UNC’s Omarion Hampton is carving out a name for himself as one of college football’s top running backs, mainly thanks to a record-breaking performance last week.
Hampton, the sophomore back out of Cleveland High School in Clayton, N.C., obliterated App State’s defense for 234 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries, in a 40-34 comeback win for the Tar Heels. His final touchdown came in overtime – a response to App State’s first score – followed by a Ryan Coe extra point.
These numbers were good enough for Hampton to be the leading rusher in all of college football last weekend.
There’s another young running back by the name of Darius Taylor – and he’s coming to Chapel Hill today.
Taylor, the University of Minnesota’s star freshman running back, compiled 193 rushing yards and a touchdown on a nation-high 33 carries, in the Golden Gophers’ 25-6 win over Eastern Michigan last weekend.
When UNC and Minnesota face off at 3:30 p.m. today inside Kenan Stadium, the attention will be on two solid, undefeated teams trying to prove they remain at the top of their respective conferences. Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye has a lot of Heisman hype, but his performance in Week 1 and 2 are not up to Heisman standards.
If you ask me where the attention should be, however, it should be on Hampton and Taylor. Hampton gained 44% of UNC’s offensive yards last week, while Taylor gained 47% of Minnesota.
There’s a very good chance today’s game could come down to the last possession – and Hampton or Taylor breaking off one last final run to ice things.
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