running game and struggling quarterback in Brennan Armstrong, totaled 504 yards. Armstrong threw for three touchdown and a season-high 334 yards, while State totaled 170 rushing yards.
Carolina star running back Omarion Hampton, who entered the game tied atop the FBS rushing leaderboard with Ollie Gordon II, carried the ball just nine times for 28 yards.
There’s not much else UNC can do to salvage its season – besides winning a bowl game for the first time since 2019.
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