Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Football: Tar Heels fall to Cavaliers on the road

By Zack Pearson

CHAPEL HILL, NC - SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Larry Fedora of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches during their game against the California Golden Bears at Kenan Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Cal won 35-30. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Larry Fedora of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches during their game against the California Golden Bears at Kenan Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Cal won 35-30. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The UNC Football program suffers another loss on Saturday as they dropped a road contest at Virginia in the South’s Oldest Rivalry

The struggles for the North Carolina Tar Heels continue.

In their previous two games, the Tar Heels led in the fourth quarter and had a chance to seal the deal but failed and ended up losing both games. On Saturday on the road against Virginia, the Tar Heels fell behind early and never really recovered.

The Cavaliers marched down the field on their opening drive and found the end zone to take an early 7-0 lead. UNC responded with a touchdown of their own as Nathan Elliott found Dazz Newsome for a 30-yard touchdown.

Elliott was crisp on the drive and UNC even converted a fourth down attempt in Cavaliers’ territory before finding the end zone. But after that, the Cavaliers grabbed control and never gave it back.

Virginia took a 14-7 lead on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Perkins to Joe Reed with just 47 seconds left in the first quarter. The Cavaliers would add a 37-yard field goal in the second half to take a 17-7 lead.

UNC got back in it with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Carl Tucker in the second quarter. With the Tar Heels receiving the second half, this was a golden chance for UNC to grab the lead.

But the second half would be a completely different story.

The Tar Heels struggled in the second half and were outscored 14-7 in that second half, with the only touchdown coming from Michael Carter. UNC really struggled to move the ball offensively and went three-and-out to open the half. The defense had a busted play that resulted in a Virginia 33-yard touchdown pass.

Following the game, head coach Larry Fedora spoke on his team’s efforts in that second half.

“The guys were pretty much like they are always at half time,” Fedora said via Inside Carolina. “They know it’s a 60 minute battle. They know once we come in at half they put that one behind them and know they’ve got 30 more minutes to fight. Every game we’ve been in it at half time, in most of the games I should say, and our guys have battled. We just didn’t make enough plays in the second half.”

For the Tar Heels, they drop to 1-6 overall and 1-4 in the ACC. It’s the fourth-straight game the Tar Heels have lost and cannot qualify for a bowl game again this season.

This is just the latest frustrating loss for the Tar Heels in what is another lost season. At this point, you just want to see some consistency from the program.

The Tar Heels return to action next Saturday when they host Georgia Tech at 12:15 p.m.

For more on the UNC Football program, please check back with Keeping It Heel.

Home/North Carolina Tar Heels