UNC Football: Sam Howell in elite company this season

UNC Football freshman quarterback Sam Howell has been fantastic and he’s in some elite company this college football season

The North Carolina Tar Heels are currently 4-5 on the college football season and while they are off a disappointing loss to the Virginia Cavaliers, the arrow is certainly pointing up for this program.

UNC won two games in each of the past two years and this season they are just two wins away from being bowl eligible. Sure, they lost to the Cavaliers by seven which ended their Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal chances but the Tar Heels have actually been fun to watch. They are a program on the rise in the conference and moving forward, likely will get better.

The guy leading the offense has been freshman quarterback Sam Howell. The former Florida State commit switched his verbal and signed with UNC on Signing Day and was a big get for Mack Brown in this 2020 class.

Despite UNC’s 4-5 record, Howell has been fantastic as a freshman this season. He’s thrown for 26 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and 2,472 yards so far. Howell has already set a new UNC freshman record for touchdown passes and is 14 away from tying Jameis Winston’s record for ACC freshman.

But with those numbers, Howell is also in some elite company.

Howell is one of two quarterbacks to have 2,400-plus passing yards, 25 or more passing touchdowns and 5 or fewer interceptions. The other? Well, it’s Heisman favorite Joe Burrow:

That’s a pretty impressive stat there as Howell is up there among the best quarterbacks in college football this season. Burrow gets more national attention due to LSU’s 8-0 record and them being a College Football Playoff contender.

Howell has three games remaining this season as UNC will be on the road vs. Pitt and N.C. State as well as hosting Mercer. They need two wins out of those final three to be bowl eligible.

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