UNC Football: Josh Downs earns another ACC honor

The UNC Football program got back on track this past week, earning a big win over Duke to retain the Victory Bell in Chapel Hill.

After a slow start to the game, North Carolina got things going with a touchdown on offense and then a defensive score to jump out to a 14-0 lead. They added another touchdown and a field goal to take a 24-0 halftime lead.

A big reason why UNC was able to get out to a lead and end up winning 38-7 was due to their offense and the connection between quarterback Sam Howell and Josh Downs. The two connected on 8 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown.

For Downs’ effort, he earned another Atlantic Coast Conference honor.

Downs was named the ACC Receiver of the Week for Week 5, his second of the season. While catching those 8 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown, he became the first UNC receiver to catch a touchdown pass in each of the team’s five five games, setting him up for a historic run this year.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Downs now has 40 receptions for 620 yards and 6 touchdowns while averaging 15.5 yards per catch. He’s been UNC’s best receiver by far this season and a legit down field threat for Howell and this offense.

Downs should continue to play a big role in UNC’s offense moving forward and if they want to fully turn things around this year, they are going to need Downs to play at a high level the rest of the year, especially if other receivers struggle.

For more on Downs and other UNC Football players, please check back with Keeping It Heel.